Ron Flowers

Ronald Flowers (28 July 1934 – 12 November 2021)

Club career Flowers began in the Doncaster Rovers academy, where his father played semi-professionally. Whilst he flourished on the pitch at Belle Vue, he also trained as an apprentice at the Doncaster rail sheds, at his father's insistence that he learn a trade outside of football. He was later released by Doncaster and joined the Wolves' nursery side Wath Wanderers, where he soon came to the attention of the highly successful Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Stan Cullis. Within a year, he was moved down to Molineux and soon broke into the first team, making a scoring debut against Blackpool on 20 September 1952. Prior to this time, he had served in the RAF and became an Aircraftman Second Class. Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. at 1955 with following players, from left standing: Bill Slater, Bill Shorthouse, Bert Williams, Ron Flowers, Eddie Stuart; front row: Johnny Hancocks, Peter Broadbent, Roy Swinbourne, Billy Wright (captain), Dennis Wilshaw and Jimmy Mullen. Initially playing as an attacking midfield player (in modern terminology) at Wolverhampton Wanderers, he won three league championships and an FA Cup. After the death of Gerry Harris, he was the last surviving member of the 1960 FA Cup Final team. In total, he made 515 appearances for the club, He went on to appear in the 1962 World Cup and scored two goals from the penalty spot in the first two games of the group stage. From November 1958 (his second international appearance) until April 1963, he appeared in 40 consecutive England international matches; only Billy Wright has appeared in more.

He also has the distinction of scoring England's first goal in a European Football Championships game – in the qualifying round first leg against France at Hillsborough on 3 October 1962. He scored all six penalties that he took for England.

In an article in the England international Official Match-Day Programme for the World Cup qualifying match against Ukraine on 1 April 2009, Flowers was cited as England's best ever penalty taker (shared with Alan Shearer). He converted all six of the penalties he took for England.

Personal life Flowers' younger brother, John Flowers, and his uncle, George Flowers both played over 100 games professionally for Doncaster Rovers. In March 2017, Flowers' grandson, Harry, was signed by Premier League side Burnley on a contract until June 2018. His sister-in-law is former darts World Champion Maureen Flowers, the wife of his brother John.

On 12 November 2021, it was announced that Flowers had died aged 87.

Honours Wolverhampton Wanderers Football League First Division: 1953–54, 1957–58, 1958–59 FA Cup: 1959–60 FA Charity Shield: 1954 (shared), 1959, 1960 (shared) Football League Second Division runner-up: 1966–67

England FIFA World Cup: 1966