Sean Davis (footballer)

Sean Davis
Personal information
Full nameSean Davis
Date of birth20 September 1979
Place of birthClapham, England[1]
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Playing positionMidfielder
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1996–2004Fulham155(14)
2004–2006Tottenham Hotspur15(0)
2006–2009Portsmouth102(2)
2009–2012Bolton Wanderers3(0)
2012→ Bristol City (loan)3(0)
Total278(16)
National team‡
2000–2002England U2112(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:06, 2 June 2009 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20:32, 18 May 2012 (UTC)

Sean Davis (born 20 September 1979 in Clapham, London) is a former English footballer who has played for clubs such as Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth and Bolton Wanderers.

Club career

Fulham

Davis is a product of the Fulham youth system and was described by former Fulham and England boss Kevin Keegan as being a hot prospect for the future. He is one of the few players in the world to have played at all four professional levels of football in England with the same club and is also the only Fulham player to achieve this.

He made his first-team debut for Fulham aged just 17 years and 25 days in 1996. Davis progressed under the watchful eye of managers Keegan, Jean Tigana and later Chris Coleman. At the end of the 2002-03 season, Davis was named as the Player of the Season.[3]

He attracted interest from Everton[4] and Middlesbrough[5] during that season, more so after he had handed in a transfer request citing his "ambition to further his career".[6] However, Fulham were reluctant to sell Davis until they had found a suitable replacement. A transfer to either Everton or Middlesbrough never occurred as Davis was injured during the summer and unable to pass a medical to switch clubs, so this kept him at Fulham for the 2003–2004 season.[7][8] Davis sustained a knee injury in a pre-season friendly match against ASK Voitsberg[9][10] As a result of his sustained injury, his proposed move to Everton was broken down.[11]

After a month out injured, Davis made his return in the reserve match against Watford on 8 October 2003.[12] A month later, Davis had withdraw his transfer request, as he began dedicating to Fulham by starting a negotiations to sign a new contract.[13] In an exclusive interview with the club, Davis says his attempted move in the summer transfer window resulted fans was questioning his commitment with Fulham.[14] During his club career at Fulham, Davis is the only player in the Club’s history to have represented Fulham in all four divisions.[15]

Tottenham Hotspur

After this, he signed for Tottenham Hotspur prior to the 2004–05 season. After starting early season games, injuries restricted his appearances. Davis went on to describe his time at Tottenham Hotspur, writing on Daily Mail column, quoting: "I played the first four games, got injured and then was out for three months. In that time my daughter was born 10 weeks premature. It was a difficult time and I did not really manage to get fully fit before I left."[16]

Portsmouth

He was unable to break into the Tottenham team and was later bought by Harry Redknapp in the January 2006 transfer window in a combined deal which saw Davis, Pedro Mendes, and Noe Pamarot sign for Portsmouth. While arriving at the club short of match fitness, he played an important part in Portsmouth's 2006 survival campaign, including scoring the second goal in their 4–2 win over West Ham United on 18 March 2006.[17]

At the end of the 2005–06 campaign, Davis stated that Portsmouth supporters had yet to see his best form, and expected that after having taken part in a full pre-season, that he would be much more prepared to play a greater role in the coming season.[18]

On 1 February 2009, Portsmouth rejected a bid in the region of £3 million for Davis from Bolton Wanderers.[19] Pompey manager at the time Tony Adams, was keen to secure the player to a new contract with his present deal due to run until the summer of 2009.

Bolton Wanderers

On 1 July 2009, Bolton confirmed the signing of Davis on a free transfer on a three-year deal.[20] He made his debut in a 1–0 loss to Sunderland on 15 August but made only three more appearances after two major injuries, his last appearance, against Liverpool on 29 August 2009, bringing him the first red card of the 2009-10 Premier League.[21] Davis played for the first time in 27 months on 13 December 2011 when playing the first 45 minutes for the reserve team in a 1–1 draw against Newcastle reserves.[22] He was released at the end of the 2011–12 season following Bolton's relegation from the Premier League and announced his retirement from football on 25 September.[23]

Loan to Bristol City

On 24 February 2012 Davis joined Bristol City on a one-month loan deal[24] and made his debut the day after in their 3–1 home defeat to Blackpool, picking up a booking. At the conclusion of the month he returned to Bolton after playing just three games and picking up another injury.

International career

After an exciting 2002–03 campaign in which he firmly established his position in the Fulham starting line up Davis was called up to be part of the England squad that faced Australia, although he did not play.[25]

Personal life

During his time at Portsmouth, due to influence from team mate Linvoy Primus and the Faith and Football organisation, Davis converted to Christianity; "Since going to Portsmouth and meeting people like Linvoy Primus, who is a Christian, I have got into that and it's been a revelation to me. There's a big Christian group at the club and the 'Faith in Football’ thing that Linvoy is involved in is fantastic."[26]

Since retiring, Davis has since joined Fulham FC as a columnist and commentator for their home matches .[27][28][29]

References

  1. ↑ Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2012). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013 (43rd ed.). London: Headline. p. 433. ISBN 978-0-7553-6356-8.
  2. ↑ "Premier League Player Profile". Premier League. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  3. ↑ "Player of the Season". Fulham Official Website. 14 May 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  4. ↑ "Davis bid rejected". Fulham Official Website. 9 July 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  5. ↑ "Two offers for Davis". Fulham Official Website. 14 August 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "Davis requests transfer". Fulham Official Website. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Sean Davis injury latest". Fulham Official Website. 29 July 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  8. ↑ "Davis set for knee scan". Fulham Official Website. 24 July 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  9. ↑ "Davis injured". Fulham Official Website. 23 July 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  10. ↑ "Voitsberg 1 - 4 Fulham". Fulham Official Website. 23 July 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  11. ↑ "Davis move officially off". Fulham Official Website. 26 August 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  12. ↑ "Davis returns". Fulham Official Website. 8 October 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  13. ↑ "Davis withdraws request". Fulham Official Website. 7 November 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  14. ↑ "Black and White Ambition". Fulham Official Website. 17 November 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  15. ↑ "FFC Legend: Sean Davis". Fulham Official Website. 13 June 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  16. ↑ "SEAN DAVIS: We saw the Portsmouth meltdown coming - Sol Campbell said 'This can't be right, something must be going on'". Daily Mail. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  17. ↑ "West Ham 2–4 Portsmouth". BBC. 18 March 2006. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  18. ↑ Step Up the Real Sean Davis
  19. ↑ "Portsmouth reject bid for Davis". BBC Sport. 1 February 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  20. ↑ "Bolton sign Davis from Portsmouth". BBC Sport. 1 July 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  21. ↑ Hughes, Ian (29 August 2009). "Bolton 2–3 Liverpool". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 20 September 2009.
  22. ↑ "Reserves: Newcastle 1 Wanderers 1". bwfc.co.uk. 13 December 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
  23. ↑ "Former Fulham and Tottenham midfielder Sean Davis forced to retire". Sky Sports. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  24. ↑ "McInnes joy at Davis deal". Sky Sports. 24 February 2012.
  25. ↑ "Aussies stun England". BBC. 13 February 2003. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  26. ↑ Dave Kidd (31 March 2007). "I'm a Sean-again Christian". The Sun (London). Retrieved 22 December 2009.
  27. ↑ "The Sean Davis Column". Fulham Official Website. 24 September 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  28. ↑ "The Sean Davis Column". Fulham Official Website. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  29. ↑ http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/august/12/jims-cocommentator

External links