| Gemma Davies | |
| Birth Date: | 1991 7, df=y[1] |
| Birth Place: | Kingstanding, Birmingham, England |
| Currentclub: | England U23 (coach) |
| Managerclubs1: | Aston Villa |
| Manageryears1: | 2018–2021 |
| Managerclubs2: | England U19 |
| Manageryears2: | 2021–2022 |
Gemma Davies (born 1 July 1991) is an English football manager who is the former manager of Aston Villa Women and as of 2023 coaches the England women's under-23 team.
Davies began coaching aged 15 for Erdington Ladies under-10 and under-12 youth teams, where her sister played. She later gained an Master of Arts in Sports Science from Loughborough University.
After working towards her UEFA A License and acting as assistant head coach for Birmingham City Women in the 2017–18 WSL 2 season, Davies was appointed head of Aston Villa Women in June 2018, while continuing in her role as Head of Women’s Football at the University of Birmingham.[2] [3]
In the 2019–20 Women's Championship, after gaining two wins from the opening games, Davies was awarded the Manager of the Month award for August 2019. League Managers' Association chair Marieanne Spacey-Cale commented this was due to "the work Gemma and her team has done over the summer, bringing in new signings and technical work on the training pitch...".[4] After the season was ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[5] Davies led Aston Villa in an unbeaten run to promotion to the Women's Super League (WSL), with a record 13 wins and 1 draw.[6] In doing so, she became the youngest head coach in the WSL,[7] and was subsequently awarded the Women's Championship Manager of the Season award.[8]
In May 2021, Davies was sacked as Villa manager in a shock decision, while in competition for the role with then interim manager Marucs Bignot.[9] They were both replaced soon after by former Birmingham City Women manager Carla Ward.[10]
In October 2021, Davies became the head coach for the England women's under-19 team, beginning with 2022 U19 Championship qualification.[11] In April 2022 she led the team to successful qualification for the final tournament,[12] where they exited in the group stage of the tournament.[13]
In the summer of 2023, Davies joined former footballers Remi Allen and Anita Asante as coaches of the England women's under-23 team.[14]
Aston Villa Women
Individual