Famous

Footballers

Emlyn 'Tommy' Morgan

Wing-Half

Emlyn was born in Troedrhiwfuwch 16th September 1914 to John & Ceridwen Morgan of 62 High Street. He first played for New Tredegar before playing for Watford in March 1935 and was signed professionally in the May until close season 1940. After several unsuccessful knee surgeries, he was forced to retire.

Watford Career

Football League - 108 appearances (6 goals, including 4 penalties)

FA Cup - 5 appearances

Division 3 (South) Cup - 12 appearances (2 goals, including 1 penalty)

Debut - 2-1 away win v Crystal Palace, Football League Division 3 (South), 16th November 1935

Final Game - 0-2 away defeat v Crystal Palace, Football League Division 3 (South), 3rd September 1938

1933-1934 - New Tredegar - Captain - Won Rhymney Valley Junior League & Cup, Tredegar Junior League & Cup.

Football League Career

1935-1936 - Watford - 26 appearances - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 5th of 22

1936-1937 - Watford - 42 appearances - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 4th of 22

1937-1938 - Watford - 37 appearances - 6 goals - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 4th of 22

1938-1939 - Watford - 3 appearances - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 4th of 22

Watford Football Club said “ One of ten Welshmen on the books at one time, Tom Morgan had a few reserve-team games as an amateur at the end of 1934/35, and the following season took the senior right-half spot as Bill Findlay’s playing days drew to a close. He quickly established himself as a resourceful player, but serious cartilage trouble, and then the Second World War, put paid to a promising career”

Daniel 'Jim'James Lewis

Full-Back

Daniel was born in Troedrhiwfuwch 21st June 1909 to Richard & Elizabeth Lewis of 17 High Street. He first played for New Tredegar before playing for Watford in March 1930 until 1944/45.

Watford Career

Football League - 111 appearances

FA Cup - 5 appearances

Division 3 (South) Cup - 8 appearances

Debut - 2-3 away defeat v Thames, Football League Division 3 (South), 16th February 1931

Final Game in peacetime competitions - 2-0 home win v Northampton Town, Football League Division 3 (South), 29th April 1939

Football League Career

1930-1931 - Watford - 1 appearance - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 18th of 22

1931-1932 - Watford - 6 appearances - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 11th of 22

1932-1933 - Watford - 3 appearances - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 11th of 22

1933-1934 - Watford - 23 appearances - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 15th of 22

1934-1935 - Watford - 12 appearances - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 6th of 22

1935-1936 - Watford - 38 appearances - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 5th of 22

1936-1937 - Watford - 5 appearances - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 4th of 22

1937-1938 - Watford - 6 appearances - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 4th of 22

1938-1939- Watford - 17 appearances - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 4th of 22

1939-1940 - Watford - 1 appearance - Football League Division 3 (South) - Season Abandoned

Watford Football Club said “The first of the substantial influx from South Wales in the 1930's, which included his brother George. Jim Lewis gave long service as a non-scoring full-back, but had many long periods out of the first team. He continued to play regularly in wartime fixtures until December 1941, and in 1944/45 took part in the resumption of reserve-team football, which had been discontinued on the outbreak of war. He became the proprietor of a shoe-mending business in Durban Road."

Thomas George Lewis

Full-Back / Centre-Forward

Thomas was born in Troedrhiwfuwch 20th October 1913 to Richard & Elizabeth Lewis of 17 High Street. He first played for New Tredegar before playing for Watford in August 1933 and as signed professionally December 1933. Chester guest player during the Second World War. Southampton in July 1946. Brighton & Hove Albion in June 1948. Dartford in August 1949 until 1952, when he was also a groundsman.

Watford Career

Football League - 25 appearances (11 goals)

FA Cup - 9 appearances (4 goals)

Division 3 (South) Cup - 8 appearances (3 goals)

Second World War competitions - 129 appearances (102 goals)

Debut - 1-2 away defeat v Millwall, Football League Division 3 (South), 26th September 1936

Final Game in peacetime competitions - 0-5 away defeat v Birmingham City, FA Cup 4th round 1st leg, 26th January 1946

Football League Career

1936-1937 - Watford - 7 appearances - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 4th of 22

1937-1938 - Watford - 5 appearances - 2 goals - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 4th of 22

1938-1939- Watford - 13 appearances - 9 goals - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 4th of 22

1939-1940 - Watford - 1 appearance - 1 goal - Football League Division 3 (South) - Season Abandoned

1946-1947 - Southampton - 28 appearances - 12 goals - Football League Division 2 - 14th of 22

1947-1948 - Southampton - 15 appearances - Football League Division 2 - 3rd of 22

1948-1949 - Brighton & Hove Albion - 24 appearances - 8 goals - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 6th of 22

Watford Football Club said “He followed his brother Jim from the Valleys and, as the statistics show, became a classic example of a player whose best years were lost to the Second World War. Converted from full-back to centre-forward, George Lewis scored freely in the wartime competitions, and twice hit eleven goals in a sequence of four games. His versatility extended to the goalkeeping role, which he performed for the Reserves in a 1936 injury crisis and was on the winning side against Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, who were beaten 5-1. 70 years later his Great-Granddaughter became a more regular goalkeeper for Watford FC Ladies."

William Davies

Winger / Inside-Forward

William was born in Troedrhiwfuwch 22nd June 1910 to David & Ellen Davies of 16 Lawrence Terrace. He first played for New Tredegar before being signed on amateur forms for Watford by Neil McBain whilst working in the mines at 19, he soon turned professional and stayed on the club's books for 20 years spanning World War Two. He was signed professionally July 1930 until retirement close season 1950. Bradford City, Grimsby Town & Notts County guest player during the Second World War.

Representative Honours

Wales Wartime

Watford Career

Football League - 283 appearances (69 goals, including 7 penalties)

FA Cup - 29 appearances (3 goals, including 1 penalty)

Division 3 (South) Cup - 13 appearances (3 goals, including 1 penalty)

Second World War competitions - 115 appearances (50 goals, including 9 penalties)

Debut - 1-0 away win v Norwich City, Football League Division 3 (South), 2nd May 1931

Final Game - 0-0 home draw v Brighton & Hove Albion, Football League Division 3 (South), 22nd April 1950

Football League Career

1930-1931 - Watford - 1 appearance - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 18th of 22

1932-1933 - Watford - 6 appearances - 2 goals - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 11th of 22

1933-1934 - Watford - 23 appearances - 11 goals - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 15th of 22

1934-1935 - Watford - 27 appearances - 5 goals - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 6th of 22

1935-1936 - Watford - 29 appearances - 8 goals - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 5th of 22

1936-1937 - Watford - 42 appearances - 11 goals - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 4th of 22

1937-1938 - Watford - 7 appearances - 2 goals - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 4th of 22

1938-1939 - Watford - 40 appearances - 3 goals - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 4th of 22

1939-1940 - Watford - 3 appearances - 1 goal - Football League Division 3 (South) - Season Abandoned

1946-1947 Watford - 38 appearances - 6 goals - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 16th of 22

1947-1948 Watford - 36 appearances - 11 goals - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 15th of 22

1948-1949 Watford - 27 appearances - 7 goals - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 17th of 22

1949-1950 Watford - 7 appearances - 3 goals - Football League Division 3 (South) - Final position - 6th of 22

Watford Football Club said “A forceful, skilful and two-footed winger or inside-forward, Bill ('Taffy') Davies was one of very few men who served with one Football League club as a player has spanned twenty years. When first employed by the club it was as a member of the ground staff, while he was amateur forms for a few weeks until he turned professional. His one international honour came while he was guesting for two full wartime seasons for Grimsby Town from 1941-1943. At the age of 39 he was denied what was widely regarded as a valid opening goal in an FA Cup tie against Manchester United, 1-0 winners in front of Vicarage Road's first attendance in excess of Thirty Thousand. On retiring from the game he took over The Red Lion, opposite of ground, and ran it from July 1950 until 1976.".

Joffre/Jeff Gulliver

Left-Back

Jeff was born in Troedrhiwfuwch 2nd August 1915 to Wallace & Rachel Gulliver of 21 High Street. He first played for New Tredegar. He was first registered with Southend in 1934 and appeared for Bangor City from 1936-38 before joining Leeds United in March 1938. Without making a league appearance he moved to Reading in June 1939 and in a career interrupted by the outbreak of War made 161 league appearances before moving to Swindon in August 1951. He made a further eleven appearance for Swindon.
During the war he played for Liverpool FC in friendly matches and Football League North.
Better known as Jeff he ended his playing career with Guildford City and in 1955 was appointed manager of Didcot FC.

Career

New Tredegar: Signed: 1933.

Southend United: Signed: 1934.
1934-35 - Southend United – 0 appearances - Football League Division 3 (South)

Bangor City: Signed: 1936.

1936-37- Bangor City
1937-38 - Bangor City

Leeds United: Signed: March 7, 1938

1937-38 - Leeds United – 0 appearances - Football League Division 1
1937-38 - Leeds United – 0 appearances - Football League Division 1

War time guest Second World War: Liverpool: Signed: September, 1943.
1943-44 – Liverpool– 37 appearances - 1 goal - North Region War League

1944-45: – Liverpool– 40 appearances - North Region War League

1945-46 – Liverpool– 16 appearances - North Region War League

Reading: Signed:1st June, 1939.
1945-46 – Reading – 12 appearances – Football League Division 3 (South)
1946-47 – Reading – 36 appearances – Football League Division 3 (South)

1947-48 – Reading – 42 appearances – Football League Division 3 (South)

1948-49 – Reading – 39 appearances – Football League Division 3 (South)
1949-50 – Reading – 32 appearances – Football League Division 3 (South)

1950-51 – Reading – 10 appearances – Football League Division 3 (South)

Swindon Town: Signed: 1951.
1951-52 – Swindon– 11 appearances - 2 FA Cup appearances – Football League Division 3 (South)

Guildford City: Signed: 1952.

Manager: Didcot FC: Appointed: 1955.

By the 1955-56 season, and with the club’s teams progressing well in their respective Leagues, Didcot Town employed the services of Jeff as team manager. It is believed that he was the first ‘paid’ official at the club.