Kevin Davies, speaking exclusively to 888sport has spoken about his memories on the South Coast at Southampton, ever wondered what really happened in his second spell at the club, read on to find out.
Kevin Davies joined Saints 20 years ago in the summer of 1997 and had a cracking first season before joining Blackburn Rovers, he then rejoined Saints for a short if inconsistent spell with perhaps his best moment being the injury time equaliser at home to Millwall that enabled Saints to live to fight another day and eventually get to Wembley
He has spoken exclusivively to 888sport who have given us permsision to publish extracts from that interview, but you really need to use the link below to find out more about what Kevin Davies thougght about his time at The Dell
You can read the full 888sport interview with Kevin Davies, including his thoughts on where Southampton will finish this season using the link below.
Kevin Davies Exclusive
With 888sport
Q. What are your fondest memories of playing for Saints?
"The first year down there. I obviously made the move from Chesterfield where I’d been playing in League’s one and two so it was incredible to play in the Premier League at the age of 20. I still remember going down with the PFA and them negotiating the deal for me with Graeme Souness who was the manager at the time. He left that summer and Dave Jones took over. There was so much hype around the Premier League and to play with these legends like Zola and Bergkamp was so exciting for me. I loved the area and the club.”
Q. November 4, 1997. Goodison Park. Talk to us about that solo goal against Everton, where does it rank in your best goals scored?
"That has to be the best one I scored. It was live on Sky and I loved playing at Goodison Park. I see it every now and again on those TV shows and I have a little laugh and a joke with my children saying ‘Have a look at this”. I got the ball and things opened up for me so had a little dribble up from the halfway line and it found the net.”
Read the full 888sport interview with Kevin Davies, including his thoughts on the most gifted player he ever had the chance of playing with.
Q. While most might remember the FA Cup exploits with Chesterfield, some forget the last minute goal for Saints that kept them in the 2003 competition (which led them eventually to the final). How disappointing was it not to be involved in the final?
"Gordon Strachan came in and we didn’t see eye-to-eye from the first week. That happens in football. I wasn’t in or around the squad so I took the decision to go out on loan. I was in my final year anyway and I wanted to prove I could still do it so I went to Millwall. It didn’t matter where really because I needed some games: I was rotting away. I came back and knuckled down and started scoring in the reserves. There was a cup run and I think I came on as a sub for that game and scored a late equaliser. We won the replay and got to the final and though I’ve had lots of good points in my career that was a difficult moment when he pulled me aside an hour before the game and told me I wasn’t going to be involved. It was a huge disappointment for me. I knew I wouldn’t start but I was hoping to be a substitute and you have those dreams about coming on against Arsenal and scoring the winner. I was desperate to get my hands on that trophy throughout my whole career.”
"I see Gordon Strachan on the media circuit now and I know it’s difficult. Somebody has to miss out and back then it was me.”