BURGESS, William Arthur Ronald (1938-54)
Position: Half back
Height: 5ft 11ins
Weight: 11st 0lbs
Born: Cwm, South Wales, 9 April, 1917
Died: Swansea, South Wales, 14 February, 2005
Signed from amateur August 1938
Transferred to Swansea Town May 1954 free
Also played for: Cwm Villa, Northfleet United, Swansea Town, Wales
Spurs Record:
Debut: 4 February 1939 v Norwich City (FL) (a) won 2-1
Appearances: League 301, FA Cup 27
Goals: League 16, FA Cup 1
The greatest accolade that could be paid to any Spurs player was to be described by Bill Nicholson as having all the requirements of the perfect footballer. That was how he described Ron Burgess, left half and captain of Arthur Rowe’s ‘Push and Run’ team.
A human dynamo, Burgess led us from the Second Division to the League title but it is incredible to think that it was only due to a stroke of luck that Burgess even made a career in football instead of spending a life of toil down the pits of his native South Wales.
It was while playing in his usual inside-forward position that Burgess was spotted by us playing for his junior side, Cwm Villa. Invited to play for the Tottenham Juniors, less than a year after arriving in London he was told we did not think he would make the grade. Before returning home, Burgess called in to White Hart Lane for what he expected to be the last time to watch the ‘A’ team. They were a man short and at the last minute, Burgess was roped in to play. At right-half, a position he had never played before in his life. The rest, as they say, is history. He was outstanding in his new role, scored twice and was the star of the show. Two days later he was asked to join our nursery club at Northfleet. Twelve months later, having helped Northfleet United win the ‘Double’ of Kent Senior League and Kent Senior Cup, he signed professional but before he had even played a paid game for Northfleet he was taken on the full-time staff at White Hart Lane.
Burgess made his debut for us in February 1939, and immediately made a position in the team his own. Allowing for the war years when military service meant he was rarely available, he hardly missed a game for 15 years.
In the six months or so before World War Two broke out, he was marked out as a player to watch, a future star. After the hostilities he just went from strength to strength, captaining his country, missing only two internationals in eight years, becoming the first Welshman to play for the Football League and being acknowledged as the finest half-back in the country with his selection for Great Britain against Europe in May, 1947.
A power-house of a player, Burgess was the engine room of the team. Never slacking for a minute he was an inspirational leader, driving his side on, leading by example but also able to get the best out of his colleagues. His incredible stamina and desire to attack were what caught the eye most but he had skill in abundance, slick passing ability and a thunderous shot. His ball control was immaculate, he could strike the ball equally well with either foot, get up for headers and head the ball powerfully. He could also defend when he had to, tackling with strength and determination, never knowing when he was beaten. As Nicholson said – the perfect footballer.
Not long after winning his 32nd full cap in May, 1954, Burgess was offered the player-coach’s job with Swansea Town with the promise of elevation to the manager’s role. The chance to make a new career was too good to turn down and although there were many who thought he could have played on at the top level for a year or two more, we agreed to let him leave, and with more than a few words of thanks.
Burgess was not finished with his service to us though. After four years with Swansea, he became manager of Watford where he discovered, nurtured and then transferred to a certain Pat Jennings to N17.