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Reggae Boy Davis signs lucrative deal with EPL's DerbyBY KAYON RAYNOR Senior staff reporter raynork@jamaicaobserver.com
Saturday, July 07, 2007
JAMAICAN International Claude Davis will be playing English Premier League football for a second consecutive season, after the tough-tackling defender signed a lucrative four-year contract with newly promoted Derby County worth £3 million.
This came less than two months after his former club Sheffield United was demoted from England's top flight competition to the Coca- Cola Championship.
The burly defender told Sporting World that he was elated to be back in England's top football league moments after passing his medical yesterday.
Claude Davis (right) in action for Sheffield United last season.
"The latest is that everything is good. I just finished the medical and everything is OK, so I have the go ahead now," Davis disclosed. He now awaits his work permit from the British Home Office, which his agent Phil Graham, said "could take up to two weeks".
The Reggae Boy, who became the Rams' third summer signing after Tyrone Mears and Wales striker Robert Earnshaw moved to Pride Park, revealed that he was always confident of returning to the Premiership.
"There was no doubt of me getting back into the top flight, because even before the league finished, there were people showing interest in me. bigger clubs than Sheffield," he said. "So I was just waiting on my chance, 'cause I didn't want to fire the gun before it (the deal) even happened, as I was just waiting to see what was going to go down," Davis noted.
The 28-year-old, who joined Sheffield United from Preston North End for a club record fee of close to £3 million in 2006, has been reunited with his old Preston boss, Billy Davis.
Sporting World understands that his deal with Derby County is far more lucrative than that of Sheffield United.
"Well, he (Billy Davis) has been trying to sign me from last season while I was at Sheffield, when he just moved to Derby, but the price at which they were asking for me, they couldn't afford it because the club (Derby) didn't have the money at the time. so when he rang me up and said he was still interested, I didn't think twice to come and play for him because I have a lot of respect for him," explained the player, who stands at 6'3".
Davis initially joined Preston on loan for a season from Portmore United before signing permanently in 2004, where he made a total of 108 appearances and swept the club's Player-of-the-Year award in 2006.
Sidelined with a knee injury just after joining the Blades, the defender, who earned only 23 caps - 18 as a starter - said he will be doing all in his power to make the most of his second opportunity, armed with last season's experience.
"It (experience) will help me tremendously, because now I know what to expect. I've been through it last season. I know what to expect and I'm really looking forward to the start of the season this time, hopefully, I can get there injury free."
According to Derby County's website, their pre-season friendly schedule takes in opposition from the domestic league and non-league ranks, along with an Italian training camp and a home encounter with a top-class European side. It all gets going next Saturday, July 14, with a double-header on the road.
"I am anxious to suit up for Derby, I can't wait to get the show on the road because I'm ready for it," Davis said, noting that he just wants to work himself back into fitness in pre-season training.
In the meantime, Davis' agent Graham indicated that Luton Shelton, a fellow Reggae Boy and a former teammate of Davis at Sheffield United, will be remaining with the Blades.
"The new manager (Bryan Robson) likes him a lot and he should be comfortable next season," Graham told Sporting World yesterday.
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Mi really proud of this youth. Glad to see him get another break.
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Saturday, July 07, 2007
JAMAICAN International Claude Davis will be playing English Premier League football for a second consecutive season, after the tough-tackling defender signed a lucrative four-year contract with newly promoted Derby County worth £3 million.
This came less than two months after his former club Sheffield United was demoted from England's top flight competition to the Coca- Cola Championship.
The burly defender told Sporting World that he was elated to be back in England's top football league moments after passing his medical yesterday.
Claude Davis (right) in action for Sheffield United last season.
"The latest is that everything is good. I just finished the medical and everything is OK, so I have the go ahead now," Davis disclosed. He now awaits his work permit from the British Home Office, which his agent Phil Graham, said "could take up to two weeks".
The Reggae Boy, who became the Rams' third summer signing after Tyrone Mears and Wales striker Robert Earnshaw moved to Pride Park, revealed that he was always confident of returning to the Premiership.
"There was no doubt of me getting back into the top flight, because even before the league finished, there were people showing interest in me. bigger clubs than Sheffield," he said. "So I was just waiting on my chance, 'cause I didn't want to fire the gun before it (the deal) even happened, as I was just waiting to see what was going to go down," Davis noted.
The 28-year-old, who joined Sheffield United from Preston North End for a club record fee of close to £3 million in 2006, has been reunited with his old Preston boss, Billy Davis.
Sporting World understands that his deal with Derby County is far more lucrative than that of Sheffield United.
"Well, he (Billy Davis) has been trying to sign me from last season while I was at Sheffield, when he just moved to Derby, but the price at which they were asking for me, they couldn't afford it because the club (Derby) didn't have the money at the time. so when he rang me up and said he was still interested, I didn't think twice to come and play for him because I have a lot of respect for him," explained the player, who stands at 6'3".
Davis initially joined Preston on loan for a season from Portmore United before signing permanently in 2004, where he made a total of 108 appearances and swept the club's Player-of-the-Year award in 2006.
Sidelined with a knee injury just after joining the Blades, the defender, who earned only 23 caps - 18 as a starter - said he will be doing all in his power to make the most of his second opportunity, armed with last season's experience.
"It (experience) will help me tremendously, because now I know what to expect. I've been through it last season. I know what to expect and I'm really looking forward to the start of the season this time, hopefully, I can get there injury free."
According to Derby County's website, their pre-season friendly schedule takes in opposition from the domestic league and non-league ranks, along with an Italian training camp and a home encounter with a top-class European side. It all gets going next Saturday, July 14, with a double-header on the road.
"I am anxious to suit up for Derby, I can't wait to get the show on the road because I'm ready for it," Davis said, noting that he just wants to work himself back into fitness in pre-season training.
In the meantime, Davis' agent Graham indicated that Luton Shelton, a fellow Reggae Boy and a former teammate of Davis at Sheffield United, will be remaining with the Blades.
"The new manager (Bryan Robson) likes him a lot and he should be comfortable next season," Graham told Sporting World yesterday.
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Mi really proud of this youth. Glad to see him get another break.
------------------------------------------------------------------