Full name Simon Ithel Davies Name Simon Davies Playing position Role Footballer | Years Team Height 1.83 m Position Midfielder | |
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Date of birth (1974-04-23) 23 April 1974 (age 41) | ||
Simon Ithel Davies (born 23 April 1974) is a former international Welsh footballer who has managerial experience in The Football League with Chester City. He is currently employed as the manager for Manchester City's under-21s reserve team, having previously served as an assistant to Patrick Vieira.
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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. 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.
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, 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. He was named as the Welsh Premier League's player of the season in 2002–03. 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. Despite losing his two games in caretaker charge, Davies was named manager until the end of the season on 11 March 2008. 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. A few days earlier Davies celebrated his 34th birthday with a new two-year contract at the club.
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. Exactly a month later, it was announced Davies had returned to Chester as youth team manager.
Honours
Manchester United
Bangor City