Simon Davies (footballer, born 1979)

For the footballer born 1974, see Simon Davies (footballer born 1974).

For other people named Simon Davies, see Simon Davies (disambiguation).

Simon Davies

File:Simondavies.jpg
Personal information
Full name	Simon Davies
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Right/Left winger
Team information
Current team	Fulham
Number	29
Youth career
	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–	Fulham	102	(9)
International career‡
1998–2001	Wales U21	10	(0)
2001–2010	Wales	58	(6)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:17, 15 August 2010 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:40, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Simon Davies (born 23 October 1979 in Haverfordwest) is a Welsh international football player who currently plays for Fulham. His favoured position is the right side of midfield.

Club career

Peterborough United

Davies was a trainee with Wrexham, before joining 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. 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 5th 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 reach £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 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. On 30 January 2007, he played his first Premiership match for Fulham against Sheffield United.

Davies taking a free kick for Fulham

Since joining Fulham from Everton, he has become 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. His pace, along with his high work rate have made him a crowd favourite and earned him the respect of former manager Lawrie Sanchez. Simon Davies was voted Fulham's player of the season in the 2007/2008 season.

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. 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.

Davies signed a new deal with Fulham on 16 August 2010 which will see him playing for the club until 2013.

International career

Davies made his debut for Wales in a World Cup qualifier against Ukraine on June 6, 2001.

Davies played for Wales 58 times and scored six goals. His best performance for his country came on 16 October 2002 when he scored the team's opening goal in a shock 2–1 victory over Italy. He announced his retirement from international football on 9 August 2010.

Career statistics

Club

Template:Football player statistics 5333||29||30||4||24||3||3||0||14||2||404||38

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		League Cup		FA Trophy		Europe		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1997–98	Peterborough United	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
1999–2000	Tottenham Hotspur	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
2005–06	Everton	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
2006–07	Fulham	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			1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Total			102	9	12	2	4	0	0	0	11	2	129	13

As of 18:17, 15 August 2010

External links

• Simon Davies at Soccerbase
• Profile at UpThePosh! The Peterborough United Database