Dave Simpson (soccer)

Dave Simpson

Personal information
Full name	David Anthony Simpson Knight
Date of birth	(1983-01-11) January 11, 1983
Place of birth	Toronto, Ontario
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position	Forward/Winger/Midfield
Youth career
2001	Stuttgart
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2002	Royal Antwerp	2	(0)
2003	Hamilton Thunder	11	(4)
2005	Toronto Lynx	18	(3)
2006	Lombard-Pápa	12	(1)
2006–2008	Sparta Prague	1	(0)
2007	→ Kladno (loan)	15	(2)
2008	→ SIAD Most (loan)	4	(0)
2008	Dunaújváros	23	(5)
2009	Integrál	15	(6)
2010	Chonburi	8	(1)
2011	Mississauga Eagles FC	9	(6)
2012	Brantford Galaxy	7	(7)
National team‡
2003	Canada U20	4	(1)
2008	Canada	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 2 January 2010

Dave Simpson (born January 11, 1983 as David Anthony Simpson Knight) is a retired Canadian footballer.

He began playing soccer with North Scarborough Soccer Club [N.S.S.C) in Scarborough, Ontario. A club known for creating such talents as Julian de Guzman, formerly of Deportivo de La Coruña, and Jonathan De Guzman of Feyenoord. The team was extremely successful and was granted an invitation to the famed Welsh International Super Cup, formerly known as the Ian Rush Tournament. In the summer of 1997 (NSSC) took part in the Tournament and won their age group. Simpson was named Golden Boot Winner with a staggering 14 goals in 5 matches, landing him second only to Michael Owen for all-time record holder.

The success of the Ian Rush tournament handed Simpson a tryout with Southampton of the Premier League. He would continue to play with North Scarborough until he was 17.

Youth career

The PSA (Mississauga Eagles FC) proved to be what he needed. The dedication to Total Football and concentration on technique and fitness set them apart from all the other clubs in Toronto. It took a very professional approach in its structuring, training methods, and presentation. The decision to join would pay off when in 2001 P.S.A traveled to Stuttgart, Germany for international exposure and experience. Simpson performed well against the German side, impressing the coach of VfB Stuttgart enough to play with them for the second half. After a brief trial with VfB Stuttgart U19 side, he signed later on that summer and remained with them till the end of 2001.^[1]

Professional career

He started his professional career at the age of 20, when he signed a lengthy deal with the Manchester United F.C. farm team, and Belgium first division side Royal Antwerp FC. The Belgium side paid 99 thousand euro for his services.The deal was set to run till 2005 but troubles arose when the club went through financial difficulty, causing him to leave in the summer of 2002.

He signed with Hamilton Thunder of the Canadian Soccer League that same summer, clinched the League Title. Contract disputes forced him to miss the 2004 season.

In 2005 he signed with the Toronto Lynx in the USL First Division. There he became a fan favorite often chatting with fans, and the media. After impressing with the Lynx he took another chance and left for Europe again and signed with Lombard-Pápa TFC in the Borsodi Liga in 2006, where he continued to impress. Toronto Lynx received 154.000 £.

Return to Europe

Lombard-Pápa TFC ended up paying 154.000 £ for Simpson and improved from six points at winter break, to 24 by the end of the season. Despite his efforts at the end of the 2006 season, Lombard-Pápa was relegated. Dave was sold and signed with Czech giants AC Sparta Prague in the summer of 2006 as one of the biggest Hungarian transfer deals that summer at 352.000 £. He impressed early in the summer camps and quickly became a favorite because of his speed and long runs with the ball.

Upon signing, Simpson became the first Canadian-born player in history to be signed by the club. He played numerous friendly matches before being named to the squad. In September, he was named to the roster for the UEFA Cup wearing #11. Michal Bílek became coach five games into the season and an eventual ten players were changed. The change saw Dave put on loan to his disappointment just one week before the UEFA Cup game against Scottish League giants Hearts. He was loaned to newly promoted SK Kladno for 154.000 £ till winter break to gain more experience of the Czech league.

He had an impressive start with SK Kladno scoring in his second game. Playing as an offensive midfielder Simpson supplied the Kladno offense with more opportunities on goal. In a game against FK Teplice, he suffered a horrible head injury which saw him leave on a stretcher. Later it was revealed he suffered a concussion. He missed all but one of the remaining games left in the half season. He came on as a substitute against Sparta to a standing ovation.

Due to the injury, Simpson only played 5 games with SK Kladno. Sparta saw it best to lengthen his loan till the end of the season. Kladno changed his position to a defensive midfield or central midfield role helping keep Kladno in the top division. In the summer of 2007, after playing with Kladno for 7 months he signed for two more years with AC Sparta Prague. Sparta qualified for the Champions League by winning the Czech Cup and league title.

After taking on his option Sparta failed to utilize the striker. Instead they sent him along with Jan Šimák to the reserves. Eventually after the 2007/2008 winter break he went on loan to FK SIAD Most. Simpson was a starter until he suffered a car crash which kept him out of action for two more weeks. Simpson did not play the remainder of the games. Simpson was reportedly linked Nottingham Forest of the English Championship Division after a brief stay at the clubs grounds early May 2008.He broke his contract with Sparta in the summer of 2008.

He signed with Hungarian side Dunaújváros FC. The official team site has already stated he will be leaving for a bigger team this winter transfer season. He finished as club top goal scorer. In February 2009 Dunaújváros folded as a club due to finances.

He joined Integrál-DAC where he was expected to be transferred from. Instead Integrál-DAC failed to come to an agreement with several clubs, and opted to keep Simpson till the summer transfer window. He finished his stay with 11 goals on the season, and top goal scorer. Integrál-DAC folded in the summer of 2009 leaving Simpson a free player.

Asia, Return to Canada and Stargardt Eye Disease

In July 2010 Simpson was signed by Thai Premier League side Chonburi. He scored his first goal in his second game against Pattaya United. He now plays the Left Midfield position. He suffered an ankle injury during his second game and has been utilized sparingly as a substitute since.He made his return to the full team on September 16 in a F.A Cup match against Pataya. Chonburi won the Hai F.A Cup in 2010. On December 30, 2010 while in Canada it was discovered that Simpson played with torn ligaments in his right ankle for more than 2 months. Simpson retired due to injury. He is the only Canadian soccer player too have ever played in the Thai Premier League, and the only player from Canada to play for Chonburi sharks.

In the winter of 2010 while on winter break from Chonburi, Dave was diagnosed with Stargardt Eye Disease, which affects central vision and can cause legal blindness. He had been suffering from the disease since the age of 18, but was unaware of its rare strain in his family. Stargardt disease, or fundus flavimaculatus, it is an inherited juvenile macular degeneration that causes progressive vision loss usually to the point of legal blindness. The progression usually starts between the ages of six and twelve years old and plateaus shortly after rapid reduction in visual acuity.

In April 2011 he signed for his home club Mississauga Eagles FC. He became captain in May 2011. He stopped in early September 2011. He officially ended his contract Dec 14th 2011 after only playing 9 games scoring 6 goals. He finished 2nd in team goals.

Style of play

Simpson is well known for using his strength and pace while running at players. He creating chances in offensive positions usually facing the goal. Though he has been trained as a striker, most of his success in Europe has been in the midfield as a winger, or offensive midfield. Throughout his career he is experienced in six different positions. Upon signing for Chonburi F.C, he moved to left midfield.

Charity Games

On June 25, 2009 he played as part of the Zinedine Zidane squad in friendly match versus the Canadian All-Stars. Zidane had a part in the tying goal during added time. He passed to his right to Simpson, who found Lewis in front of the goal for the tap in.

International career

He is a former member of U17, U18, and U20 Canadian National Team, appeared in 4 matches scoring 1 goal in 2003. Played with the U20 National Team at the 2003 US Soccer Festival. He has recently been called into Men's National Team camps under two different coaches in the summer of 2006, and most recently to Miami in January 2007. In the summer of 2007, he was part of the player pool for the 2007 Gold Cup.

He was 25 years old when he won his first cap with Canada's senior team on 30 January 2008 (a 1:0 win over Martinique).

Honours

Club

• AC Sparta Prague:
  • Gambrinus liga Championship: 2007
  • Champions League Qualification in 2007

• Chonburi:
  • Thailand FA Cup Champions in 2010

Personal life

Simpson is the son of a Portuguese and Bajan mother Ann Knight, and a Jamaican father Bovrell Simpson. His family tree dates back to African heritage. He was born in Toronto, Ontario and raised in North York.

Dave became a father on September 24, 2011 to daughter Jaya Simpson.He married ex Czech model Janelle Nathaniel in 2012.

Simpson to this day is the highest transfer the Toronto Lynx and Lombard-Pápa TFC have ever made and is to date the highest purchase that SK Kladno has ever made per loan spell.He was and remains the only Canadian to ever play for Thai Premier league giants Chonburi F.C.

References

External links

• Dave Simpson Sparta Praha UEFA
• Dave Simpson Canada Player Profile
• Transfermarkt.co.uk
• Career stats - Hungary and Czech Republic Teams
• Simpson's Grand Finale video