Steven Davis

Steven Davis (born 1 January 1985) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder and is the captain of both Premier League club Southampton and the Northern Ireland national team. Davis made his full international debut in 2005 and has since been capped over 90 times at senior level, scoring eight goals. He captained his nation at UEFA Euro 2016.
Davis began his career with Premier League side Aston Villa and made his first appearance for the club in 2004 against Norwich City. He was named "Young Player of the Year", "The Fans Player of the Year" and "Player of the Year" for the 2005–06 season after making 42 appearances during the season. Davis was sold to Fulham for £4 million in the summer of 2007, but moved on loan to Scottish side Rangers in January 2008 for an initial six months. He was part of the side that reached the 2008 UEFA Cup Final and that won the 2007–08 Scottish League Cup and 2007–08 Scottish Cup.
At the end of the season, he moved permanently to Rangers for £3 million. He made 211 appearances for the Glasgow club, winning three consecutive league titles in 2009, 2010 and 2011, two Scottish Cups and three League Cups. Following the club's insolvency in 2012, Davis exercised his rights under TUPE regulations to rescind his contract and become a free agent, returning to the Premier League with Southampton.

Aston Villa

Davis as an Aston Villa player, May 2007.

Davis, who was born in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, started his career at St Andrews Boys Club before transferring to Aston Villa in 2002. He was a member of the 2002 FA Youth Cup winning team that beat Everton 4–2 in the final. His first professional appearance was on 18 September 2004, he was a 57th-minute replacement for Nolberto Solano in a goalless Premier League match against Norwich City at Carrow Road. Davis made 28 league appearances across the season, scoring the winner in a 3–2 comeback victory at Southampton on 16 April 2005.

On 13 August 2005, in Villa's first game of the new campaign, Davis volleyed past Jussi Jääskeläinen to secure a 2–2 home draw against Bolton Wanderers, albeit after nine minutes. He scored twice on 20 September in the third round of the Football League Cup, as Villa won 8–3 at Wycombe Wanderers. By October 2005, he was a regular for the club and missed only one game for Villa in the 2005–06 season. Davis was named Villa's "Young Player of the Year", "The Fans Player of the Year" and "Player of the Year" for the 2005–06 season. His form prompted the Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez, to state that Davis could be "another Frank Lampard". Davis made 102 appearances for Villa and scored nine times. On 2 January 2006, he headed the first goal of a 2–1 win at rivals West Bromwich Albion.

Fulham

In the summer of 2007, Davis followed team-mate Aaron Hughes to Fulham on 5 July 2007 to team up with international manager Sanchez, for a fee of around £4 million. He made his Fulham debut against Arsenal on 12 August 2007 and made 22 appearances for Fulham before his dream move to Rangers.

Rangers

On 31 January 2008, Davis was signed on a six-month loan deal by Rangers, the club he supported as a boy. Davis made his Rangers debut against Panathinaikos in the UEFA Cup on 13 February. He scored his first goal, again in European competition, against German side Werder Bremen. Davis scored for Rangers in the penalty shootout against Dundee United that won Rangers the League Cup. He also helped the team reach the 2008 UEFA Cup Final, and won the Scottish Cup in May.

Davis made his move from Fulham permanent on 21 August 2008, in a deal worth £3 million, signing a four-year contract. He made his first appearance of the season for Rangers against Aberdeen, during a 1–1 draw the day after he permanently signed. Davis scored his first goal for Rangers, since his move became permanent, against Motherwell. He scored the only goal in the final Old Firm derby of the season on 9 May 2009, to take Rangers to the top of the SPL by two points. Davis won the SPL title and Scottish Cup with Rangers in the 2008–09 season.

Davis began his goalscoring in the 2009–10 season against St. Mirren on 27 January. He continued his goalscoring form against Falkirk in the next game, curling a free kick into Bobby Olejnik's top right hand corner. Davis's performances in January 2010, earned him the SPL Player of the Month award. He was also named SPFA Players' Player of the Year on 2 May 2010. and won the SPL and Scottish League Cup each for the second time.

Davis scored his first goal of the 2010–11 season against Motherwell at Ibrox in October 2010, when he collected the ball 30 yards from goal before striking it into the top corner. The goal drew comparisons to former Rangers favourite Ian Durrant. Davis followed this up by scoring the winning goal in the match against Inverness at Ibrox in January 2011. In the 2011 Scottish League Cup Final against Celtic, Davis opened the scoring in a match, which Rangers won 2–1 after extra time. This was the third time he had won the Scottish League Cup. Davis scored in back-to-back games in the 2011 title run in against Motherwell, and then Hearts, before playing his 54th, and final game of the season in a 5–1 win over Kilmarnock, as Rangers won their 3rd consecutive SPL championship.

On 19 July 2011, Davis signed a new five-year contract with Rangers. He was made Rangers temporary captain, with the absence of formal club captain David Weir for the first part of the 2011–12 season. Davis scored his first goal of the 2011–12 season in a 2–0 win over Aberdeen at Ibrox in August. In the first Old Firm match of the 2011–12 season, Davis provided two assists in the game, as Rangers beat Celtic 4–2. After Rangers beat Dunfermline 4–0 at East End Park, Rangers manager Ally McCoist praised Davis's performance by saying "It was a captain's performance from the best player on the park." For his performances during September 2011, he received the SPL Player of the Month award. Following the insolvency of Rangers in 2012, Davis exercised his rights under TUPE regulations to rescind his contract and become a free agent. PFA Scotland had previously commented that players were entitled to become free agents if they objected to the transfer to the new company formed by Charles Green.

Southampton

Davis playing for Southampton in the Premier League in October 2016.

Davis rejected the chance to stay with Rangers and instead signed a three-year deal with Premier League side Southampton on 6 July 2012. The deal was subsequently extended to 2016 as part of the agreement with Rangers to complete the transfer without the need for the international transfer clearance to be agreed by FIFA, with the two clubs agreeing a fee. After joining Southampton, Davis pleaded the Rangers fans to agree with his decision to leave but accepted that a minority of fans would take a different view and made his explanation he left Rangers in order to revive his football career.

He made his debut on 19 August 2012, and scored to put the team ahead at holders Manchester City only three minutes after coming on as a substitute, but Southampton eventually lost 3–2. His only other goal of the season came against the same opposition, in a 3–1 home win on 13 February 2013.

His first two goals of the 2013–14 season came in a 5–1 victory at Barnsley in the League Cup second round on 27 August, the latter being a penalty.

On 17 October 2014, Davis signed a new contract to keep him at Southampton until 2018.

On 8 May 2016, Davis scored his first ever league brace for Southampton in a 2–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane. He followed this up with a goal in a 4–1 victory over Crystal Palace on the final day of the season.

On 18 June 2016, he signed a new 3-year contract, extending his stay with the club until 2019.

Davis made his full international debut on 9 February 2005 in a 1–0 loss to Canada, and made the assist for David Healy in Northern Ireland's famous 1–0 victory over England in a 2006 World Cup qualification match on 7 September. Davis' first goal came against Wales in a 3–2 home defeat in another qualifier on 8 October. He was also part of the side who beat Spain 3–2 at Windsor Park in September 2006.

On 21 May 2006, he became Northern Ireland's youngest modern day captain against Uruguay in the United States, a 1–0 loss.

On 8 October 2015, Davis scored twice in a 3–1 victory over Greece to help Northern Ireland qualify for the final tournament of Euro 2016, their first European Championship.

Club

As of match played 30 November 2016

International

As of match played 13 November 2015.

Aston Villa

• FA Youth Cup: 2002

Rangers

• Scottish Premier League: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
• Scottish Cup: 2007–08, 2008–09
• Scottish League Cup: 2007–08, 2009–10, 2010–11
• UEFA Cup Final Runners up : 2007–08

Personal awards

• SPFA Players' Player of the Year: 2010
• Scottish Premier League Player of the Month: January 2010, September 2011

• "Davis crowned player of the year". BBC Sport. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2010. 
• "Rangers' Steven Davis wins January SPL award". BBC Sport. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2010.