1:40pm Thursday 5th February 2009
By Catherine Pye
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.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/trade_directory/