Bobby Davidson (footballer) explained

Bobby Davidson
Fullname:Robert Trimming Davidson
Height:5ft 5in
Position:Inside forward
Birth Date:27 April 1913
Birth Place:Lochgelly, Scotland
Death Place:Coventry, England
Youthclubs1:Prinslaw United
Clubs1:Bowhill Rovers
Years2:1930–1933
Clubs2:St Bernard's
Caps2:60
Goals2:30
Years3:1933–1935
Clubs3:St Johnstone
Caps3:58
Goals3:28
Years4:1935–1937
Clubs4:Arsenal
Caps4:57
Goals4:13
Years5:1937–1948
Clubs5:Coventry City
Caps5:47
Goals5:9
Years6:1948–1949
Clubs6:Hinckley Athletic
Years7:1949–1950
Years8:1950–1951
Clubs8:Rugby Town
Totalcaps:222
Totalgoals:80
Nationalyears1:1934
Nationalteam1:Scottish League XI
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0

Robert Trimming Davidson (27 April 1913 – October 1988) was a Scottish footballer who played as an inside forward for St Bernard's, St Johnstone, Arsenal and Coventry City.[1]

Career

Considered a player with great talent and potential – but a variable temperament – from an early age,[2] [3] [4] Davidson made one appearance for the Scottish Football League XI in 1934 while with St Johnstone[5] and scored the Perth club's 1000th Scottish Football League goal.[6]

After moving to Arsenal towards the end of the 1934–35 season he quickly won the Football League title[7] and was seen as a possible successor to Alex James.[4] However, he suffered from injuries and fell out of favour at the North London club after the 1935 FA Charity Shield match and was not selected for the 1936 FA Cup Final victory, and although back in the picture for the next campaign, finished on the losing side again in the 1936 FA Charity Shield.[4] He moved to Coventry City in exchange for Leslie Jones in November 1937.[7]

Having lost what may have been his peak years as a player to World War II, in which he served in the British Army and made guest appearances for several clubs,[4] Davidson played a small number of games for Coventry after the conflict ended,[8] departing aged 35 in 1948. He later featured for local non-league sides Hinckley Athletic, Redditch Town and Rugby Town.[9]

Notes and References

  1. A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players. John Litster. Scottish Football Historian magazine. October 2012.
  2. https://www.perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk/significant-saints Significant Saints Bobby Davidson
  3. https://blog.woolwicharsenal.co.uk/archives/5466 Bobby Davidson's first match for Arsenal 20 February 1935
  4. http://www.thearsenalhistory.com/?p=9846 Davidson: A Prototype Marinello?
  5. https://londonhearts.com/SFL/players/roberttrimmingdavidson.html (SFL player) Robert Trimming Davidson
  6. https://saintshistory.wordpress.com/2013/09/08/8-september-1934-1000th-league-goal/ 8 September 1934 – 1000th League Goal
  7. https://www.arsenal.com/historic/players/bobby-davidson Bobby Davidson
  8. https://www.11v11.com/players/robert-trimming-davidson-32543/ Robert Trimming Davidson
  9. https://www.vintagefootballers.com/product/davidson-bobby-image-2-arsenal-1936/ Davidson Bobby Image 2 Arsenal 1936