RON STITFALLRon Stitfall, who died on 22 June, 2008, was a Welsh footballer who played for Cardiff City during a career than spanned three decades.The full-back won only two caps for Wales but could have gained more had the national side not had an abundance of defenders at the time.He played 421 times and scored eight times for Cardiff between 1947 and 1963, during which time the club were twice Welsh Cup winners. He also helped them reach the top flight of English football on two occasions.Ron Stitfall was born in the Splott district of Cardiff on 14 December, 1925. A promising schoolboy footballer, he first represented Cardiff at the age of 14 when he took part in a war time fixture.After serving in the army in the Second World War for four years, he signed professional terms with Cardiff - who had just been promoted from the Third Division - at the start of the 1947/48 season.During his early days with the Bluebirds he was employed in various positions, including a spell as centre forward in which he scored five of his eight goals. Eventually, however, he established a formidable partnership in defence with Wales and Cardiff legend Alf Sherwood.In total he played with Cardiff for 18 years, eventually retiring after his 38th birthday. His brothers Albert and Bob were also on Cardiff's books during his time there. In 1952 he was part of the team that won promotion as Second Division runners-up, a feat they repeated in 1960. He played in four Welsh Cup finals, winning the competition in 1956 and 1959.He won his first Welsh cap in 1952 against England and a second in 1957 against Czechoslovakia. He could have represented the country more often were it not for the presence of players like Sherwood, Walley Barnes and Mel Hopkins in the team at the time.After retiring as a player he coached first with Cardiff then Newport County. He later worked at the National Sports Centre in Cardiff and was also the kit manager for the Welsh national team.He continued to watch Cardiff matches until Alzheimer's disease made it impossible for him to attend. He was survived by his wife Grace, son David and daughters Lynda and Sandra, and grandchildren.
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