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Blast From The Past – Simon Davey |
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It is a story straight out of a ‘Boys Own’ comic. In a Swansea comprehensive school, sometime in 1988, Simon Davey is in class preparing for his imminent O-levels, the head teacher interrupts, ‘Terry Yorath, has just called he is asking if Simon can be excused and pop down to the Vetch’. Arriving in his uniform, Terry informs him that his squad is threadbare and he would like to name Simon as a substitute. The game was against Torquay and Simon made his debut during the second half. Simon Davey was a great midfielder, he was an excellent passer of the ball, took a nifty free kick, wasn’t afraid to get into the box, he had vision and that rare ability of finding and creating time and space – just the sort of midfielder player we could do with for the new season. Alas, the North Bank never got to see the very best of Simon, he found it difficult to establish himself as a first team regular team making some 58 appearances and scoring 5 goals in 3 years with the Swans. He was sold for £20,000 to Carlisle in 1992 where he was the catalyst for two good seasons for the club, first reaching the play-offs and then achieving promotion the following season, with Simon installed as captain at the age of 22. Carlisle supporters have even voted a goal he scored against Shrewsbury as their second best of all time (the first being the goalie who went up-field and scored in the dying minutes to save them from relegation to the conference). Simon was fouled on the touchline almost 40 yards from goal, noticing no wall had formed and the goalie had taken a position on the 6 yard line near the far post, he floated the ball into the near side top right hand corner. He went onto make 132 appearances for the club scoring 23 goals. He was sold to Preston for £125,000 (don’t think we had a sell on clause) where he made his debut in a new look midfield alongside another debutant, David Beckham. If you have ever seen the footage of Beckhams first ever league goal, it was this game. Simon Davey places the ball down for a free-kick just outside the penalty area and is eyeing up a shot at goal, a shy Beckham ambles over from the left and asks Simon if he can have a go, Simon wanting to boost the young mans confidence steps aside and David bends it around the wall, into the corner of the net leaving the keeper rooted to spot – it was however Simon who given man of the match that night. Simon went onto to score 22 times in 122 games for Preston and was named in the PFA team of the season during the season Preston were promoted to the first division. Unfortunately his career was cut short at the age of 27 in a freak training accident with a medicine ball. David Moyes had however seen at first hand Simons leadership ability and gave him a coaching job at the club. He eventually took charge of the Academy at Preston and won the FA Youth Cup (I think). He is still at Preston as Director of Youth, has all the necessary coaching badges under his belt and is tipped by many to take over at the helm from Billy Davies. A future Swansea manager maybe? Submitted By Nottingham Jack
Images courtesy of Getty Images, Athena Picture Agency and Swansea City Football Club.
 
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