Gemma Davison – a name relatively unknown to those who don’t follow the women’s game intensely. But a name that no doubt will be on everyone’s lips come the end of the season.
With 5 goals in her first 4 games in all competitions, for new club Chelsea, Davison is already sitting pretty at the top of the WSL1 highest goalscorers list. And with her side cruising in to a FA Cup semi final last week, we have no doubt this 28-year-old’s goals will further contribute to a very successful season for the London club.
But it wasn’t always the blue of London that Davison shone in. The attacker began her professional career at Arsenal after joining their youth set up at the age of 14 from Watford.
She made her senior debut with the Gunners in 2007 before enjoying a spell playing in the United States in front of crowds of up to 20,000.
“It’s a very different lifestyle over there” said Davison.
“The training is ultra-competitive and it’s a really positive environment. It definitely shaped me as a person and, at the time, I would have recommended all players to go and experience it.”
When she returned to England Davison felt compelled to re-join her home club Arsenal, and won multiple trophies with, arguably, the most dominant side in women’s football in England at the time.
But in 2013 she announced she needed a new challenge and joined the ever-improving Liverpool Ladies, where she won the title in the most dramatic fashion, in her first year with the club.
Of her move to Liverpool, Davison said: “I think I needed something fresh. I’d been at Arsenal since I was 14. I needed to change my game up and add to it, and just experience something different.”
The 2014 league triumph was the Reds second title in consecutive campaigns but they did not make easy work of it – snatching the trophy on the final day of the season on goal difference.
When asked if that was her favourite honour Davison replied: “ I would say it was the most surreal moment of my career definitely!”
“We had to wait on other results and obviously Chelsea were the hot favourites so it was totally unexpected” she added.
“But my favourite? When I was out in America and we won the league there, that was the biggest league in the world so that was truly unbelievable. Also the Champions League win with Arsenal was pretty special as not many English clubs win that, so I can’t pick just one!”
After beating Chelsea Ladies to the trophy on the last day Davison then switched alliances to be reunited with Emma Hayes, who was a member of the backroom staff while Davison was a player at Arsenal. It is obvious the striker holds her current manager in the highest of regards and admits her presence at Chelsea was a massive lure.
“Was Emma an influence in my decision [to move to Chelsea]? She was a massive influence.
“She’s been a mentor to me throughout my whole life. She’s been there for all the ups and downs of my career whether it was at Arsenal or in America – wherever it was, she was there.
“She’s great at developing players and her training sessions are fantastic. She really wants to win and I want to win too so, yes, her being at Chelsea was a huge factor.”
While working with Emma in 2006 Davison and her teammates won the quadruple, and after a promising start to the 2015 season does she think she can emulate this again with her Chelsea colleagues?
“Yes definitely. The club wants to move forward and that was one of the big things that struck me when I came here. Chelsea are a club that don’t want to be comfortable where they are – they have ambition – and I’m not a person that likes to be comfortable.
“I want to win trophies and I feel confident I can do that here. But we have to take it game by game. We have a great group of players and a great manager so whatever happens it will be special for sure.”
This weekend Davison will compete against her old club in a clash of the title contenders as Chelsea, who currently sit top of the WSL1, host reigning champions Liverpool.
She had to say of the fixture: “We have started well so obviously we want to continue. Liverpool are no pushovers in the league and I learnt a lot there so I know they are a really tough team to play against. We are confident of where we are as a team but we definitely won’t underestimate them.
“You can’t put a bet on who will the WSL and that’s exciting.”
So with Chelsea down to the last four in the FA Cup and on track for a first placed finish in the league, can the goal-machine also grab herself a World Cup medal?
“Everyone involved with England at the moment wants to go to the World Cup but you have to take it one game at a time” she said.
“You can’t think too far ahead. You’ve got to just keep performing for your club and whatever happens, happens.
“This country is producing players left, right and centre and when you speak to players from other countries, they are aware of England and what we have as a team. The likes of Karen Carney, Fara Williams and of course Fran Kirby who is on fire at the minute – we’re going to be a real test for the other nations in the tournament.
“The game plan is just to train hard and compete hard and hopefully we will do well.
“I’ve always said I wanted to play for England and I’ll give it all I’ve got if I get picked.”
Chelsea take on Liverpool on Sunday at Wheatsheaf Park, the home of Staines Town. Kick-off is at 2pm and tickets – priced £5 for adults and £3 for concessions – are available online and on the gate.
