Howard Davis

Howard Davis made his England début in 1956, and between then and 1964 won a then record 81 caps for England and Great Britain. He took part in three successive Olympics from 1956-64 and was captain from shortly after the 1960 Rome Olympics until the end of his international career. Despite his three Olympic appearances he never won a medal, but came close when losing in the bronze medal match in both 1956 and 1960.

Although he was born in Shropshire, Davis moved to Stoke-on-Trent at three years of age. He became a chorister at Lichfield Cathedral at the age of 10 and became head chorister at 14. Educated at Felsted Boarding School in Essex, Davis was a keen sportsman and enjoyed playing football, rugby, and cricket, and was a useful boxer. He only took up hockey in 1947 after going to Felsted.

After leaving school, he joined Longton Cricket Club and also the North Stafford Hockey Club. He soon won county and Midlands regional hockey honours before going on to become an international half-back. He served in the Army for three years in the mid-1950s and had a spell in Germany, when he played for the BAOR (British Army of the Rhine) hockey team.

Davis later became president of the North Stafford club and was still playing for them in his 50s. In 1990, at the age of 57, he played for the Staffordshire President’s XI in a tournament to mark the opening of the artificial pitch at Stone (Staffordshire) Hockey Club.