Rugby League legend and Darwen minister dies, 75 (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Rugby League legend and Darwen minister dies, 75

1:40pm Thursday 5th February 2009 in

By Catherine Pye » Reporter

Skip social links
Print
Email
Comments(1)

A DARWEN minister and former international rugby league legend has died aged 75.

Alan Davies, of Blackburn, died of emphysema at the Royal Blackburn Hospital on Monday.

In his rugby days he was a centre who won 20 Great Britain caps and was Oldham Roughyeds’ all-time leading try scorer.

He lived in Blackburn after retiring from the game in the 1960s and spent many years as a minister at the Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall, Astley Street, Darwen.

He played in 391 Oldham games between 1950 and 1961, when he left to sign for Wigan, for whom he played at Wembley against Wakefield Trinity in the 1963 Challenge Cup final and toured Australia with Great Britain in 1958.

He also had brief spells with Salford and Wakefield.

In his book, Oldham RLFC, the complete history, Michael Turner wrote: "Alan Davies is regarded by many supporters as the best player ever to have played for Oldham, and the fact that he is the most capped player in the history of the club would certainly add weight to that argument.

"He was one of the greatest centres the game has ever known.

"He lacked nothing in confidence, having great belief in his own ability.

"He was the complete rugby league player.”

James Threlfall, an elder at the Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall in Blackburn said: “He was a man who was a real motivator and was very interested in the youth of the congregation.

“He was very well known in this area as a fantastic international sportsman and a providing minister.”

He leaves his wife, Joyce, son Stephen and three daughters, Linda, Sarah and Janice.

His funeral service will be held on Friday at the Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall in Astley Street, Darwen at 3pm.

Comments(1)

peter ingham says...
1:06pm Tue 10 Feb 09

Joyce, Stephen, Linda, Sarah and Janice.

How really sad I was to read in the “Lancashire Evening Telegraph” on Friday of the untimely death of Alan.

Alan (AD) was my Sales Manager when I worked for Kalamazoo Business Systems at Whitefield. I was part of AD’s sales team for 6 years from about 1977 through till 1983 (in the same office as Ernie Underwood and Steve Colquhoun). He always said he took a gamble taking me on, as he was convinced I would do the training and then go and join my father’s packaging company.

To say I enjoyed my time working for Alan would be an understatement, he was a brilliant boss and somebody I learnt such a lot off. He was a true People’s Person. I know everybody who worked for him had tremendous respect for him. He was slightly unconventional for a Kalamazoo Sales Manager, but that is why we all liked him.

When they trained us on Computers I had the pleasure of being on the same 2 Week Computer Training Course as Alan. We not only learnt a lot but boy did we laugh, he could say things off the cuff that just brought the house down. I will always remember being in a Lecture with a very serious Computer Lecturer, who was really struggling to keep the class’s attention, suddenly Alan piped up “Excuse me but do you honestly think these computers will replace Carbon Paper”---The whole class fell apart laughing bar the Lecturer would did not know which way to turn----classic.

I left Kalamazoo to join my brother in his packaging company in 1985 (so Alan was nearly right)---I put a lot of the success we have achieved in our company down to the practices Alan taught me. He never lectured you Alan always talked to you, rarely did you question him because what he said was logical and right. He always instilled in us “Never have people wasting your time, remember time is precious and make sure people realize you are a Professional”. He had other magic pieces of advice that I still treasure and smile about----What a great Boss.

He used to phone me now and again to see how we were doing and once in a while would pop round to have a look at us, it was always a pleasure to see and talk to him and I genuinely know he was proud of what we were achieving. I wish I had seen more of him in his later days, he was always great company.

I know you will all miss him enormously, he was such a Family Man and so so proud of you all.

My wife Janet and I can only pass on our heartfelt condolences to you all----If I had known of Alan’s death earlier, than Friday night, I can assure you I would definitely have attended his funeral.

Peter Ingham
East Lancashire Box Company Limited
Spring Street
Rishton
Blackburn
BB1 4LL

Tel: 01254 889820
E Mail: peter@eastlancsbox.c
o.uk

Joyce, Stephen, Linda, Sarah and Janice. How really sad I was to read in the “Lancashire Evening Telegraph” on Friday of the untimely death of Alan. Alan (AD) was my Sales Manager when I worked for Kalamazoo Business Systems at Whitefield. I was part of AD’s sales team for 6 years from about 1977 through till 1983 (in the same office as Ernie Underwood and Steve Colquhoun). He always said he took a gamble taking me on, as he was convinced I would do the training and then go and join my father’s packaging company. To say I enjoyed my time working for Alan would be an understatement, he was a brilliant boss and somebody I learnt such a lot off. He was a true People’s Person. I know everybody who worked for him had tremendous respect for him. He was slightly unconventional for a Kalamazoo Sales Manager, but that is why we all liked him. When they trained us on Computers I had the pleasure of being on the same 2 Week Computer Training Course as Alan. We not only learnt a lot but boy did we laugh, he could say things off the cuff that just brought the house down. I will always remember being in a Lecture with a very serious Computer Lecturer, who was really struggling to keep the class’s attention, suddenly Alan piped up “Excuse me but do you honestly think these computers will replace Carbon Paper”---The whole class fell apart laughing bar the Lecturer would did not know which way to turn----classic. I left Kalamazoo to join my brother in his packaging company in 1985 (so Alan was nearly right)---I put a lot of the success we have achieved in our company down to the practices Alan taught me. He never lectured you Alan always talked to you, rarely did you question him because what he said was logical and right. He always instilled in us “Never have people wasting your time, remember time is precious and make sure people realize you are a Professional”. He had other magic pieces of advice that I still treasure and smile about----What a great Boss. He used to phone me now and again to see how we were doing and once in a while would pop round to have a look at us, it was always a pleasure to see and talk to him and I genuinely know he was proud of what we were achieving. I wish I had seen more of him in his later days, he was always great company. I know you will all miss him enormously, he was such a Family Man and so so proud of you all. My wife Janet and I can only pass on our heartfelt condolences to you all----If I had known of Alan’s death earlier, than Friday night, I can assure you I would definitely have attended his funeral. Peter Ingham East Lancashire Box Company Limited Spring Street Rishton Blackburn BB1 4LL Tel: 01254 889820 E Mail: peter@eastlancsbox.c o.uk peter ingham

Rugby League legend and Darwen minister dies, 75 (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Rugby RSS Feed Send your news, pictures & videos