 Davis in 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kerry Davis | ||
| Date of birth | (1962-08-02)2 August 1962 (age 62)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Stoke-on-Trent, England | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| –1985 | Crewe Alexandra Ladies | ||
| 1985–1986 | Roi Lazio | ||
| 1986–1988 | Trani 80 | ||
| 1988–1989 | Napoli | ||
| 1989–1992 | Crewe Alexandra Ladies | ||
| 1992–1994 | Liverpool Ladies | ||
| 1994–1999 | Croydon Women | ||
| International career | |||
| 1982–1998 | England | 90 | (43) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Kerry Davis (born 2 August 1962) is an English former international women'sfootballer. She was the first Black woman to play for theEngland women's national team.
During her 16-year international career, Davis represented England in the inaugural1984 UEFA Championships final and at England's firstFIFA Women's World Cup appearance in1995. She also helped England win theMundialito tournament in Italy and scored for her country atWembley Stadium. At club level Davis spent four seasons playing in Italy, in between spells withCrewe Alexandra Ladies. She later played forLiverpool Ladies andCroydon.
Davis was a 23–year–old student fromStoke-on-Trent, playing forCrewe Alexandra Ladies, when Italian clubRoi Lazio signed her in November 1985.[2] She spent four years playing semi–professionally in Italy, one year at theStadio Flaminio with Roi Lazio, two years withTrani and one with Napoli.[3][4] In her second season with Trani, Davis played alongside compatriotDebbie Bampton. They finished runners–up in both theSerie A andnational Cup before the club folded and Bampton returned to England.
After a further year at Napoli, Davis returned toCrewe Alexandra Ladies,[4] but by April 1994 was playing for Knowsley United Women in theFA Women's Cup final.[5] Knowsley becameLiverpool Ladies that summer and Davis left forCroydon Women in December 1994.[6]
In 1996, Davis was playing for Croydon[7] when they won theleague andcupdouble. In May 1996 goals from Davis andBrenda Sempare earned the decisive 2–1 league win overArsenal Ladies.[8] That summer she sparked rumours of a transfer by guesting for Arsenal Ladies in a pre–season tournament,[9] but remained with Croydon. She eventually resigned in April 1999.[10]
Davis made her England debut in 1982, becoming England's first black woman international.[11] Davis played in the firstUEFA championships for national women's teams in 1984.England reached the final only to lose toSweden on penalties, despite Davis successfully converting her kick.[12] In the qualifying stages, Davis had been England's top scorer after making her debut in the first ever match in UEFA competition; a 7–1 win overNorthern Ireland atGresty Road on 19 September 1982. In August 1985 Davis scored in a 1–1 group stage draw withItaly, during England's victoriousMundialito campaign. At the1987 UEFA championships England lost to Sweden at the semi–final stage, 3–2 afterextra time. Davis gave England the lead against Italy in the third place match, butCarolina Morace andBetty Vignotto replied to ensure England finished fourth.[13]
As a curtain–raiser to the 1990FA Charity Shield, England played Italy atWembley Stadium. Davis netted a consolation in England's 4–1 defeat, while Carolina Morace scored all four Italian goals and featured on the front page of the following day'sLa Gazzetta dello Sport.[14] Davis later described her former Trani teammate Morace as: "the best women's player I have ever seen."[15]
Davis also played in all four of England's matches at the1995 FIFA Women's World Cup.[1] She had won her 60th cap in the 4–1UEFA Women's Euro 1995 semi–final first–leg defeat toGermany on 11 December 1994. In May 1996 Davis scored two goals and set up the other for strike–partnerKelly Smith in a 3–0 win overPortugal atGriffin Park.[7] Although Davis's versatility saw her selected as amidfielder or sometimes as adefender, she continued to score at a prolific rate. By the time of aWorld Cup qualifier against theNetherlands in October 1997, Davis had 42 goals in 78 appearances.[16] In March 1998, Davis made her 82nd and final appearance for England, but was substituted 20 minutes into a 1–0 defeat to Germany atThe Den.[17]
Davis left the England squad in April 1998, ahead of another friendly with Italy.[18]
In October 2010,She Kicks magazine reported that Davis remained England's all–time record goalscorer. Although it was stated that records were "sketchy" becausethe Football Association (FA) took over running women's football in 1993. There was uncertainty whether all Davis's goals before this were scored in matches considered official.[19] In February 2012 Kelly Smith netted twice againstFinland, moving on to 45 goals for England and setting a new record.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 19 September 1982 | Crewe,England |  Northern Ireland | ?–? | 7–1 | 1984 European Competition for Women's Football qualifying |
| 2. | ?–? | |||||
| 3. | 3 October 1982 | Dumbarton,Scotland |  Scotland | 1–0 | 4–0 | |
| 4. | 2–0 | |||||
| 5. | 3–0 | |||||
| 6. | 4–0 | |||||
| 7. | 7 November 1982 | Dublin,Ireland |  Republic of Ireland | 1–0 | 1–0 | |
| 8. | 14 May 1983 | Belfast,Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland | ?–0 | 4–0 | |
| 9. | ?–0 | |||||
| 10. | 11 September 1983 | Reading, England | Republic of Ireland | ?–0 | 6–0 | |
| 11. | ?–0 | |||||
| 12. | 30 October 1983 | Charlton, England |  Sweden | ?–? | 2–2 | Friendly |
| 13. | 17 Marc 1985 | Lancashire, England | Scotland | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1987 European Competition for Women's Football qualifying |
| 14. | 25 May 1985 | Antrim, Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland | ?–? | 8–1 | |
| 15. | ?–? | |||||
| 16. | ?–? | |||||
| 17. | ?–? | |||||
| 18. | ?–? | |||||
| 19. | 17 August 1985 | Ramsey,Isle of Man |  Wales | ?–0 | 6–0 | Friendly |
| 20. | 16 March 1986 | Blackburn, England | Northern Ireland | 5–0 | 10–0 | 1987 European Competition for Women's Football qualifying |
| 21. | 8–0 | |||||
| 22. | 9–0 | |||||
| 23. | 27 April 1986 | Reading, England | Republic of Ireland | 1–0 | 4–0 | |
| 24. | 4–0 | |||||
| 25. | 29 March 1987 | Dublin, Ireland | Republic of Ireland | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 26. | 11 June 1987 | Moss,Norway | Sweden | 2–1 | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | 1987 European Competition for Women's Football |
| 27. | 13 June 1987 | Drammen, Norway |  Italy | 1–0 | 1–2 | |
| 28. | 8 November 1987 | Reading, England |  Denmark | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1989 European Competition for Women's Football qualifying |
In 2022, Davis was inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame.[20] Davis received the Keith Alexander award, at the Football Black List event in April, 2024, for being a pioneer in women's football.[21]
Davis was born in England to a Jamaican father and English mother.[22] After returning from Italy Davis worked in a sports shop inStoke-on-Trent.[4]
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