Just how good were/was/is/are (Wolves Edition)

[Newbridge Wolf]

Wikipedia says he is Danny Rose's uncle. Didn't know that.

It does indeed, as I copied out on my original post.

Like you I watched most of his games during the 90s and he stuck out as an awful footballer to me, theres versatile players and players with no discernible ability to play in any set position.

To be fair he frustrated me the most when he played in an advanced role, so perhaps he was better at full back or in the middle of the park

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I definitely remember him being signed as an attacking player, given his goal record and the way he played that was ludicrous.

However his goal record improved drastically once he left, still 1 in 20 though!

 

[North Shropshire Lad]

I've never watched many reserve games but did see one that Rankine featured in. Played with complete freedom in the centre of midfield and moved the ball quickly in a way that I didn't recognise from his first team appearances. Never once looked like he had Charlie Chaplin feet or Chaplin's boots on. Must be a thoroughly likable guy is all I can think and must have had a damn good agent.

 

[Pablowolf]

Or maybe, just maybe he wasn't as bad as is being made out?

He wasn't much good but you couldn't fault the guy for effort.

 

[Tredman]

I've never watched many reserve games but did see one that Rankine featured in. Played with complete freedom in the centre of midfield and moved the ball quickly in a way that I didn't recognise from his first team appearances. Never once looked like he had Charlie Chaplin feet or Chaplin's boots on. Must be a thoroughly likable guy is all I can think and must have had a damn good agent.

To give him his due he did look ten times better on the very brief occasions he played in CM. But that’s only 10x a very, very low bar.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

He's only a rung above Ferguson purely on the basis that he did try most of the time and did keep himself vaguely in shape.

However he really was that bad. Shared the same inability to pass, shoot, run, tackle, head, cross, create, dribble or lead.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

31. Mark Davies

Mark Nicholas Davies (born 18 February 1988) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder.

Born in Willenhall, West Midlands, Davies was a former student of Pool Hayes Community School in Willenhall. He joined Wolverhampton Wanderers Youth Academy at the age of nine. He signed his first professional contract at Wolves in February 2005, aged 17.

In the 2005–06 season, Davies broke into the Wolves first team under then manager Glenn Hoddle, making his league debut as a substitute against Leeds United on 20 August 2005, losing the game 2–0 at Elland Road. He made his first league start for Wolves against Watford on 20 September 2005, losing the game 2–1. Davies scored his first professional league goal against Luton Town on 13 January 2006, winning the game 2–1 at Molineux. He went on to frequently feature for Wolves throughout the season, and becoming a vital member of the team, making 20 appearances for Wolves in his first season. Former Wolves Academy manager Chris Evans said Davies was the best prospect to come out the youth system since players Robbie Keane and Joleon Lescott.

The start of the 2006–07 season was a blow to Davies as he suffered a cartilage problem in pre-season. However, he returned to fitness in January 2007, making 10 substitute appearances for Wolves, and also went on to feature for the England U-19's.

In the 2007–08 season, Davies picked up a shoulder injury and other niggling injuries which kept him out for the whole season, limiting him to only a few reserve outings.

The 2008–09 season started brightly for Davies as he had a successful pre-season for Wolves. His first and final game for Wolves ended with him coming off the bench to assist and score the winning goal against Accrington Stanley in the League Cup, winning the game 3–2 at Molineux. This was Davies last appearance for Wolves as on 27 November 2008 he joined League One club Leicester City on a one-month loan deal.

In late January 2009, Davies handed in a transfer request at Wolves. Wolves did offer him a new three-and-a-half-year contract, but he declined the offer. Wolves went on to receive a bid from League One side Leicester City, for around £650,000, but this was declined by the club. Wolves then later received another bid from Premier League side Bolton Wanderers, believed to be in the region of £1m, rising to £2m, and accepted the offer, with Wolves adding a hefty sell on clause in part of the deal. Davies went on to sign for Bolton Wanderers on 26 January 2009, ending his ten-year stay with the club.

 

[Kenny]

I have no nice words for him, so I won't bother.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/spo...robbie-blake-mark-davies-missed-chelsea-move/

I don't believe this about going to Chelsea (like heck was he ever good enough for that) but the professionalism stuff...absolutely. A shocking pro. Crap character as well.

There was ability there but I was never all that sold on him. Couldn't work out exactly what he was. Bolton fans hilariously overrate him.

Certainly not the lost talent that some will have you believe he was. Morgan Gibbs-White is ten times the player for instance.

 

[Jinky]

When he first broke on the scene, I thought we had a real talent on our hands. But then I thought the same about João Teixeira so what do I know?

He'll always have a dark cloud over his head for the way he left (and the fact he went to fucking Notlob).

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/spo...robbie-blake-mark-davies-missed-chelsea-move/

I don't believe this about going to Chelsea (like heck was he ever good enough for that) but the professionalism stuff...absolutely. A shocking pro. Crap character as well.

There was ability there but I was never all that sold on him. Couldn't work out exactly what he was. Bolton fans hilariously overrate him.

Certainly not the lost talent that some will have you believe he was. Morgan Gibbs-White is ten times the player for instance.

Good article that, he didn't like Brian Laws!

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

The comparison with MGW is a good one Dan, it's not obvious what MGW's best position is, there is a shit load of potential and attention about MGW and there was about Davies, and both of them have made bad decisions.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Good article that, he didn't like Brian Laws!

I don't blame him :icon_lol:

Those timelines don't add up at all though. He seems to be saying Mourinho had agreed to sign him in the summer of 2013 (he wasn't out of contract as Blake says - he signed a new deal in Feb 2013 and then got injured)? I very much doubt it and it doesn't work anyway as José wasn't even appointed until June.

He certainly wouldn't be signing the year after, he scored 1 goal all season in the Championship that year and Chelsea signed a little known bloke called Fabregas that summer.

I call bollocks on that.

However as for being on the piss all the time, absolutely, seen it with my own eyes often enough.

 

[Kenny]

I think he spent more time in clubs in Walsall than he did in his own home.

Wolves did so much for him and let him get away with a lot.

 

[YoungWolf]

When he first came through under Hoddle my memory is of being quite excited by the partnership of him and Huddlestone at the time (but no idea how many times they actually played together).

I never really saw him play many times, but it's a shame that talent like that goes to waste, but you can absolutely see why he wasn't going to play in a Mick team, and I don't blame him either. We got a decent deal out of it really.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

When he first came through under Hoddle my memory is of being quite excited by the partnership of him and Huddlestone at the time (but no idea how many times they actually played together).

One

(The rubbish win over Luton linked in the video)

Davies hardly played in the first half of the season.

 

[YoungWolf]

Ha, I knew it would be something like that!

 

[lemonjelly]

I honestly thought Davies, and Cornes could go on to be really really good players.
Have to say that the fact they didn't seems purely down to them.
Unsure as to whether Davies deserves more scorn for going to bolton than anything else...

 

[lemonjelly]

Will we do Rohan Ricketts as party of this series by the way?
:fished:

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

No real point doing Rohan, they have to divide opinion to an extent. The only division is whether you think he's a prick or a twat.

Can't really blame Davies for picking Bolton per se - he isn't a Wolves fan, they'd been in Europe a year before he signed for them. You can blame him for taking the piss, being looked after through injuries then running his deal down.