Craig Davies

Early career

Davies was a member of the youth team at Shrewsbury Town and Manchester City. He was arrested at Maine Road after fighting with a fan who had attempted to steal a match ticket off him.

Manchester City

Davies moved on to League Two club Oxford United in August 2004. He made his league debut under the stewardship of Ramón Díaz on 30 August 2004 in a 1–0 win at Notts County. He was suspended two months later, along with two other youth team players, for being unwitting accomplices to a leud prank on a fellow youth team player by first-team striker Julian Alsop. He signed a contract extension in February 2005. Speaking in September 2005, manager Brian Talbot praised him for his "pace and aggression" after having previously been critical of the player for his perceived selfishness and choosing Lee Bradbury and Steve Basham ahead of him. He went on to score eight goals in 29 appearances for the first-team during the season and came close to signing for Premier League side Charlton Athletic in June 2005. He was out of favour under Talbot and the club looked to move him on. After leaving the Kassam Stadium, Davies spoke out against Talbot, saying the manager forced him to submit a transfer request and "he has achieved nothing [as a manager]".

Hellas Verona

Davies moved to Hellas Verona of Serie B in January 2006 for a fee of £85,000. He hoped the move would improve his international prospects. He signed a five-year contract as manager Massimo…

Davies holds a record for the Wales under-21 team by being one of only four people to have scored a hat trick at that level alongside John Hartson, Lee Jones and Ched Evans. This feat saw him earn a call-up to the senior squad. However, he was sent off in August 2006 in a 3–2 defeat by Israel under-21s, and received a five-match international ban. He was capped seven times by Wales, qualifying through a grandparent, having made his international debut as a substitute in a goalless draw with Slovenia on 17 August 2005. Two months later, he withdrew from the international squad for personal reasons. He was recalled to the squad in January 2008 for a friendly with Norway at Wrexham after serving 18 months out due to international suspension. A further re-call in August 2008 was denied by his club Oldham due to a disciplinary issue. He was called up to feature in qualification to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He came on as a second-half substitute against Scotland on 12 October 2012.

Club

International

In May 2007, he was handed a four-month suspended prison sentence for harassment and given a five-year restraining order banning him from contacting his former girlfriend. In February 2015, he was called a 'Good Samaritan' after assisting an elderly couple who had broken down in a hire car.