Icon Dave Walsh crossed club divides

But for those who remember him, ex-Albion, Villa and Walsall striker Dave Walsh will always go down as a great.

The centre-forward, who died last week aged 92, enjoyed a glittering career which initially began with Linfield in his native Ireland.

Quick and direct, rumours of a talented young Irish forward began to spread into England way back in the 1945-46 season when Walsh scored 73 goals in a single campaign.

His form had seen him win 11 caps for Ireland and 20 for Eire, prompting Albion to pay £3,500 for his services in May 1946.

Immediately a record breaker, Walsh was the first player the Baggies had signed since the Second World War.

And he soon made sure he was making history on the pitch by scoring in each of his first six games, including two on his debut against Swansea.

Over the next few years, the goals continued to flow for the striker with 23 in the 1948/49 season helping Albion win promotion from the old Division Two.

In total, Walsh's Hawthorns career yielded exactly 100 goals plus three more for the second-team before he moved across the West Midlands to join Villa, who snapped him up for a club record £25,000 in January 1951.

Tasked with replacing club icon Trevor Ford, Walsh had a tough act to follow but quickly became as popular as his predecessor.

Throughout the early 1950s, he averaged a goal every three games although his tally would have been higher but for a slow start.

The Irishman took two months to get off the mark but then netted in a 2-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

He then then hit two more in a 6-2 thrashing of Stoke City and from then on was always among Villa's top scorers in the next three seasons.

A crowd favourite, he moved to Walsall in 1955 where he enjoyed one season before moving into non-league with Worcester City.

After hanging up his boots, he opened a sports shop in Droitwich before retiring for good in Devon.