To Saints fans, nay football fans of a certain age, Ron Davies was one of the biggest stars in football and considred one of the best headers in the game.
Saints fans were saddened to hear of the death of Ron Davies in his adopted country of the USA last Friday ironically only a day short of his 71st birthday, Ron had not been in good health in the past decade and although benefit games etc were vaunted on internet message boards to provide funds to pay for medical bills, sadly there was a lot of talk and not a lot of action and it was left to a few individuals, not least our own stalwart Tijuana Tim to work quietly out of the limelight to ensure that Ron's last few years were a little more comfortable.
Ronald Tudor Davies to give him his full name and to distinguish him from Ronald Thomas Davies, a fellow welshman who had played for Saints for six years in the late 50's early 60's, joined Saints from Norwich at the start of Saints innaugral season in the top flight in 1966, he was abig hit in his first season scoring an incredible 37 goals, many being provided by wingers Terry Paine and John Sydenham, the following season he was not so prolific he only hit 28 still a superb total.
His third season once again saw him Saints leading scorer with 20, but football was changing, teams no longer played with two wingers and in general defences had tightened up and let in less goals, so this has to be viewed in perspective.
In his fourth season he was considered in his prime at 26 and although the game had as I mentioned changed and goals were not so plentiful for any team, he still was considered the master of the headed ball, in fact he was now becoming as much provider of goals as scorer, the young Mick Channon taking over the role of top scorer but benefitting from Big Ron's winning of the ball in the penalty area and knocking it down.
His greatest ever game was in 69/70 when he hit all four goals as Saints destroyed Manchester United at Old Trafford prompting United to try and buy him, nowadays he would have been prised away by promises of big wages, but back then a contract was a contract and he only found out about the offer many years later.
He continued his role at Saiints and he and the team continued to punch above their weight in the first division.
1972/73 would be his last season at Saints though as he approached 30 at the end of it, back then considered the turning of the corner age wise for professionals, he started the season well and he scored his last ever goal for Saints in a 2-2 draw away at Ipswich Town in January 1973, with new signing Paul Gilchrist breathing down his neck he sensed his days were numbered, he played his last game at home to Manchester United in the April and within a fortnight is on his way to Portsmouth for £40,000 a decent return on a player who has given such sterling service over a 7 year period.
But his last Dell goal was yet to come, in Septemeber 1974 with Saints newly relegated and winless in the old second division, POmpey arrived at the Dell, Peter Osgood was number 9 for Saints and opened the scoring before his predesessor hit a penalty for the old enemy to equalise, Ossie would have the last laugh though winning the game with 10 minutes to go.
Ron's spell at POmpey would only last a couple of more months though and he finally ended up at Old Trafford for a short cameo before he became a travelling man and plotting up at many clubs including many in what would become his adopted USA home.
He made a brief return to the Southampton area in the early 80's and played local football for teams as diverse as AFC Totton in what was the the Hampshire league and Newton Heath in the Commercial Houses Sunday League.
He then retuirned to the States to coach, initially in Florida but then relocating to New Mexico where after leaving football behind he worked in the building trade.
Ron was a legend at the Dell and truly one of the greatest players ever to pull on the famous Red & White Stripes, as he found when he moved to Old Trafford an all red shirt didnt look quite right on him, when you think of Ron you think of only one shirt, the famous round necked red & white stripes of the 60's & 70's.
I total he played 139 (1) league games scoring 134 goals, plus 19(1) FA Cup Games scoring 9 times, add to that 13 & 6 goals in the League cup and 6(2) with 4 goals in Europe and overall you have a player who played a total of 277(4) games with a magnificent 153 goals.
Rest in peace Ronald Tudor Davies, to a certain generation you will never be forgotten.