Davis ‘a manager’s dream’ as veteran prepares for landmark apprearance
It was almost 13 years ago t h a t a f r e s h - f a c e d l o a n e e from Fulham made his debut for R angers in a UEFA Cup tie against Panathinaikos at Ibrox.
If the drab goalless draw a g a i n s t t h e G r e e k s i d e i n February 2008 would quickly be forgotten by most who w i t n e s s e d i t , f o r t h e t h e n 2 3 - y e a r - o l d S t e ve n D av i s i t was t h e n i g h t a l i f e l o n g ambition to play for the club he suppor ted as a boy was realised.
Davis is now just one game away from his 300th appeara n c e f o r R a n g e r s , w h i c h should come against Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday, and has been a hugely influential memb er of the side now closing in on the Pre - miership title under Steven Gerrard this season.
It has been a campaign of l a n d m a r k a c h i e v e m e n t s f o r t h e 3 6 - y e a r - o l d w i t h both club and country, havi n g o v e r t a k e n l e g e n d a r y goalkeeper Pat Jennings as No r t h e r n I r e l a n d ’s m o s t - capped player.
Former Rangers defender a n d c o ac h Ji mmy Ni c ho l l has worked professionally with Davis since becoming Northern Ireland assistantmanager in 2015 and is not surprised he has become so highly valued by Gerrard.
“You can admire players for a long time, as I have always admired Steven, but it’s only when you work with them as part of a squad and see how they handle themselves in d i f f e r e n t s i t u a t i o n s t h a t you fully appreciate them,” says Nicholl. “With Steven, I quickly realised that not only is he a ver y good player but he has everything else to go with it as well.
“T h r o u g ho u t my c a r ee r, I’ve been involved with some players who I haven’t really got along with or especially liked as people – but you are glad they are in your team, because they are so good.
“But with Steven Davis, he’s not only got all of the ability he shows on the pitch, but h e’s g o t c l a s s o f f i t . T h a t ’s what I like about him.
“He’s a manager’s dream because he very rarely comp l a i n s a b o u t a n y t h i n g . I remember Michael O’neill telling him he wanted him to play fur ther up the park for Nor thern Ireland, even though he was playing just i n f r o n t o f t h e b a c k f o u r with Southampton, which is probably his favourite position. But there wasn’t even a murmur of dissent from Steven – he just got on with it and did it brilliantly. Whatever is for the good of the team, he will do it. Steven Gerrard will know the value of that and so will his team-mates.”
Davis won eight major trophies during his first spell at Rangers, as well as playing in the 2008 UEFA Cup final, before moving to Southampton in 2012 after the Ibrox club’s financial collapse.
Nicholl added: “I know it wasn’t ideal circumstances when he moved on in 2012 – some of the players who left got a bit of stick, but I think the vast majorit y of R angers supporters could unders t a n d why S te ven we n t to S outhampton at that stage of his career.
“Now all of the hard work he has put in under Steven Gerrard over the last couple of years looks as if it is going to pay dividends this season.
“Fo r h i m to wi n t h e t i t l e again with Rangers at 36 will be a great achievement and I think he still has plenty of football left in him yet.”