Dearson Don Image 1 Birmingham City 1938

Description

Ynysybwl, near Pontypridd, Glamorgan born inside forward Don Dearson began his football career with Llantwit Major Juniors and joined Barry Town in August 1932, from where he signed for First Division Birmingham in April 1934, making his Football League debut against Huddersfield Town that December. He broke into the Birmingham eleven on a regular basis from August 1936 and in 1937-38 he was Birmingham’s joint top goalscorer with 9 goals in the campaign.

He was picked for each of Wales’ last 3 internationals before the Second World War, by when he had moved into the half back line, making his international debut in a 3-2 defeat to Scotland at Tynecastle in November 1938. However his career was severely interrupted by the War, during which he also played in 15 wartime and Victory internationals, and made 166 wartime appearances for Birmingham, helping the club to the Championship of the 1945-46 Football League South, playing 166 wartime matches for The Blues, also guesting for Northampton Town and West Bromwich Albion.

Resuming with Birmingham after the War, Dearson played another half-season for Birmingham as a full back before he moved to Second Division Coventry City in February 1947 after 18 goals in 140 appearances for The Blues. He stayed three years at Highfield Road before signing for Walsall in March 1950 after 11 goals in 88 games for Coventry, retiring aged 37 from League football at the end of the 1950-51 season, when he missed only one game, after 52 games and 12 goals for The Saddlers. He subsequently played non league football for Birmingham Combination club Nuneaton Borough and for Bilston before his playing retirement in May 1952.