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Simon Davies (footballer, born 1979)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the English-born Welsh footballer, see Simon Davies (footballer, born 1974). For other people, see Simon Davies (disambiguation).

Simon Davies
Davies playing for Wales in 2006
Personal information
Date of birth (1979-10-23) 23 October 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth Haverfordwest, Wales
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
Solva
Norwich City
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)
2013 Solva ? (?)
Total 368 (40)
International career
1998–2001 Wales U21 10 (0)
Wales B 1 (0)
2001–2010 Wales 58 (6)
Managerial career
2020–2021 Peterborough United (U18)
2021–2022 Peterborough United (U23)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Simon Davies (born 23 October 1979) is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a winger. 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. He was most recently the assistant manager of Crawley Town.

Club career

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Peterborough United

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Davies played as a junior for Solva AFC,[2] before becoming a trainee at Norwich City and then moving to Peterborough United at the age of 15.[3] 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.[4]

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

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Davies made his Spurs debut on 9 April 2000 during a 2–0 defeat against Liverpool.[5]

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.[6] 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

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On 26 May 2005, he completed a transfer to Everton for a fee which could have reached £4 million 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[7] to give Everton their first win in over two months, a result which prompted a change in fortunes for the Merseysiders.

Fulham

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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.[8] 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.[9] 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.[10][11]

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.[12] 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.[13]

Davies signed a new deal with Fulham on 16 August 2010 that saw him playing for the club until 2013.[14] 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.[15] 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.[16] Davies went on to make six appearances before suffering a hip injury.[17] 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.[18]

Despite being included in the club's Premier League squad,[19] Davies played his first match in the club's reserve match in a 2–2 against Wycombe Wanderers reserve team.[20] Davies was one of 12 players released by Fulham at the end of the 2012–13 Premier League season.[21]

Solva

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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][22] He formally signed for the amateur Pembrokeshire League Division Two club in September 2014, paying £3 per game 'subs' for the privilege.[23]

International career

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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.[24]

Coaching career

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On 27 November 2022, Davies was appointed assistant to Matthew Etherington at EFL League Two club Crawley Town.[25] Having overseen just three matches however, the duo departed the club on 29 December 2022 with the club's CEO saying that the partnership was no longer the right fit to carry the club forward.[26]

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[27]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup FA Trophy Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Peterborough United 1997–98 Third Division 6 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 7 0
1998–99 Third Division 43 4 1 0 2 0 2 0 — 48 4
1999–2000 Third Division 16 2 2 0 2 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 3 0
2000–01 Premier League 13 2 1 2 1 0 — — 15 4
2001–02 Premier League 31 4 3 0 7 3 — — 41 7
2002–03 Premier League 36 5 1 0 2 0 — — 39 5
2003–04 Premier League 17 2 3 0 0 0 — — 20 2
2004–05 Premier League 21 0 5 0 3 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 — 3[a] 0 36 1
2006–07 Premier League 15 0 0 0 2 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 — — 16 2
2007–08 Premier League 37 5 1 0 2 0 — — 40 5
2008–09 Premier League 33 2 5 1 1 0 — — 39 3
2009–10 Premier League 17 0 4 1 1 0 — 11[b] 2 33 3
2010–11 Premier League 30 4 2 0 1 0 — — 31 4
2011–12 Premier League 6 0 0 0 0 0 — 1[b] 0 7 0
2012–13 Premier League 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
  1. ^ Two appearances in the Champions League and one in the UEFA Cup
  2. ^ a b Appearances in the Europa League

Honours

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Tottenham Hotspur

Fulham

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Premier League Player Profile". Premier League. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Former Fulham FC star Simon Davies plays in Solva friendly". Western Telegraph. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  3. ^ "Episode 122: Simon Davies". BBC Radio Wales. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  4. ^ "simon davies – fact file". My Eyes Have Seen the Glory. 29 April 2010. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  5. ^ "LIVERPOOL 2 (1) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0 (0)". spursodyssey.com. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Spurs brush Stockport aside". BBC. 17 February 2001. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Birmingham 0–1 Everton". BBC. 29 October 2005. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
  8. ^ "Davies joins Fulham". fulhamfc.com. Fulham FC. 24 January 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  9. ^ "Tactical Formation". Football-Lineups.com. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  10. ^ "Davies collects award". fulhamfc.com. Fulham FC. 16 September 2008. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  11. ^ "Outstanding Contribution". fulhamfc.com. Fulham FC. 24 July 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  12. ^ McNulty, Phil (29 April 2010). "Fulham 2–1 Hamburg (agg 2–1)". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  13. ^ "Late winner breaks Fulham hearts". ESPNsoccernet. ESPN. 12 May 2010. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  14. ^ "Simon Davies Signs New Contract". fulhamfc.com. Fulham FC. 16 August 2010. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
  15. ^ "Fulham midfielder Simon Davies suffers injury setback". BBC Sport. 26 August 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  16. ^ "Davies Return". fulhamfc.com. Fulham FC. 10 December 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  17. ^ "Fulham midfielder to miss the rest of the season". Fulham Chronicle. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  18. ^ "Jol in Davies warning". Sky Sports. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  19. ^ "Darren Fletcher included in Man Utd Premier League squad". BBC Sport. 5 September 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  20. ^ "Davies Return". fulhamfc.com. Fulham FC. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
  21. ^ "Summer transfer window: Ins and Outs". Premier League. Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  22. ^ "Former Wales captain stars for Solva". BBC News. 30 July 2013.
  23. ^ 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.
  24. ^ "Davies calls time on Wales career". BBC Sport. 8 August 2010.
  25. ^ "MATTHEW ETHERINGTON APPOINTED AS MANAGER". www.crawleytownfc.com. 27 November 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  26. ^ "CLUB STATEMENT : MATTHEW ETHERINGTON & SIMOND DAVIES". www.crawleytownfc.com. 29 December 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  27. ^ "Simon Davies Career Stats". Soccerbase. 4 January 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  28. ^ "Cole strike stuns Spurs". BBC Sport. 24 February 2002. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  29. ^ "Davies wins Welsh football gong". BBC Sport. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  30. ^ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1999). The 1999–2000 Official PFA Footballers Factfile. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press. p. 352. ISBN 978-1-85291-607-7.
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