His proof that he’s more than just a target man?
For
Has a close friendship with Barry Glendenning
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. -Thanks Brian (below)
12.
15. -Thanks JonnyCoco (below)
16.
18.
Against
19. Not played with Paolo Di Canio
The Checklist
(The origins of these clues can be found here)
1. Is he English?
2. Is he currently married?
3. Has he played under at least 4 managers?
4. Has he had a transfer between 2 Premiership clubs?
5. Was he a Premier League player in January 2011?
6. Has he played with a group of French players at one club?
7. Has he played with a striker who refused to move unless the pass went exactly where he wanted it?
8. Did he play for one manager for a considerable amount of time who was great before losing it?
9. Has he played for a manager who lost the dressing room?
10. Does he have a friend who plays for Liverpool?
11. Might he think Harry Redknapp is the Messiah?
12. Has he appeared as a pundit? (TSF probably doesn’t do so)
13. Did he have a long term girlfriend as a younger player?
14. Had/has a strong father figure.
15. Not an Arsenal or Man City player (at end of 2010-11 season).
16. Did he play a match at some point towards the end of March or first few days of April 2011?
17. Not a keeper.
18. Has a daughter.19. He played with Paolo Di Canio –removed by public demand 20. Someone who’s got a chat about ‘another season’ coming up -see revealing tweet post
21. He’s been involved in a last day relegation battle
22. He’s played for a newly promoted Premier League club
23. Has been subject to a deadline day transfer
24. TSF is Caucasian
25. Has a good friend who is African and has played for a team in Russia
26. Has been diagnosed with depression
27. Played in the lower leagues at start of career
28. Played against Liverpool for a lower league club
29. Was one of the best players in a very successful team
30. Played for a club that got themselves in financial trouble
31. Plays the Paul Scholes role
32. Played under a captain who will go down as one of most successful in the club’s history, without having earned it
33. Played under a stand-in captain wearing a large tubi-grip with a marker pen-written ‘C’ as captain’s armband
34. Has played as captain
35. Has played for a club who promoted their assistant manager to manager (and went on to get bad results)
36. Not a Liverpool fan
37. Played in a team that won promotion to the Premiership
38. Following on from clue 21: That team got relegated due to a goal going in at the other end of the country in the dying minutes of the final game of the season
39. Clue 38 was his last game for that club
40. His wage at the time of clues 38 and 39 was the best part of £100,000 per month
41. He went on to play in the Premiership again after the relegation in clue 38
68 responses to “Kevin Davies”
Davies has 4 children – at least one daughter: http://twitter.com/#!/kevindaviesbwfc/status/11421555644960768
TSF was very annoyed by Madrid’s tactics last night, nay, outraged by them. There’s surely no way Big Sam’s #1 acolyte would be so outraged by that sort of football? So I don’t think it’s Davies.
6. I love looking at PL teams from the Past. It’s a great trip back on memory lane:)
03 – Laville, N’Gotty, Ba, Djorkaeff
04 – Laville, N’Gotty
05 – N’Gotty (NOO, the french contingency is shrinking)
06/11 – For these years it is just 1 or 2.
I’m not going to look up Southampton and Chesterfield because I think there aren’t a lot french players
I think a bigger clue that it’s not Kevin Davies is that his wife had a conversation with TSF on Twitter.
Yeh, it’s great fun looking back. Good work :)
He’s played for three managers at Bolton alone – including Allardyce for most of his 20s, then Megson and Coyle – and he’s also played for Roy Hodgson at Blackburn, John Duncan at Chesterfield and Dave Jones at Saints. He had a LOT of transfers in the latter 90s, before settling at Bolton, which would make sense in terms of being sat down by his agent and told what’s what.
I’m at a loss as to the description of the once-great manager beginning to lose it – logically it would make sense as a description of Allardyce, since in their time together he went from being a young striker to a senior player. But Allardyce didn’t really wash out, though, did he?
@TSFGuardian
Secret Footballer
Kev Davies is leaving Twitter.Surely people get more from his tweets than they do from slagging him off.Sad a few are ruining it for so many
The Paolo thing is a red herring, it’s obviously going to be a pseudonym rather than the actual players name.It should be struck from the list, neither TSF or the Guardian are stupid enough to use Di Canio’s real name.
It can’t be Kevin Davies because his wife hd a chat with him? You don’t think that makes it more likely not less?
I tend to agree with Sparkigol. Also, am I alone in thinking the ‘daughter’ could be a hypothetical daughter? That was how I read it.
Someone made an excellent point on Twitter the other day that TSF tweeted about catching the sun on his neck and arms, suggesting he is white and has short hair. Perhaps the list could be separated into ‘known knowns’ and ‘probables’?
I’m not meaning to complain though. The site is very intriguing and a lot of hard work has obviously gone into it!
PS I have just read the 1st May post from the admin that accepts both the daughter/Paolo points are debatable – however they still appear in the checklists.
Cheers
We’ve concluded that if Paolo is debatable then so could almost every other clue be. As for the sun burn tweet, that was a direct response to having his location caught out accidentally, it could easily have been a double bluff to make people think he was at that location due to a golf course being nearby. Either way it’s not hard enough evidence.
TSF twitter account follows emma davies (@emmadavies1968), can’t see why anyone else would be follwing her (apart from John Terry of course)
Today – failed to live up to a big transfer price. That fits
TSF wrote today that he was relegated one year and expected to move on- Kevin Davies moved from Blackburn after relegation
whyu does it have to be paulo di canio? couldnt it be paulo wanchope???
Convinced it’s him. I think TSF gives away more when talking about individuals than when indicating dates. I think he uses the latter to give false leads. That’s what I would do in his shoes because it doesn’t mess up what he basically wants to say.
In answer to orlenschlink above, Davies has complained in the past about Arsenal players playacting on similar grounds to TSF commenting on Real Madrid.
The “team-mates don’t need to be friends post” settled it for me. The club rivalry with the “all-action hardman” looks like a reference to Kevin Nolan. Both TSF and Hardman appear to be expected to score goals and are standout senior players in a successful team.
I reckon “Paolo” is Ivan Campo.
Lots more evidence pointing towards Kevin Davies in latest article
“here was little pressure on the club or me to do well,…The contrast between clubs at the top and the bottom of the ladder is huge. At the lower league club I played for..” – Chesterfield
“When I played at the top level, I earned tens of thousands of pounds a week. One club I played for made me their record transfer. I have won back-to-back player of the year awards, trophies and played against all the big-name players that the Premier League can offer.”
– WHEN be important word. Up until this article always talked about being in the Premier League. Bolton relegated.
– Was record signing for Blackburn, £7.5 million in July 1998,
– Back to back POTY, 2007–08, 2008–09
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/aug/10/secret-footballer-undercover-premier-league
He also talks a lot in the latest article of how at 15-16 years old, he wasn’t physically developed enough, but in his opinion much more skilful than those of a similar age. But when he got a chance with a lower league club, soon became known for his ability.
It screams of a player who as the reader we should be surprised he has / had these skills. Furthermore, talks about how much of a battering has body has taken as a premier league player.
Again seems more evidence of his background at Chesterfield, if you read wiki page regarding how he got his start.
Extract from TSF book says:
:: He won back-to-back player of the year awards — Kevin Davies did this at Bolton in 2008 and 2009.
:: He signed for a club as their record transfer — Davies was Blackburn’s biggest signing in 1998.
But didn’t he also say that the team were relegated on the last day of the season? I don’t think Rovers were…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/aug/10/secret-footballer-undercover-premier-league “One club I played for made me their record transfer” Southampton – Blackburn. “I have won back-to-back player of the year awards” 08 and 09 at Bolton. It also says he has won trophies though so maybe not Davies. How many other premiership players have won back-to-back player of the year awards though?
I find it quite strange that no one had picked up on the fact that he must have almost definitely played for harry redknapp considering how much he seems to rate him, which is highlighted by he fact that he has referred to him as a ‘messiah’… would someone speak so highly of a mangager they had never played under? Unlikely. ‘played for harry redknapp’ should be added to the checklist. Kevin davies has not played for him therefore should be removed as a suspect.
wasn’t a record transfer fee and has never played anywhere but striker
Just become heavily involved in fidning out who TSF is. very intrigued at the minute. Kevin davies was a record transfer for Blackburn when he signed and was Bolton’s player of the year twice in a row which he mentions in a few of the newer columns. My money is on Davies at the minute, plus he talks about Fabrice Muamba quite emotionally as well.
I was convinced it was Davies until I read the secret footballer’s latest piece – it contains simply TOO MUCH to believe it is only one player. I think now (sadly) that it is a journalist mixing information from different players.
If the below video is really TSF (posted on Guardian website today) then its not Kevin Davies in my opinion.
https://www.whoisthesecretfootballer.co.uk/i-am-the-secret-footballer/
Kevin Davies is a big guy, with a substantial arse, (especially for a footballer) the guy in the video is very skinny. If its really TSF in the video, I think Kevin Davies has to be discounted now. Ditto for Crouch, Dave Kitson and David James, as to me, the guy in the video looks no taller than 6 ft.
As to who it is, I reckon Danny Murphy.
Cheers
Tim
does he not say “when they spoke french” in his article? Could it not be that they were players of african descent such as perhaps diouf, anelka, jaidi etc? plus widely thought sammy lee lost bolton dressing room very quickly having taken over. just a query i could be barking up wrong tree havent done as much looking into it as most but gripped by the prospect of finding out who it is! Murphy or Davies for me
See your point but I think it makes it less likely, not more.
she wouldn’t want to blow his cover
At the very end of the book TSF says he’s been eating poorly and boozing in an attempt to build a gut and get dropped because he’s so sick of the game. Quite a sad ending. I think this would tend to rule out Danny Murphy who is still active at Blackburn and looked fit enough and played OK when I saw him vs Ipswich a couple of weeks ago. I think it’s Dave Kitson.
Book reviewed here.
Of all the people chosen to be represented in the photo, the reviewer chooses Davies.
Top review too http://wordpress.hotpress.com/robsmith/2012/09/02/confessions-of-a-secret-footballer/
Take a look at this article and let me know what you think of the similarities to TSF’s discussion in the book and columns of his failure to live up to potential, struggling with demons etc. He apparently was banished by Wee Strachan to the reserves.
http://tiny.cc/5kd3jw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03mPD8AilYc
This interview, for me, rules him out. A lot of things said in it rule him out.
Matt Le Tiss is his most famous person on his phone (TSF is mates with rooney beckham etc)
Doesn’t like leather (In the book he mentions his nice new leather seats)
Etc etc
Could the one great manager beginning to lose it be Souness or Hoddle while at Southampton?
What about the altercation with John Terry and the fact the half the England team have an agenda with him?
Also, Davies played in a more midfield role whilst at Chesterfield.
Dave Kitson fits the bill with the Tony Pulis fallout, but what about Davies – did he ever fall out with Souness or Hoddle whilst at Blackburn or Southampton?
Pulis also had a bustup with James Beattie but he came through Blackburn’s youth.
I was pretty convinced all the way thought the book that it was Kevin Davies but, towards the end, he says something about never having met Gary Speed. So, in theory, that’s got to rule him out pretty comprehensively.
Did anyone else read Kevin Davies’ blog on the BBC website? If he is also TSF then it’s the greatest transformation in writing style and level of interest in the history of the written word. for that reason alone I’d rule him out.
Wait no! That was Kevin Nolan! Idiot. right, I’m off to cut and paste that comment.
in book TSF talks about a player who met a vegas bird and took her back to england.
Defo this is Ian walker
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-427987/How-WAG-stripped-dignity.html
at the time ian walker was at bolton
In the latter, most recent,part of thebook.He mentions he won payer of the year back to back. Kevin Davies not dave kitson done this.
But Davis played with Gary Speed. TSF said he did not.
i thought Davis until that last chapter.
Good find. Seems compelling, but the Gary speed thing trumps it. Unless that’s a red herring!
Could it be Charlie Adam?
27. Started his career at Chesterfield
28. Played against Liverpool with Chesterfield in the League Cup of 1992/1993
Kevin Davies was under contract at Southampton in 1996-1997. Southampton was involved in last day relegation battle. Although Davies didn’t play a single match for Southampton, I believe he was loaned to Chesterfield, that season, he was under contract at Southampton: is that enough or was he explicit about playing/being at the club that day?
Southampton’s and Coventry’s last day match ended 1-1. So Southampton easily could have been relegated.
1996-1997 Bottom PL:
16 Everton 38 42
17 Southampton 38 41
18 Coventry City 38 41
19 Sunderland 38 40
20 Nott. Forest 38 34
Sorry, feel free to delete this post. I remembered wrongly they didn’t relegate, but they did…
In the book it refers to him going out in London for his birthday with friends from the housing scheme he’s from. After the night out he drops his mate at his house and then stays at at his parents. This suggest he was raised in London.
After spending £1,700 on a bottle of wine I shouldn’t think a cab up the A1 to Letchworth via Stotfold was out of the question.
Its so obviously Kevin Davies. He suits the profile perfectly after reading his book. He played lower leagues, won player of the year in two consective seasons, experienced being a flop at a club where he was a record transfer, but most of al he suits the personality and temperament of someone who would write the book. When thinking out who the secret footballer is, most people only view the facts of what hes done and often overlook who would be capable of writing in this style
In favour of Kevin Davies:
14: Sam Allardyce crafted him into the player he became and helped him enormously.
26: I’m sure I read that he was in a very bad way after being dropped from even the bench an hour or 2 before the 2003 FA cup final for Southampton,maybe a cause for the depression.
32: There were always rumours that Davies and Kevin Nolan (our then captain) never got along too well, possibly who he’s refering to as the captain who will be classed as one of the most successful in our history.
35: Sammy Lee was promoted after Sam Allardyce left Bolton and was sacked after about 10/11 games due to bad results. Maybe ties in with 9 of him losing the dressing room too.
The ‘great manager’ that he fell out with was Gordan Strachan. He was told on the day of the FA Cup Final that he wouldn’t be playing and that he had to find a new club.
As for the secret WAG, I’m 99% certain it’s Emma Davies. It sounds just like her in terms of content and distain for certain things and certain people. She’s very judgemental. It would make sense that TSF and TSW were husband and wife.
Kevin Davies seems as good a candidate as any, and I think the book largely strengthens this. He does talk about winning trophies though – unless he’s talking about POTY trophies, I can’t think of any competition his teams have won?
For me, I think it’s a few players… Paul Konchesky, Kevin Davies, Dave Kitson and maybe Danny Murphy.
Kevin Davies cannot be TSF. in his book, TSF reveals that he did not know Gary Speed, but had played against him. Kevin Davies played with Gary Speed at Bolton.
I think the secret footballer is from the south because in the new book he talks about one of his school friends being signed by the Tottenham academy.
1. Is he English? Yes
2. Is he currently married? Yes
3. Has he played under at least 4 managers? Big Sam, Gary Megson, Owen Coyle, Dougie freedman
4. Has he had a transfer between 2 Premiership clubs? Southampton-Blackburn-£7.5 m
5. Was he a Premier League player in January 2011? Bolton
6. Has he played with a group of French players at one club? Bolton
7. Has he played with a striker who refused to move unless the pass went exactly where he wanted it? Anelka
8. Did he play for one manager for a considerable amount of time who was great before losing it? Big Sam
9. Has he played for a manager who lost the dressing room? Owen Coyle
10. Does he have a friend who plays for Liverpool? Daniel Sturridge
11. Might he think Harry Redknapp is the Messiah? Yes- England job review
12. Has he appeared as a pundit? (TSF probably doesn’t do so) Sky Sports and TSF
13. Did he have a long term girlfriend as a younger player? Yes
14. Had/has a strong father figure. Yes
15. Not an Arsenal or Man City player (at end of 2010-11 season). No
16. Did he play a match at some point towards the end of March or first few days of April 2011? Wolves 31st December
17. Not a keeper. True
18. Has a daughter.Yes
19. He played with Paolo Di Canio -removed by public demand
21. He’s been involved in a last day relegation battle-Stoke City
22. He’s played for a newly promoted Premier League club-Southampton
23. Has been subject to a deadline day transfer-Sunderland
24. TSF is Caucasian-White European-English
25. Has a good friend who is African and has played for a team in Russia-
26. Has been diagnosed with depression -Unknown
27. Played in the lower leagues at start of career- Chesterfield
28. Played against Liverpool for a lower league club-Chesterfield-1999
29. Was one of the best players in a very successful team-Blackburn rovers
30. Played for a club that got themselves in financial trouble-Chesterfield
31. Plays the Paul Scholes role-Boss
32. Played under a captain who will go down as one of most successful in the club’s history, without having earned it-Speed
33. Played under a stand-in captain wearing a large tubi-grip with a marker pen-written ‘C’ as captain’s armband-Nolan
34. Has played as captain-Yes
Dear All I think I have cracked this and the reason why it is Kevin Davies. In the first book TSF describes a trip to the Far East and his room mate gambling heavily with two laptops in the room etc. well Davies season at Blackburn was 1999 and guess who was there in 1999 also the one and only Keith Gillespie!
He then describes the inception of in play betting and his team mate booting it into touch from kick off. Surely that was at Southampton when LeTissier was there as he’d admits that in his book?
I think it’s good????
The newest clue must be Kevin Davies. Relegated 2012 in Bolton.
I personally think it is Kevin Davies as he was his clubs player of the year back to back times and he was blackburns record transfer fee both of these were mentioned in his book in the last chapter the end looms in the first paragraph under denial and isolation
TSF talks about a battle with John Terry in one of his books, and Kevin Davies talks about a battle with Terry as well… same one? kev said: Toughest opponent: John Terry. I always enjoyed it. There were always a few bumps and cuts, but afterwards we would shake hands.
But it ain’t him. because TSF never played for england, kev davies has.
DAvid Bently.
I would be shocked if KD and his dad are lifelong spurs fans, given that he’s a sheffield lad.
but TSF says he’s a spurs fan that never played for spurs.
and he talks about how he and his dad/grandad are spurs fans.
I’m a Southampton fan and I use to see big Kev on the piss in town all the time. In the first book he said they he avoided going out drinking, so I don’t think is Kev Davies.
In the third book, he says he was on the bench at Upton Park when his team’s striker lashed out at his own defender after conceding a goal and that the defender never played for the club again.
Andy Griffin’s last game for Stoke was when he’d been hit by Ricardo Fuller in the aftermath of a West Ham goal… and the only two English players on their bench that day were Kevin Davies (who actually replaced Griffin immediately after the incident) and Michael Tonge.
And when I say third book I do, of course, mean fourth.