Eric Davis (footballer, born 1932)

Eric Davis
Personal information
Full name Eric William Charles Davis
Date of birth (1932-02-26)26 February 1932
Place of birth Stonehouse, Plymouth, England
Date of death July 2007 (aged 75)
Position(s) Centre forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Rhyl
Tavistock Town
1952–1957 Plymouth Argyle 63 (29)
1957–1959 Scunthorpe United 40 (20)
1959–1960 Chester 31 (11)
1960 Oldham Athletic 2 (1)
Falmouth Town
Managerial career
Falmouth Town (player-manager)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Eric William Charles Davis (26 February 1932 – 24 July 2007) was an English footballer who played as a centre forward. He made 136 appearances in the Football League for Plymouth Argyle, Scunthorpe United, Chester and Oldham Athletic, scoring 61 goals.

Career

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Born in Stonehouse, Plymouth, he began his career playing Rhyl while on national service.[1] During this time he also had a trial at Chester, who he would join later in his career.[1] Davis played for Tavistock Town when he returned to Devon and joined Plymouth Argyle in 1952.[1][2] Having scored on his debut in March 1953, he was a back-up player to Maurice Tadman for two seasons and then played more regularly over the next three.[1][2] When the club signed Wilf Carter in 1957, Davis was transferred to Scunthorpe United, having scored 29 goals in 63 league games.[1]

During his time with Scunthorpe, Davis helped the club win the Third Division North in 1958 and scored 20 goals in 40 league appearances.[1][3] He moved to Chester in 1959 and scored 11 goals in 31 league games for them.[3] He had a brief stint with Oldham Athletic in 1960, scoring once in two league games, before retiring.[2][3] Davis died in July 2007 at the age of 75.[4]

Davis later became player-manager of Falmouth Town, overseeing their FA Cup run in 1962–63 which saw them reach the first round for the first time.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Eric Davis". Greens on Screen. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  2. ^ a b c Knight, Brian (1989). Plymouth Argyle: A Complete Record 1903–1989. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 128. ISBN 0-907969-40-2.
  3. ^ a b c "Eric Davis". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  4. ^ "Former Argyle forward Davis dies". BBC Sport. 24 July 2007. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
  5. ^ Cornwall's greatest ever side? The Packet, 1 November 2012