Several former Cymru internationals have been inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame ‘Roll of Honour’, and the FAW itself has also been celebrated on its 150th anniversary.
Six players from the Cymru side that reached the quarter-finals of the 1976 European Championship have been inducted. Dai Davies, Leighton James and Joey Jones were all honoured posthumously, while Brian Flynn, Alan Curtis and Mickey Thomas were in attendance at the Parkgate Hotel in Cardiff to receive their awards.
Induction to the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame is reserved for those Welsh women and men, whose exceptional achievements over the course of their careers in any theatre of sport, have enhanced Wales as a nation and brought honour to themselves and our country.
Also inducted were Cymru’s most capped player and first ever centurion, Jess Fishlock, and dual-sport international and broadcaster Nia Jones.
In a packed evening that was dedicated to honouring the 150th anniversary of the Football Association of Wales, there were two more additions to the ‘Roll of Honour’ from the world of football.
Abertillery’s Mervyn ‘Sandy’ Griffiths became a posthumous addition for his achievement in refereeing at three World Cups and also controlling an FA Cup final, while former Cymru player and Head Coach Chris Coleman was added ten years on from leading his country to the semi-finals at the 2016 Euros in France.
Receiving the ‘Peter Corrigan Welsh Sports Media’ award was the FAW’s Head of Public Relations and Culture Ian Gwyn Hughes, who joined the FAW in 2011 and was previously a BBC broadcaster and Match of the Day commentator.
The final award of the night was presented by the President of the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame to FAW President Mike Jones. The ‘Rhodri’, named after the former First Minister Rhodri Morgan, who was a former chairman of the Hall of Fame, was presented to the FAW for their outstanding contribution to Welsh sport.
Previous Welsh Sports Hall of Fame football related inductees are listed below:
Ivor Allchurch, Horace Blew, Ron Burgess, John Charles, Giorgio Chinaglia, Ernie Curtis, Len Davies, Simon Davies, Trevor Ford, Ryan Giggs, Chris Gunter, Mark Hughes, Bryn Jones, Cliff Jones, Fred Keenor, Jack Kelsey, George Latham, Jayne Ludlow, Billy Meredith, Jimmy Murphy, Ivor Powell, Kevin Ratcliffe, Ian Rush, Alf Sherwood, Nev Southall, Gary Speed, Clive Thomas, Ian Walsh, John Toshack, Helen Ward, Terry Yorath.
Dai Davies (1948–2021)
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Cymru Caps: 52 (1975–1982)
• Key Clubs: Swansea City, Everton, Wrexham, Tranmere Rovers, Bangor City
Born in Glanamman, Carmarthenshire, William David Davies originally trained as a physical education teacher before committing fully to professional football. A commanding, athletic shot-stopper, Davies made his senior breakthrough at Swansea City before champions Everton bought him in 1970 for £40,000. He spent seven years at Goodison Park, competing against Gordon West and Bob Latchford, before moving to Wrexham in 1977.
At the Racecourse Ground, Davies enjoyed the finest club spell of his career, playing a pivotal role in John Neal’s celebrated side that won the Third Division championship and reached the quarter-finals of both domestic cups in 1977–78. He later returned to Swansea City under John Toshack to play in the First Division. For Cymru, Davies won 52 caps, breaking Jack Kelsey’s national record for a goalkeeper—and served as the country’s undisputed number one throughout the late 1970s before handing over the jersey to Neville Southall. A fluent Welsh speaker, Davies became an esteemed broadcaster for S4C and BBC Radio Cymru and was inducted into the Gorsedd of Bards. He passed away in February 2021 aged 72.
Leighton James (1953–2024)
• Position: Winger / Outside Left
• Cymru Caps: 54 (10 goals, 1971–1983)
• Key Clubs: Burnley, Derby County, Queens Park Rangers, Swansea City, Sunderland
Hailing from Loughor, near Swansea, Leighton James was one of the most explosive, direct, and technically gifted wingers of his generation. He signed for Burnley as a teenager and became an icon at Turf Moor, scoring 81 goals across three separate spells and helping the Clarets gain promotion to the top-flight in 1973. In 1975, Derby County made him their record signing for £310,000.
In 1980, John Toshack brought James to Swansea City, where his flair and crossing ability propelled the Swans from the Third Division into the top tier of English football for the first time in their history. On the international stage, James made 54 appearances for Cymru. His most celebrated moment came on 31 May 1977 at Wembley, where he coolly converted the penalty that secured a famous 1–0 victory over England, Cymru’s only victory against England at Wembley. Following retirement, he managed several non-league clubs and became a forthright, much-loved pundit on BBC Radio Wales until his death in April 2024.
Joey Jones (1955-2025)
• Position: Left-Back
• Cymru Caps: 72 (1 goal, 1975–1986)
• Key Clubs: Wrexham, Liverpool, Chelsea, Huddersfield Town
Born in Llandudno, Joey Jones is one of the most charismatic and revered figures in Welsh football history, known for his full-blooded tackling, clenched-fist salutes, and relentless commitment. Jones began his career at Wrexham, starring in their 1974 run to the FA Cup quarter-finals. Bob Paisley spotted his competitive drive and signed him for Liverpool in 1975.
At Anfield, Jones became an instant cult hero. In 1977, he won the First Division title and became the first Welshman to win the European Cup, defeating Borussia Mönchengladbach in Rome, where the Liverpool Kop unveiled the immortal banner: “Joey ate the frogs legs, made the Swiss roll, now he’s munching Gladbach.” He returned to Wrexham in 1978, later helped Chelsea win the Second Division title in 1984, and finished his playing days back at the Racecourse. Across an 11-year international career, Jones won 72 caps for Cymru. He spent decades coaching Wrexham’s youth teams and remains an enduring icon at both the Racecourse and Anfield.
Mickey Thomas (Born 1954)
• Position: Winger / Midfielder
• Cymru Caps: 51 (4 goals, 1976–1986)
• Key Clubs: Wrexham, Manchester United, Everton, Brighton, Stoke City, Chelsea, Leeds United
Raised in Mochdre, Conwy, Michael Reginald Thomas was a livewire left-sided player blessed with blisteringly fast acceleration, technical skill, and infectious enthusiasm. Alongside Joey Jones, Thomas emerged from Wrexham’s youth ranks to star in their 1970s golden era, winning promotion to the Second Division and reaching the European Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-finals.
In 1978, Dave Sexton paid £330,000 to bring him to Manchester United, where he made 110 appearances and played in the 1979 FA Cup Final. Thomas went on to become one of football’s great wanderers, turning out for Everton, Brighton, Stoke City, and Chelsea (winning promotion in 1984). In 1991, he returned to Wrexham at age 37 to produce one of the most famous moments in FA Cup history: curling in a 25-yard free-kick to spark a 2–1 giant-killing of reigning English champions Arsenal in January 1992. Thomas won 51 caps for Cymru, later establishing himself as a popular radio analyst and broadcaster.
Alan Curtis (Born 1954)
• Position: Forward / Attacking Midfielder
• Cymru Caps: 35 (6 goals, 1976–1987)
• Key Clubs: Swansea City, Leeds United, Southampton, Stoke City, Cardiff City
Born in Pentre in the Rhondda, Alan Curtis is synonymous with Swansea City, having served the club across six decades as a player, coach, caretaker manager, and honorary club president. A graceful, elegant forward with supreme vision and balance, Curtis joined Swansea in 1972 and became the talisman of John Toshack’s side, scoring heavily as the Swans climbed from the Fourth Division to the First Division in four seasons.
He moved to Leeds United for £400,000 in 1979 before returning to the Vetch Field, scoring a famous opening-day solo goal against Leeds in Swansea’s first-ever top-flight match in August 1981. He also had spells with Southampton, Stoke City, and Cardiff City. For Cymru, Curtis earned 35 caps and scored six goals, notably finding the net against England and Scotland. In later years, he served as a coach and caretaker manager during Swansea’s Premier League era, guiding them through numerous transitional spells, and was awarded an MBE in 2021 for services to Welsh football.
Brian Flynn (Born 1955)
• Position: Central Midfielder
• Cymru Caps: 66 (7 goals, 1975–1984)
• Key Clubs: Burnley, Leeds United, Sunderland, Cardiff City, Doncaster Rovers, Wrexham
Standing just 5ft 4in, Port Talbot-born Brian Flynn was a tenacious, intelligent playmaker who dictated tempos and read the game with supreme tactical awareness. He joined Burnley as an apprentice, breaking into the First Division side alongside Leighton James and captaining the club by his early twenties. He then spent five years at Leeds United before spells at Sunderland and back at Burnley.
Flynn won 66 caps for Cymru over a nine-year international career, featuring prominently in the Home Championship campaigns and European qualifiers under Mike Smith. However, his contribution to Welsh football grew even larger after hanging up his boots.
As manager of Wrexham from 1989 to 2001, he oversaw famous FA Cup giant-killings, including the 1992 win over Arsenal, and won promotion to the Second Division. He then rescued Swansea City from dropping out of the Football League in 2003. Later, as Wales Under-21 manager, Flynn scouted and developed Wales’ modern “Golden Generation,” nurturing Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, Joe Allen, Chris Gunter, and Wayne Hennessey through the national pathway.
Jess Fishlock (Born 1987)
• Position: Attacking Midfielder
• Cymru Caps: 166 (48 goals, 2006–2025)
• Key Clubs: Cardiff City Ladies, AZ, Bristol City, Melbourne Victory,
Seattle Reign, OL Lyon, FFC Frankfurt, Reading.
Llanrumney’s Jess Fishlock started her career at Cardiff City Ladies under the guidance of Michele Adams, Karen Jones and Laura McAllister. Her club career has seen her represent teams in eight different countries and has made Fishlock a serial winner, with league title wins in the Netherlands, Australia, USA and France. Fishlock also won the UEFA Women’s Champions League with Lyon in 2019.
Her senior Cymru debut came against Switzerland as a teenager back in 2006. The landscape of the women’s game in Wales and beyond was unrecognisable compared with today, and over the course of the next two decades Fishlock has witnessed immeasurable change and progress both on and off the field, becoming Cymru’s first ever centurion and record goalscorer. Fishlock represented Cymru a record 166 times, closing off her career with the Women’s National Team’s first appearance at a major tournament in last summer’s UEFA EURO finals.
Nia Jones (Born 1992)
• Position: Defender
• Cymru Caps: 28 (1 goal, 2010-2016)
• Key Clubs: Cardiff City Ladies, Reading, Yeovil Town, Swansea City.
Born in Wrexham, Nia Jones started her grassroots journey playing football for Northop Hall Girls before representing her country at age group levels. Jones made her Cymru debut at 18, scoring in an 8-1 win against Bulgaria. Jones moved south to join Cardiff City Ladies where she played alongside fellow inductee Jess Fishlock and later played for Reading in the WSL. Jones is a dual-sport international player, having also represented and captained her country at netball, which included the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games. She also captained the Welsh Feathers at the 2023 Netball World Cup in South Africa.
Since ending her playing career, Jones has become a popular pundit for both football and netball. She is a regular broadcaster on the BBC’s coverage of the Cymru National Teams and was part of the teams that covered the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 finals in Switzerland.
Mervyn ‘Sandy’ Griffiths (1909-1974)
Originally from Abertillery, Mervyn ‘Sandy’ Griffiths was a Welsh football referee, starting his career in 1934 in local leagues around the Newport and District League. Following the Second World War, Griffiths refereed England v Scotland in 1949 and the 1953 FA Cup Final, also known as the Matthews Final.
Griffiths refereed at the 1950, 1954 and the 1958 FIFA World Cup finals, which included being an Assistant Referee at the 1954 World Cup final. During that period Griffiths also refereed several Welsh Cup finals.
Chris Coleman (Born 1970)
• Position: Defender
• Cymru Caps: 32 (4 goals, 1992-2002)
• Key Clubs (player): Swansea City, Crystal Palace, Blackburn Rovers, Fulham.
As a player, Coleman made his first professional appearance for his hometown Swansea City in 1987, making nearly 200 appearances and winning the Welsh Cup in 1989 and 1991. Coleman then signed for Crystal Palace in the Premier League, prior to joining then Premier League champions Blackburn Rovers in 1995 before ending his playing career with Fulham.
As a Cymru international, Coleman made his debut in 1992, playing alongside Gary Speed, Rob Page, Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy, all of whom would also go on to manage their country.
Coleman was appointed Cymru Head Coach in 2012 following the tragic death of his friend and former teammate Gary Speed. During Coleman’s time in charge Cymru made history by reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA EURO 2016 finals, his country’s best appearance at a major tournament to date.
