ERIC DAVIS

Full Name: Eric William Charles Davis

Born: 26 February 1932

Came from: Tavistock Town   Went to: Scunthorpe United

First game: 21 March 1953   Last game: 22 April 1957

Appearances: 66 (66/0)   Goals: 29

Born in Stonehouse,Plymouth, and a forward, Davis began his career playing for Rhyl on the North Wales coast, whilst on National Service. During this time he also had a trial at one of his future clubs, Chester City.

On returning to the Westcountry, he played for Tavistock before joining Argyle in 1952. Tall and slim, he had a fairly impressive goalscoring record over his five seasons at Home Park, but could not fully make the centre-forward position his own, despite an almost one-in-two goalscoring record with 29 goals in 60 appearances. He had scored on his debut in March 1953 in a 3-1 away win at Blackburn Rovers, but was mainly seen as back-up player to Maurice Tadman for two seasons but then played more regularly over the next three.

Whist at Argyle, he married, in March 1955, with the ceremony in the morning (of course!) enabling him to play in the home game that afternoon against a Leeds United side containing the great John Charles. The shift of time was certainly worth it, and one hopes Mrs Davis understood, as Eric played in a 3-1 win and grabbed a goal later that day.

However, when Argyle signed Wilf Carter in 1957, his chances were further limited and he was transferred to (the then) Scunthorpe & Lindsey United for £2,000 in July 1957. At The Old Showground, he helped the club win the Third Division (North) title in the 1957-58 season. The title win had three specifics to it, it was Scunthorpe's first-ever championship since election to the Football League in 1950, it was the last season the Third Division (North) was so-called before the national Third and Fourth Divisions were created and it was the last season Scunthorpe played as Scunthorpe & Lindsey United before becoming the present day Scunthorpe United. Davis also had a moment of FA Cup glory with the club, scoring twice to knock out holders Newcastle United at St. James' Park in January 1958, with a 3-1 away win in front of 39,234.

He had helped Scunthorpe seal their title with a late headed winner against his future side Chester City, in April 1958. After the Irons' elevation to the higher league, he found goals harder to come by and it was indeed to Chester, he moved, in February 1959. His debut was chaotic. Arriving at the ground just ten minutes before kick-off, he nevertheless scored a late winner against Bradford Park Avenue at Sealand Road. He spent parts of two seasons with Chester, spread between 1959 and 1960 and played 31 times, scoring 11 goals, before then being displaced.

In the summer of 1960, he moved to Oldham Athletic, initially on trial, and scored once in two games for the Latics but declined a permanent offer, due to 'business commitments' elsewhere, including a desire to return to the south-west.

Returning to that Westcountry he signed for Falmouth Town towards the end of the summer in 1960, initially as a player, continuing as a forward. The following year he was appointed player-manager of the club, and moved to play left-half where he was hugely influential and which coincided with one of the clubs most dominant eras in Cornish football. In 1961-62 Town were all-conquering, winning the "Cornish Treble", winning the South Western League Championship, the South Western League Cup and also winning the Cornwall Senior Cup.

The following season, 1962-63, perhaps inspired by his FA Cup exploits with Scunthorpe, he again made cup headlines with Falmouth. Town reached the FA Cup 1st Round Proper for the first time in their history and were the first Cornish side to ever reach that stage, facing Oxford United in front of 8,000 at a packed Bickland Park, narrowly losing 2-1 in a closely-fought contest. United were captained that day by a young Ron Atkinson, the future Manchester United manager. To this day, the Falmouth team of that era, are referred to by some, as "the greatest Cornish side ever".

His playing career ended abruptly during the 1963-64 season when he broke his leg and retired from playing. He is credited with being an innovator at Falmouth, helping to deliver one of their finest eras and is also credited with introducing "Colonel Bogey" as their 'walk-out' tune.

Davis then spent over 20 years working as a Physical Education (PE) teacher for schools in the Plymouth area and also returned to Home Park to work with the Plymouth Argyle School of Excellence, the precursor to the current Argyle Academy.

After retiring he remained living in Plymouth until he passed away in July 2007 aged 75 years old.