Paul Davis (footballer)

Paul Davis

Personal information
Full name	Paul Vincent Davis
Date of birth	9 December 1961 (1961-12-09)
Place of birth	Dulwich, London, England
Playing position	Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1978–1995	Arsenal	351	(30)
1995	Stabæk	1	(0)
1995–1996	Brentford	5	(0)
National team
1982–1988	England U21	11	(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Paul Vincent Davis (born 9 December 1961) is an English former footballer.

Born in Dulwich, London, Davis signed for Arsenal as an apprentice in 1977 and turned professional the following year. A talented left-footed midfielder, he made his debut in 1980 in a North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur, and within a year he was a regular in the Arsenal side, as well as a member of the England U21 team.

Davis, who wore number 4 before Arsenal captain Vieira, was an integral part of the successful Arsenal side of the late 1980s, winning the League Cup in 1987 and the First Division in 1989 and 1991.

Although dropped from the side in autumn 1991 and left on the sidelines after a disagreement with his manager George Graham, Davis made a late comeback, playing in both the League Cup and FA Cup finals in 1993 as Arsenal chalked up their Cup Double. He also featured in Arsenal's Cup Winners' Cup win against Parma the following year. Davis was released by Arsenal on a free transfer in the summer of 1995; despite his injuries he still appeared 447 times for Arsenal, scoring 37 goals. He never played for the England senior team, despite a set of appearances for the U21s and 'B' team.Davis became the first black player to estabile himself into the Arsenal squard in the early 1990s and the first black captain.

After leaving Arsenal, he briefly joined Norwegian side Stabæk in 1995. After his spell at Stabæk, appearing in one game as a substitute, he returned to London to join Brentford. He signed on a free transfer in September 1995, ending 18 years at Arsenal, but he retired within a year after just five appearances for the Griffin Park side.

Davis returned to Arsenal to become a youth coach in 1998, before leaving the club in 2003 to seek his fortune elsewhere. In September 2003 Davis joined The Professional Footballers' Association coaching department and is now a senior coach/coach educator for the organisation, he is also does work for the Kick it out and Show racism the red card organisation. On October 27, 2005, Davis was announced as assistant manager of Kettering Town by new manager Paul Gascoigne, he left Kettering at the same time as Gascoigne's departure from the club on December 5, 2005, but continues to work for the Professional Footballer's Association coaching department.

External links

• Arsenal profile
• Paul Davis, Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database