Simon Davies (footballer, born 1979)

Simon Davies

Davies playing for Wales in October 2006
Personal information
Full name	Simon Davies
Date of birth	23 October 1979
Place of birth	Haverfordwest, Wales
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Playing position	Winger
Club information
Current team	Solva
Youth career
	Solva
	Wrexham
	Peterborough United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1997–2000	Peterborough United	65	(6)
2000–2005	Tottenham Hotspur	121	(13)
2005–2007	Everton	45	(1)
2007–2013	Fulham	137	(13)
2014–	Solva	?	(?)
National team^‡
1998–2001	Wales U21	10	(0)
	Wales B	1	(0)
2001–2010	Wales	58	(6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21:23, 17 May 2012 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15:31, 16 July 2011 (UTC)

Simon Davies (born 23 October 1979) is a Welsh international footballer who plays as a winger for Solva in Pembrokeshire League Division Two. Davies started his career at Peterborough United before playing for Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Fulham, earning a runner-up medal during the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League with Fulham. Davies made more than 350 appearances at senior club level in England, along with earning 58 caps for the Welsh national team.

Club career

Peterborough United

Born in Haverfordwest, Davies grew up in nearby Solva and played locally as a junior for Solva AFC,^[2] before becoming a trainee at Wrexham and then moving to Peterborough United at the age of 15. After graduating from the side's academy system, he quickly established himself as a first team player with the club, amassing over 50 first team appearances before he turned 20.

At the end of the 98/99 season he was named in the Division Three team of year, and as Peterborough's player of the year.^[3]

After a trial with Manchester United in July 1999, Davies' performances for Peterborough encouraged Tottenham Hotspur manager George Graham to spend £700,000 to take him, along with fellow winger Matthew Etherington, to White Hart Lane on 31 December 1999.

Tottenham Hotspur

Davies made his Spurs debut on 9 April 2000 during a 2–0 defeat against Liverpool.

Davies spent the early months of the 2000–01 season as a substitute. However, after coming on for the injured Øyvind Leonhardsen early in the FA Cup fifth round tie against Stockport County on 17 February 2001, Davies scored twice. This game marked the beginning of his transformation into a first-team regular for the club.

In the five years that Davies played for Tottenham, during which time he suffered a number of injuries, he made 154 appearances and scored 24 goals in all competitions.

Everton

On 26 May 2005, he completed a transfer to Everton for a fee which could have reached £4m depending on appearances. The move meant that Davies received his first chance to play in Europe's premier football competition, the UEFA Champions League. On the whole, Davies had a poor first season in Everton's disappointing 2005–06 campaign. He did, however, score a winning goal at Birmingham City^[4] to give Everton their first win in over two months, a result which prompted a change in fortunes for the Merseysiders.

Fulham

In January 2007, he left Everton for Fulham, for an undisclosed fee. He was brought in as the long term replacement for Steed Malbranque on the right side of midfield.^[5] On 30 January 2007, he played his first Premier League match for Fulham against Sheffield United.

Davies taking a free kick for Fulham

Since joining Fulham from Everton, he became a mainstay on the right hand side of midfield contributing with some spectacular goals (free kick against Sunderland and full volley against Reading) and great crosses.^[6] His pace, along with his high work rate made him a crowd favourite and earned him the respect of then-manager Lawrie Sanchez. Davies was voted Fulham's player of the season in 2007–08.^[7][8]

Davies scored a dramatic equaliser in the second leg of Fulham's UEFA Europa League semi-final against Hamburg on 29 April 2010; Fulham went on to win the game and the tie 2–1.^[9] He followed that up with a volleyed goal in the first half of the final against Atlético Madrid in Hamburg that made the score 1–1, although Fulham went on to lose 2–1 in extra time.^[10]

Davies signed a new deal with Fulham on 16 August 2010 that saw him playing for the club until 2013.^[11] However, Davies later career at Fulham faded after suffering injuries. This first occurred when he suffered a knee injury, which lead Davies sidelined for five months following surgery.^[12] Four months later, on 10 December 2011, Davies made his first start of the 2011/12 season, in a 2-0 loss against Swansea City.^[13] Davies went on to make six appearances before suffering a hip injury.^[14] Davies was told by Manager Martin Jol will only be a bit-part player to make way for youngsters ahead of the 2012–13 season.^[15]

Despite being included in the club's Premier League squad,^[16] Davies played his first match in the club's reserve match in a 2-2 against Wycombe Wanderers reserve team.^[17] Davies was one of 12 players released by Fulham at the end of the 2012–13 Premier League season.^[18]

Solva

In July 2013, he returned to his boyhood club, Solva AFC, and played 40 minutes in a game against St Ishmael's at Maes-y-Mor.^[2][19] He formally signed for the amateur Pembrokeshire League Division Two club in September 2014, paying £3 per game 'subs' for the privilege.^[20]

International career

Davies made his debut for Wales in a World Cup qualifier against Ukraine on 6 June 2001, and scored his first goal against Croatia on 21 August 2002. Arguably, his best performance for his country came on 16 October 2002 when he scored the team's opening goal in a 2–1 victory over Italy.

Davies played for Wales 58 times and scored six goals, captaining his country during their 2010 World Cup qualifiers and he was Welsh Footballer Of The Year in 2002.

He announced his retirement from international football on 9 August 2010.^[21]

Career statistics

Club

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		League Cup		FA Trophy		Europe		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Peterborough United	1997–98	Division 3	6	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	7	0
	1998–99		43	4	1	0	2	0	2	0	0	0	48	4
	1999–2000		16	2	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	20	2
	Total		65	6	3	0	4	0	3	0	0	0	75	6
Tottenham Hotspur	1999–2000	Premier League	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
	2000–01		13	2	1	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	15	4
	2001–02		31	4	3	0	7	3	0	0	0	0	41	7
	2002–03		36	5	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	39	5
	2003–04		17	2	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	20	2
	2004–05		21	0	5	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	29	0
	Total		121	13	13	2	13	3	0	0	0	0	147	18
Everton	2005–06	Premier League	30	1	2	0	1	0	0	0	3	0	36	1
	2006–07		15	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	17	0
	Total		45	1	2	0	3	0	0	0	3	0	53	1
Fulham	2006–07	Premier League	14	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	16	2
	2007–08		37	5	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	40	5
	2008–09		33	2	5	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	39	3
	2009–10		17	0	4	1	1	0	0	0	11	2	33	3
	2010–11		30	4	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	31	4
	2011–12		6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	7	0
	2012–13		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		137	13	14	2	5	0	0	0	12	2	167	17
Career total			361	32	32	4	25	3	3	0	15	2	436	41

As of 03:28 24 May 2013^[22]

References

1. "Premier League Player Profile". Premier League. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
2. "Former Fulham FC star Simon Davies plays in Solva friendly". Western Telegraph. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
3. "simon davies - fact file". My Eyes Have Seen the Glory. 29 April 2010. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
4. "Birmingham 0–1 Everton". BBC. 29 October 2005. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
5. "Davies joins Fulham". fulhamfc.com. Fulham FC. 24 January 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
6. "Tactical Formation". Football-Lineups.com. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
7. "Davies collects award". fulhamfc.com. Fulham FC. 16 September 2008. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
8. "Outstanding Contribution". fulhamfc.com. Fulham FC. 24 July 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
9. McNulty, Phil (29 April 2010). "Fulham 2–1 Hamburg (agg 2–1)". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
10. "Late winner breaks Fulham hearts". ESPNsoccernet. ESPN. 12 May 2010. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
11. "Simon Davies Signs New Contract". fulhamfc.com. Fulham FC. 16 August 2010. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
12. "Fulham midfielder Simon Davies suffers injury setback". BBC Sport. 26 August 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
13. "Davies Return". fulhamfc.com. Fulham FC. 10 December 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
14. "Fulham midfielder to miss the rest of the season". Fulham Chronicle. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
15. "Jol in Davies warning". Sky Sports. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
16. "Darren Fletcher included in Man Utd Premier League squad". BBC Sport. 5 September 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
17. "Davies Return". fulhamfc.com. Fulham FC. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
18. "Summer transfer window: Ins and Outs". Premier League. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
19. "Former Wales captain stars for Solva". BBC News. 30 July 2013.
20. Rhys, Steffan (10 September 2014). "Simon Davies signs up for his village team after earning £30,000 a week as Premier League star and Wales captain". Wales Online. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
21. "Davies calls time on Wales career". 8 August 2010 – via bbc.co.uk.
22. "Simon Davies Career Stats". Soccerbase. 4 January 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2011.

External links

• Simon Davies career statistics at Soccerbase