Davies living a dream

The Welsh international is currently one of the Premiership's form players and he recently played a starring role in his nation's 2-0 win over Finland in their opening game of the Euro 2004 qualifying phase.

The 23-year-old Haverfordwest-born star moved to White Hart Lane from Peterborough in January 2000 in a £700,000, but he is now a firm-fixture in Glenn Hoddle's side.

Davies moved to Tottenham with Posh team-mate Matthew Etherington and the Welshman admits that life at London Road was great.

"I loved it at Peterborough. We were a very close-knit group of lads: there were players like Matty Etherington and many of us had been together since we were 12. Five of us lived in a house in Peterborough," Davies said.

"One was David Billington, a great mate who went to Sheffield Wednesday but had to retire.

"I definitely pinch myself when I see how things have gone for me, especially when I see what happened to David. He did his knee in a tackle, had an operation, something went wrong and he never came back. Speaking to him keeps me grounded. I never really mention to him what is happening to me."

Manchester United were interested in both Davies and Etherington and the Spurs man reveals his is a firm Old Trafford fan.

"I was born into a family who all supported Manchester United," he continued to tell the Daily Telegraph.

"I grew up watching Eric Cantona. Everyone around Haverfordwest supports United or Liverpool.

"Barry said to Matty and me in '99 that Man United had been watching us. We went and trained with them for a week. It was a massive experience; United had just won the Treble. All the players were very welcoming."

United failed to follow up their interest in the duo, but Tottenham soon did.

"When Tottenham came in for us, Matty, me and Barry sat in a room together, talked about it and decided it was time for us to move on," he said.

"We came down here and took a while to settle in. In Spurs' eyes, they had bought us for the future and put us in the reserves. It was frustrating but that's life at a big club."

Davies remember that an FA Cup tie at Stockport was the turning point in his career.

"I came on and scored two goals. Not long after that, the new manager [Glenn Hoddle] came in and ever since then it has been great here. He has told everyone to express themselves, to not be afraid to try things," Davies revealed.

"He has helped me a great deal. I love playing for Glenn Hoddle."

"We have great players and a good manager, the new players have settled in fine. Robbie Keane has come in and given everyone a lift and hopefully, Robbie is going to score the messy goals, the tap-ins, the sort of goals we need.

"Jamie Redknapp is just a great player. I have been watching him for a few years now, seeing how well he played at Liverpool. It's great to walk on a pitch with him. Jamie's a great organiser who always seems to make the right passes.

"I have learned so much off Teddy Sheringham too, just by watching him, by seeing how quick-thinking he is. He's a great lad, we get on really well. I am in Teddy's golf school."

"I like breaking forward from midfield, I love joining in with the forwards and scoring and creating goals but I know I have to cover back. George Graham made that very clear to us when I first got here."