Born: Haverfordwest, Wales, 23 October 1979
Position: Central midfielder/right midfielder
International caps: 58
International goals: 6
Signed: 24 January 2007 from Everton (£1.5m)
Fulham debut: Fulham 3-0 Stoke City, FA Cup fourth round, 27 January 2007
Fulham appearances: 167
Fulham goals: 17
Honours: UEFA Europa League runners-up (2009/2010)
Sold: 1 July 2013 (released)
Welsh winger Simon Davies joined Fulham from Everton for £1.5m in January 2007 in what might be one of Chris Coleman’s shrewdest transfer deals. Davies became a stalwart on the right flank, supplying both spectacular goals and superb cross. He made his debut against Stoke City in the FA Cup and, whilst overcoming a succession of knee injuries, was a consistent performer who made more than 150 appearances in six special years at Craven Cottage.
Davies deservedly won the club’s player of the year award in 2007-08 with his high quality displays proving crucial in helping the Whites escape relegation under Roy Hodgson. He became one of the first names on Hodgson’s team sheet, starring as Fulham finished seventh in the Premier League in 2008/09 and reached the quarter finals of the FA Cup. He famously scored the equaliser in both the semi-final and final of Fulham’s Europa League adventure: injuring himself in the process of providing a route back into the contest against Hamburg with a sensational finish and then firing Fulham level against Atletico Madrid.
Davies remained a key part of Fulham’s first-team squad until knee and hip injuries hindered his first-team opportunities. The Welshman was released at the end of the 2012-2013 campaign, playing for his hometown club Solva before beginning his coaching career. He took charge of his first club Peterborough’s academy sides before becoming number two to former Posh and Tottenham team-mate Matthew Etherington at Crawley Town in December 2022.
