Swansea City - Ronnie Rees - Nottingham Forest Webjam

When the successful side from the mid sixties began to break up the replacements on the whole were of inferior quality. However one of the new players of this era who gained a favourable reputation was Welsh international winger Ronnie Rees.

Rees came through the youth system at Coventry City and would be given his debut in May 1962 as an 18 year old by the then Coventry manager Jimmy Hill. He soon became a regular at Highfield Road with his ability to play on either wing an important asset as Coventry stormed from Division Three into Division One. His impressive speed on the wing coupled with his crossing ability won him a call up to the Welsh squad in 1965.

He would spend six seasons at Coventry before joining neighbours West Bromwich Albion for £ 65,000 in March 1968. He would be a regular at the Hawthorns but missed out on their 1968 F.A.Cup Final success due to being cup-tied in an earlier round for Coventry.

It would be only a short stay at West Bromwich Albion as he would move to the City Ground in February 1969 for £ 60,000. Upon arrival he found a Nottingham Forest side that was beginning a decline in fortunes with the successful side under Johnny Carey only a couple of years before fast becoming a distant memory as Forest were in deep relegation trouble sitting in 20^th place with only 18 points from 26 games played and with key player Ian Storey-Moore injured Rees was bought to feel the void that Storey-Moore’s absence had created.

Rees’ first game for the club was at title chasing Liverpool and he helped underdogs Forest to record a surprise 2-0 victory with both goals from Barry Lyons. This victory is also the last time Forest have beaten Liverpool at Anfield and would signal an upturn in results during the latter half of the 1969/70 season meaning Forest survived by finishing in 18^th position.

The next couple of seasons would see Forest struggle in the bottom half of the division but Rees would still contribute a number of important goals including the winner in the 1971 4-3 fourth round F.A.Cup victory over Luton Town, a game where future England striker Malcolm Macdonald scored a hat-trick but still ended up on the losing team.

By the end of the 1970/71 season Rees found himself in and out the side with Barry Lyons and Ian Storey-Moore preferred on the wings and at the start of the 1971/72 season his appearances in the team became rarer. Then in January 1972 he got the opportunity to play regular football again as Swansea City paid what was at the time a club record of £ 26,000 for Rees.

Rees would spend three and a half seasons at Swansea scoring 5 goals and playing in 89 games before finishing his playing career at League of Wales side Haverfordwest.

Upon his retirement from football he worked at the Ford motorworks at Bridgend and Swansea until 1995 at the age of 51 when he suffered a major stroke which limited his ability to walk and talk.

CAREER STATS

LEAGUE CAREER

Coventry City 1961/62 to 1967/68 230 (42)

West Bromwich Albion 1967/68 to 1968/69 35 (9)

NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1968/69 to 1971/72 85 (12)

Swansea City 1971/72 to 1974/75 89 (5)

NFFC SEASON BY SEASON

1968/69 League 11 (1)

1969/70 League 32 (8)

F.A.Cup 2 (0)

League Cup 3 (0)

County Cup 1 (0)

TOTAL 38 (8)

1970/71 League 26+9 (3)

F.A.Cup 2+3 (1)

League Cup 3 (0)

Texaco Cup 2 (0)

County Cup 1 (0)

TOTAL 34+14 (4)

1971/72 League 7 (0)

League Cup 0+1 (0)

TOTAL 7+1 (0)

TOTAL League 76+9 (12)

F.A.Cup 4+3 (1)

League Cup 6+1 (0)

Texaco Cup 2 (0)

County Cup 2 (0)

TOTAL 90+13 (13)

INTERNATIONAL CAREER

WALES (Full) 1965 to 1972 39 (3)

(19 Appearances and 1 Goal whilst a NFFC player)

WALES (Under 23) 7 (0)

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PLAYED FOR US AND THEM » Swansea City - Ronnie Rees

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