Username
Password
Davies Profile
 Bolton Wanderers Kevin Davies and Arsenals Gael Clichy battle for the ball

Kevin Davies

Born: Sheffield, 26th March 1977

International Honours: England U21

Position: Forward

Squad Number: 14

Former Clubs: Chesterfield, Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Southampton, Millwall (loan)

Physical and robust striker with excellent aeriel ability that allows his team mates to support the attack when coming in from wide positions.

Sam Allardyce was willing to take a massive gamble on the one time £7 million forward when bringing him in from Southampton two seasons ago, and this is now a decision that has worked out well for everyone concerned.

Although not a natural goalscorer, Davies can create a number of useful chances for the team mates around him by basically being a nuisance to his marker in the final third of the field.

As a youngster he burst onto the scene as an attacking midfielder with lower league Chesterfield, and was part of their team that defied all odds by gettting to the Semi Finals of the 1997 FA Cup, in a run which saw him get a hat trick at Burnden Park against Bolton in February of that year.

Southampton signed him at the end of that season for the first of two spells on the South Coast, and he immediately impressed by scoring a satisfactory nine league goals in 1997-98 including a fine solo goal away to Everton.

Many had tipped both himself and ex-Wanderer Michael Bridges for full England honours but both had the misfortune of seeing their careers take an unlikely dip in progress.

For Davies this career dip came when he accepted a big money move to Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 1998 when an incredible fee of £7 million changed hands in a deal which also included future England star James Beattie.

Just one goal in 23 games gave him the unfortune tag of "multi-million pound flop" but an escape route back to Southampton in a cut price transfer after just 12 months was the tonic that was needed.

His second spell with the Saints saw more competition than ever before up front, ironically it was the rejuvanted Beattie who was keeping him from getting a more regular starting role.

He had fallen down the pecking order during Gordon Strachan's managerial reign at St Mary's, and was loaned out to First Division Millwall to keep up his fitness in the 2002-2003 season.

Ironically a goal against the Lions on his return to Southampton gave him a run of games in the side but it wasn't enough for him to be considered for the Saints FA Cup final date against Arsenal.

After that game he realised that he would have no long-term future with Southampton and had contemplated life in the lower leagues before Sam Allardyce offered him the opportunity to train with Bolton in their Italian training camp.

He impressed during the pre-season visit to Malta and was immediately handed a short term contract which would last a year, with the possiblity of an extension.

Not only was he everpresent in the Premiership for Bolton in 2003-2004, but also he chipped in with nine vital goals, including one in the Carling Cup final against Middlesbrough and goals against his former clubs Blackburn and Southampton.

This lead to a further deal being offered for the next season and he carried on where he left off in 2004-2005 despite the fact that Sam Allardyce had made a couple of signings to boost up his forward line.

Has often been singled out by rival managers as being a problem to mark, with David O'Leary of Aston Villa, Chelsea's Jose Mourinho and Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez all having groaned at the prospect of Davies facing their teams.

A spell in the UEFA Cup with Bolton in 2005-2006 was the perfect reward for this hard working player who has turned his career back around and despite his lack of goals in the early part of the season he continued to be a nuisance to opposition players all around the country.

Season 2006-2007 saw him suffer his worst run of injuries since joining the club with a fractured cheekbone keeping him out of the early part of the season and a broken foot ruling him out of action in the Spring.

He made a successful return to action in mid-March and four goals from the last eight games went a long way towards helping the club qualify for another season in the UEFA Cup.

2007-2008 started off badly for Davies as he was injured in the opening game of the season against Newcastle United and therefore missed a handful of matches at a time when the Bolton side where enduring their worst top flight start in nigh on twelve years.

His return in the UEFA Cup tie against FK Rabotnicki ensured normal service was resumed and although perhaps the last campaign was his worst whilst at the club in terms of goals, he can be overall satisfied with the way he performed.

Highlights for the big striker include netting a decisive equaliser in the European game at Bayern Munich and earning the side a crucial win over West Ham United in April - the latter effectively helping Bolton to stay up. 

BOLTON RECORD: 172 appearances, 35 goals

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with: