Davies In Gratitude To Allardyce

Last updated : 15 January 2005 By Mark Heys

Bolton forward Kevin Davies has given a huge word of thanks to his manager for resurrecting his flagging football career.

Davies has been a regular fixture in the Trotters team ever since he ended a torrid second stint with Southampton back in the summer of 2003 and he is now hoping that his performances on the pitch will act as the perfect repayment towards the Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce.

"It is difficult to believe how it has turned round, When Gordon Strachan let me go at Southampton I had nowhere to go. I know it's a cliché but I still had faith in my own ability. It was a question of whether anyone else did.

"Sam Allardyce gave me a chance and I hope I'm repaying him. He has a knack of picking up players and getting the best out of them."

The 27-year old beleives that there is a mutual respect between himself and his manager and this has been outlined over the 18 months in which the Sheffield born forward has been at the Reebok Stadium.

"Sam obviously saw something that was still in me. I'd played only a handful of Premiership games in two years but Sam thought it was worth giving me a go. They have worked hard on me. I needed my confidence building back up and the staff here have done that. I never stopped believing I could do it again. Thankfully I found a manager who thought the same."

The one time £7 million forward is currently out injured at the moment due to a hamstring problem, but this absence has been a rare occurance for one of the hardest workers in the Bolton squad.

Is there more to come from Kevin Davies?, you bet there will be.