Member's statement: Steven Davis MBE: Retirement
Member's statement by Mr Stephen Dunne on .
- MLA
- Mr Stephen Dunne
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 12 February 2024
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Steven Davis MBE: Retirement
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4217604
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Congratulations, Mr Speaker, on your elevation. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to one of our all-time footballing greats, who has recently retired from professional football: Mr Steven Davis MBE. He will go down in history as one of Northern Ireland's greatest ever footballers — up there with the late, great George Best; the safe pair of hands, Pat Jennings; and our record goalscorer, David Healy. It is fitting and appropriate that his recent retirement from professional football be marked in the House today. During his remarkable career, Steven earned 140 caps for Northern Ireland, playing for his country for almost 20 years since his debut back in 2005. Steven is also the most capped British player in the history of football, which is an exceptional achievement for a player from our wee country. Steven Davis has always been an outstanding professional, role model and exceptionally gifted footballing talent, who has inspired so many people throughout his glittering career. Steven was rightly honoured with an MBE by the late Her Majesty The Queen for services to football back in 2017. He is greatly admired across the football fraternity in Northern Ireland and beyond, and has given us all so many great memories over the years, not least leading our country to qualification and into battle in the European championships in France back in 2016; an unforgettable experience and journey for so many of us.
Steven also enjoyed a very successful club career, chalking up 742 club appearances in top-flight football in England and Scotland, winning trophies with his boyhood club, Glasgow Rangers, and excelling for many years in the Premier League with top clubs such as Southampton, Fulham and Aston Villa. Thank you for your incredible service, Steven Davies MBE, and enjoy a well-earned break. I have no doubt that Steven will continue to make a major contribution to football in Northern Ireland for many years to come.
319 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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