A special tribute to the great Wyn Davies from a Caernarfon-based author and historian

Local football author and historian Alex Philp, who is also manager of CPD Caernarfon Borough, pays tribute to the legendary Wyn Davies, who has passed away aged 83

Ronald Wyn Davies, or “The Mighty Wyn” as he is affectionately known, is easily Caernarfon’s most famous sportsman.

From working in a Llanberis slate quarry to becoming one of Europe’s most feared strikers is a rise to stardom that is rarely seen in the modern game.

Few players have progressed from non-league football to European and international glory, but Wyn had the will to succeed at the highest level.

What Davies lacked in pace he more than made up for in determination and bravery and his ariel prowess and unselfishness meant that his strike partners always benefited from playing with the big man.

The fact that he received more than a hundred stitches to various wounds sustained during his career may give you some idea of the way he played, a true team player who gave nothing less than one hundred percent.

The big old fashioned centre forward is now a thing of the past, Peter Crouch being the last prominent one as was Wyn’s fellow countryman John Hartson, but in the days before millionaire chairmen, over priced foreign imports and Sky Sports the most fearsome sight for any centre half in British football was “The Mighty Wyn”.

The first team to notice his talents was Caernarfon Grammar School where he was selected for their school team. He also represented Caernarfon Boys Club who the cream of the local talent turned out for including Tommy Walley and Gwyn Jones.

Upon leaving school he worked alongside his uncle in the local quarry and signed for Caernarfon and District side Deiniolen before moving on to Llanberis of the same league.

Caernarfon Town manager Arthur Lunn soon heard of the talented youngster and signed him for the Canaries.

Little did we know at the time that Wyn would go on to represent Wrexham, Bolton, where he worked alongside the famous Nat Lofthouse and then Newcastle United where his fearless performances helped them lift the Fairs Cup in 1969.

He would later join Manchester United and play alongside the legendary Best, Law and Charlton.

He then joined Manchester City and took them close to lifting the Division One title. Wyn continued playing with Blackpool, Stockport, Crystal Palace and Crewe and the fans adored him at every club.

A proud Welshman he was capped 34 times for his country and scored four goals. His bullet header versus World Champions England in 1966 is still remembered today, as are many of his goals up and down the land.

But it was his presence off the pitch that I will remember the most, a complete gentleman who would make time to talk to everyone. He was extremely modest about his achievements and whenever you mentioned that he was Caernarfon’s greatest son, he would reel off several names and proclaim that they were better footballers then him.

I consider myself very fortunate to have interviewed Wyn and we would occasionally chat on the phone, however the conversation would soon come around to how his old pals in Caernarfon were keeping.

Wyn never forgot his roots and would regularly visit his family in Caernarfon. Wyn was a hero to all Cofis, he came from the quarry to Wembley, from Cae Top to Cae Ras, feared by all defenders and loved by his strike partners, he came he saw and he conquered. Fly high “The Mighty Wyn”