Simon Davies
Personal information
Full name Simon Ithel Davies
Date of birth (1974-04-23) 23 April 1974
Place of birth Winsford, Cheshire, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Tottenham Hotspur Academy (Academy Director)
Youth career
Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1997 Manchester United 11 (0)
1993–1994 → Exeter City (loan) 6 (1)
1996 → Huddersfield Town (loan) 3 (0)
1997–1998 Luton Town 22 (1)
1998–2000 Macclesfield Town 48 (3)
2000–2001 Rochdale 12 (1)
2001–2003 Bangor City 60 (8)
2003–2004 Total Network Solutions 18 (0)
2004–2005 Bangor City 16 (1)
2005 Rhyl 14 (0)
2006–2007 Chester City 0 (0)
2007 Airbus UK 0 (0)
Total 210 (14)
International career
1996 Wales 1 (0)
Managerial career
2007 Chester City (caretaker)
2008 Chester City
2016–2018 Manchester City EDS
2019 Anderlecht
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Simon Ithel Davies (born 23 April 1974) is a Welsh professional football coach and former player who is currently the Academy Director at Tottenham Hotspur's Academy.

As a player, he was a midfielder who notably played in the Premier League for Manchester United, where he was part of the famous 1992 youth team. He later played in The Football League for Exeter City, Huddersfield Town, Luton Town, Macclesfield Town and Rochdale. He wound up his playing days in the Welsh Premier League with Bangor City, Total Network Solutions, Rhyl and Airbus UK. He was capped once for Wales, in a match against Switzerland in 1996.

Davies went into coaching towards the end of his career, where he was a youth team coach at Chester City. He was caretaker manager of the club in 2007 and 2008. In 2010, Davies joined Manchester City where he eventually became the EDS manager and the Head of the Youth Academy. In 2019 he joined the coaching staff at Anderlecht and briefly managed the club before relinquishing his duties and reverting to his previous role. In August 2022, Davies became Head of Coaching Methodology at Tottenham Hotspur's academy. He was then promoted in June 2023 to Academy Director.

Playing career

During his career he played for a few English clubs in the 1990s, after starting out at Manchester United. He scored the opening goal in a 4–0 Champions League win against Galatasaray and played 20 first team games for the club, although he failed to add any more goals.[1] He was part of an acclaimed batch of youngsters to come through the United ranks in this period, after winning the FA Youth Cup in 1992, with his colleagues who lifted the trophy including David Beckham, Nicky Butt and Gary Neville.[2]

Although born in England, Davies was capped for the Welsh national team against Switzerland in 1996. After leaving Manchester United for Luton Town in a £150,000 deal in August 1997,[1] Davies struggled to recapture his early promise and his league career was to end with spells with Macclesfield Town and Rochdale. He then crossed the Welsh border, becoming Peter Davenport's first signing at Bangor City in the Welsh Premier League in 2001.[3] He was named as the Welsh Premier League's player of the season in 2002–03.[4] He also played for Rhyl and Total Network Solutions and would briefly join Airbus UK.

Coaching and management

In 2006, Davies joined the coaching staff at Chester City, predominantly as part of the youth set-up. In April 2007, he was appointed as the club's caretaker manager after the departure of Mark Wright. He took charge for the final game of the season, as Chester lost 2–0 at Lincoln City.

Despite the loss, Davies was offered an interview for the job on a permanent basis but Bobby Williamson was subsequently appointed, although Davies remained at the club as youth team manager. The following March, Davies was again appointed as Chester's caretaker manager following Williamson's sacking.[5] Despite losing his two games in caretaker charge, Davies was named manager until the end of the season on 11 March 2008.[6] His first win followed in a 2–1 success against Darlington on 22 March and Chester went on to clinch survival in their penultimate match of the season with a 0–0 draw against Stockport County.[7] A few days earlier, Davies celebrated his 34th birthday with a new two-year contract at the club.[8]

Davies endured a difficult start to the 2008–09 season, with Chester conceding six to both Dagenham & Redbridge and Rochdale in the first three months of the season and making early exits from all three cup competitions. He was sacked on 10 November 2008.[9] Exactly a month later, it was announced Davies had returned to Chester as youth team manager.[10]

In 2010, Davies joined Manchester City as part of their youth coaching programme. From 2013 to 2015, he was assistant to EDS manager Patrick Vieira. In January 2016, Davies succeeded Vieira as manager, when the Frenchman left the club to join New York City.[11] He left the position in 2018 to become Head of Academy Coaching, with specific focus on the younger age groups.

In July 2019, Davies joined Vincent Kompany as part of the coaching set-up at Anderlecht.[12] On 22 August, Davies became the head coach after Kompany decided to step down from managerial duties to focus primarily on being a player.[13] Davies's first match in charge was a 1–0 loss to Genk,[14] and his second brought Anderlecht their first win of the season, 1–0 over Standard Liège. However, in his next three games, he oversaw two defeats to Club Brugge and Royal Antwerp and a goalless draw against Waasland-Beveren.[15] On 3 October, Davies was demoted back to assistant manager, with the club appointing former manager Franky Vercauteren.

On 12 August 2022, Davies was appointed to the new role of Head of Coaching Methodology at Tottenham Hotspur's academy.[16] On 20 June 2023, he succeeded Dean Rastrick as Academy Director.[17]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[18]
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other[lower-alpha 1] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester United 1992–93 Premier League 000000000000
1993–94 Premier League 000000000000
1994–95 Premier League 5000302100101
1995–96 Premier League 600010100080
1996–97 Premier League 000020000020
Total 11000603100201
Exeter City (loan) 1993–94 Second Division 611000——71
Huddersfield Town (loan) 1996–97 First Division 300000——30
Luton Town 1997–98 Second Division 2011040—30281
1998–99 Second Division 200000—0020
Total 2211040—30301
Macclesfield Town 1998–99 Second Division 1221000—00132
1999–2000 Third Division 3612020—11412
Total 4833020—11544
Rochdale 2000–01 Third Division 1211020—10161
Career total 10266014031511308
  1. ↑ Includes other competitive competitions, including the FA Charity Shield and Football League Trophy.

Honours

Manchester United

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 "Simon Davies". mufcinfo.com. Retrieved 25 October 2008.
  2. ↑ "Manchester United's class of '92". The Independent. Retrieved 25 October 2008.
  3. ↑ "Davies joins ambitious Bangor". BBC Sport. 6 August 2001. Retrieved 25 October 2008.
  4. ↑ "Simon Davies (TNS profile)". Saints-Alive. Archived from the original on 15 September 2003. Retrieved 25 October 2008.
  5. ↑ "Williamson departs the Deva". Chester City FC. 2 March 2008. Retrieved 2 March 2007.
  6. ↑ "Chester appoint Davies as manager". BBC Sport. 11 March 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2008.
  7. ↑ "Chester City 0-0 Stockport County". The Standard. 30 April 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2008.
  8. ↑ "Simon Davies is new Chester boss". Liverpool Echo. 23 April 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2008.
  9. ↑ "Manager Simon Davies sacked". chester-city.co.uk. 10 November 2008. Archived from the original on 8 November 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
  10. ↑ "Sacked Chester City manager returns - as youth team boss". Liverpool Daily Post. 10 December 2008. Retrieved 10 December 2008.
  11. ↑ "Simon Davies appointed Head of City EDS". Manchester City F.C. 6 December 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  12. ↑ "Simon Davies joins Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht". Manchester City F.C. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  13. ↑ "Vincent Kompany: Anderlecht boss gives up managerial duties on match days". BBC Sport. 22 August 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  14. ↑ "Genk 1–0 Anderlecht". BBC Sport. 23 August 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  15. ↑ "Anderlecht 0–0 Waasland-Beveren". BBC Sport. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  16. ↑ "Academy coaching update". Tottenham Hotspur FC. 12 August 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  17. ↑ "Academy update - Simon Davies". Tottenham Hotspur. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  18. ↑ "Player Details: Simon Davies". enfa.co.uk. The English National Football Archive. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
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