Salford Red Devils were deeply saddened today to hear about the passing of former Salford forward, Doug Davies, following a long illness.
Doug was born in Liverpool, in 1942, but grew up in Widnes, from where he joined local amateur rugby league club, St Ambrose, having been introduced to the game at school.
By the age of sixteen he had caught the attention of Warrington who signed him up as an amateur, in which capacity he not only represented their reserve team, but went on to represent the Lancashire County Team.
Two seasons later, in 1961, he was signed up on professional terms by home club Widnes where he played firstly, in the ‘A’ team, and later, in the first team before moving on to join Huyton. It was during a game for them, in 1970, against high-riding Salford, that he caught the attention of then chairman, Brian Snape, who duly recruited him to join his team of stars.
At the end of a stalwart career with the illustrious Reds, during which he was a member of the First Division Championship winning team of 1973/74, and was on the trophy winning team of the 1972 Lancashire Cup and the 1974 BBC2 Floodlit Cup, he returned to Huyton for a further two years as player/coach and social club manager. This last role also incorporated the duties of groundsman and window cleaner within its remit, all of which speaks volumes for his commitment and dedication to the club and the game.
A year with Swinton brought the curtain down on his most impressive of careers, but his interest in the game was recently restored with the signing of his grandson, Ben, by Widnes, and his express wish then became that Ben, now with St Helens, would go on to surpass all that he, himself, had attained during his own playing days.
Doug will forever be remembered here at Salford for being a part of the 70s side that brought so much success to our club. His funeral will take place on 7th April, at Widnes Crematorium, and the Salford Club will be represented, via video link.
