Fred Davies facts for kids

Frederick Davies (born August 22, 1939 – died September 2, 2020) was an English football player. He was a talented goalkeeper. Fred played almost 400 games in the Football League. He played for big clubs like Wolverhampton Wanderers, Cardiff City, and AFC Bournemouth. After his playing days, he became a football manager. He managed teams such as Shrewsbury Town and Weymouth.

Fred Davies' Playing Career

Starting Out at Wolves

Fred Davies was born in Liverpool. He started his football journey when he joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1957. He was only 17 years old. His first season was spent playing for the reserve team.

At first, Fred felt he wasn't learning much. But then, he met Bert Williams, a former Wolves goalkeeper. Bert offered to train Fred in his free time. They practiced together at the Wolves' training ground.

Fred had to wait five years to play his first big game. This happened on January 27, 1962. It was an FA Cup match against their rivals, West Brom. He played 12 games that season. The next season, he became the main goalkeeper for the team.

Key Player for Wolves

Fred faced a lot of competition during his time at Molineux. But he was the main goalkeeper for Wolves in the mid-1960s. The team was relegated from the top league during this time. Relegation means moving down to a lower division.

However, they quickly won promotion back to the top league in the 1966–67 season. Promotion means moving up to a higher division. Fred also played for the Wolves team that won the 1967 United Soccer Association championship. For this, they played as the Los Angeles Wolves.

Moving to Other Clubs

In 1968, Fred left Wolves. He moved to Cardiff City, a team in the Second Division. Cardiff City paid £10,000 for him. He played over 100 games for Cardiff City. He helped them win the Welsh Cup three times.

After two years, he moved to Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic. This club was soon renamed AFC Bournemouth. He helped them win another promotion. The team moved up to the (old) Third Division in the 1990–71 season.

Fred Davies' Coaching Career

From Player to Coach

After he stopped playing, Fred became a coach. He joined his former Bournemouth manager, John Bond, at Norwich City in the 1970s. John Bond had encouraged Fred to get his coaching qualifications. This happened when Fred was injured for a long time at Bournemouth.

Fred also coached under Alan Ball at Blackpool in the 1980–81 season. He later worked on the coaching staff at Swansea City twice in the 1980s. In the early 1990s, he joined John Bond again at Shrewsbury Town. When Bond resigned in May 1993, Fred became the temporary manager.

Managing Shrewsbury Town

Fred's first season as manager of Shrewsbury was very successful. He led the club to win the Division Three championship. Because of this success, he was officially made the full-time manager in January 1994.

He took the club to Wembley for the first time in their history. This was in April 1996, for the final of the Football League Trophy. However, they lost the game 2–1 to Rotherham United.

Fred kept the club safe from relegation for two seasons. But they were relegated in the 1996–97 season. This cost him his job. The club had looked safe for most of the season, but then their performance dropped.

Later Management Roles

Fred quickly returned to management. He joined Weymouth, a non-league club. He managed the Dorset club for two seasons. In his first season there, he helped them win promotion to the Southern Premier League.

Fred Davies' Later Life and Passing

Fred Davies lived in Telford, Shropshire later in his life. He passed away on September 2, 2020, at the age of 81. He had been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis about 18 months before his death.

Achievements and Awards

As a Player

Cardiff City

• Welsh Cup winner: 1968, 1969, 1970

As a Manager

Shrewsbury Town

• Football League Third Division winner: 1993–94