Gemma Suzanne Davison (born 17 April 1987) is an English
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
er who plays as a
winger. She has previously played for
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park ...
,
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as Tottenham () or Spurs, is a professional association football, football club based in Tottenham, London, England. It competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English footba ...
and
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
whom she joined from
Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
in 2018. After joining
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
at youth team level from
Watford Ladies, Davison became a regular player and won several trophies. She also spent time in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
playing for various American clubs in three separate spells. Davison is a full senior international player for the
England women's national football team
The England women's national football team, also known as the Lionesses, have been governed by the Football Association (FA) since 1993, having been previously administered by the Women's Football Association (WFA). England played its first i ...
.
Club career
Davison began her career with
Watford Ladies before joining the youth set up at
Arsenal Ladies
Arsenal Women Football Club, commonly referred to as Arsenal, is an English professional women's football club based in Islington, London, England. The club plays in the Women's Super League, the top tier of English women's football.
Arse ...
. She progressed through the youth system to establish herself as regular in the Arsenal Squad. She spent the summer of 2008 playing in the United States for
New York Magic
New York Magic is an American women’s soccer team, founded in 1997. The team was an original member of United Women's Soccer from 2016-2017. They played in the USL W-League from 1997 until the league folded after the 2015 season.
The team pla ...
, before returning to Arsenal and playing every game of the 2008–09 season, scoring seven times. In 2009, she signed for
Chicago Red Eleven
Chicago Red Eleven was an American women’s soccer team, founded in 2005. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues W-League, the second tier of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. The team played in the Midwest Division ...
for their inaugural season.
Buffalo Flash 2010–11
In 2010 Davison joined
Chelsea Ladies pair Eartha Pond and
Ann-Marie Heatherson
Ann-Marie "Annie" Heatherson (born 27 March 1984) is an English former footballer who most recently played as a forward and captain for Yeovil Town of the FA Women's National League. She began her career with Charlton Athletic and played for ri ...
at professional
USL W-League
The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, pl ...
club
Buffalo Flash. 23 year old Davison was part of the Buffalo Flash squad that won the 2010 USL W-League Championship. Having played just five games in 2010 she proved influential in the final, scoring a goal in Buffalo’s 3–1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps. In January 2011, after the Flash joined the
WPS and renamed themselves
Western New York Flash
The Western New York Flash (WNY Flash) was an American soccer club based in Elma, New York that competed in the United Women's Soccer league. They have won league championships in four different leagues: the USL W-League in 2010, Women's Pro ...
, Davison left Arsenal to re-sign for the club. In 2011, she registered one goal and two assists in 12 appearances helping Western New York Flash to a championship title.
Sky Blue FC 2012
Davison signed for
Sky Blue FC
NJ/NY Gotham FC is a professional women's soccer team based in Harrison, New Jersey. Founded in 2006 as Jersey Sky Blue, the team was known as Sky Blue FC from 2008 until 2020. A founding member of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in 2013 ...
in time for the 2012 season. Before she could play for her new club, the WPS was suspended. She returns to Arsenal Ladies for a fourth spell, having first joined the Club’s Centre of Excellence as a teenager.
Arsenal 2012–13
Davison rejoined Arsenal in March 2012 along with new signings
Kelly Smith
Kelly Jayne Smith (born 29 October 1978) is an English former football forward who spent three spells with FA WSL club Arsenal Ladies. After moving to the United States, Smith broke records with Seton Hall University then played professionall ...
and
Alex Scott. She joined an Arsenal team that had won the treble the previous season. In 2012 Arsenal retained the
FA WSL 1 league title. The 2013 season saw Davison play a key role in win the
FA Women's Cup
The Women's FA Challenge Cup Competition is the top annual cup tournament for women's clubs in English football. Founded in 1970, it has been named the WFA Cup, FA Women's Cup and now Women's FA Cup (Vitality Women's FA Cup for sponsorship reas ...
and the
FA WSL Cup whilst finishing third in the league. The 2013 season saw Davison selected for the
PFA WSL Team of the Year along with fellow Arsenal teammates
Jordan Nobbs
Jordan Nobbs (born 8 December 1992) is an English professional Association football, footballer who plays for Women's Super League club Aston Villa W.F.C., Aston Villa and the England women's national football team, England women's national tea ...
and
Danielle Carter.
Liverpool 2013–14
On 17 December 2013 Davison signed with current
WSL 1
The Women's Super League (WSL), currently known as the Barclays Women's Super League (BWSL) for sponsorship reasons, is the highest league of women's football in England. Established in 2010, it is run by the Football Association and features t ...
champions
Liverpool Ladies. Davison played 14 times and scored 4 goals helping Liverpool to retain the
WSL 1
The Women's Super League (WSL), currently known as the Barclays Women's Super League (BWSL) for sponsorship reasons, is the highest league of women's football in England. Established in 2010, it is run by the Football Association and features t ...
title in 2014.
Chelsea 2015–18
Davison signed a two-year deal with
Chelsea L.F.C. on 24 November 2014 ready for the 2015 season. She made her debut scoring twice in a win against
Notts County Ladies. Davison went on to provide six more goals in 26 appearances helping Chelsea lift their first
FA WSL 1 title beating
Manchester City W.F.C by two points. Chelsea also went on to do the double by winning their first
FA Women's Cup
The Women's FA Challenge Cup Competition is the top annual cup tournament for women's clubs in English football. Founded in 1970, it has been named the WFA Cup, FA Women's Cup and now Women's FA Cup (Vitality Women's FA Cup for sponsorship reas ...
. The 2015 Women's FA Cup was the first to be held at
Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium (branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 200 ...
and saw a 39-minute goal from
Ji So-Yun
Ji So-yun ( ko, 지소연, ; born 21 February 1991) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for WK League club Suwon FC and the South Korean national team.
Club career
Ji started her career in Japan, playing fo ...
secure a 1–0 victory over
Notts County Ladies in front of 30,710. Davison was integral throughout, often from a position wide on the right as she linked up to devastating effect. Chelsea faced Glasgow City in the first round of the
UEFA Women's Champions League
The UEFA Women's Champions League, previously called the UEFA Women's Cup (2001–2009), is a European women's association football competition. It involves the top club teams from countries affiliated with the European governing body UEFA.
The ...
beating city 1–0 at home and 3–0 in the away fixture. Chelsea advance through to the round of 16 facing two-time winners
VFL Wolfsburg
Verein für Leibesübungen Wolfsburg e. V., commonly known as VfL Wolfsburg () or Wolfsburg, is a German professional sports club based in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony. The club grew out of a multi-sports club for Volkswagen workers in the city of W ...
. Chelsea would go on to lose both home and away ending their Champions League run.
In September 2016, it was announced that Davison had signed a new contract until the summer of 2018. In the 2016 season, Davison played in 22 games scoring 3 times as
Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
finished second in the
WSL 1
The Women's Super League (WSL), currently known as the Barclays Women's Super League (BWSL) for sponsorship reasons, is the highest league of women's football in England. Established in 2010, it is run by the Football Association and features t ...
five points behind
Manchester City W.F.C. Chelsea faced Manchester City in the semi final of the women's FA Cup. Davison played the full game as Chelsea scored a winning goal in extra time sending them to final to face Arsenal Ladies. Chelsea had the opportunity to retain their title against Arsenal but failed to score after an early goal from
Danielle Carter at Wembley Stadium in front of 32,912 fans.
Chelsea Ladies drew
VfL Wolfsburg
Verein für Leibesübungen Wolfsburg e. V., commonly known as VfL Wolfsburg () or Wolfsburg, is a German professional sports club based in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony. The club grew out of a multi-sports club for Volkswagen workers in the city of W ...
in the first round of the
UEFA Women's Champions League
The UEFA Women's Champions League, previously called the UEFA Women's Cup (2001–2009), is a European women's association football competition. It involves the top club teams from countries affiliated with the European governing body UEFA.
The ...
after they knocked Chelsea out the previous year. Wolfsburg defeated Chelsea 3–0 in their first game played at
Stamford Bridge. The second leg in Germany finished a 1–1 draw and resulted in Chelsea being knocked out of the competition.
Reading 2018–19
On 8 July 2018
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
manager
Kelly Chambers signed Davison from Chelsea.
Tottenham Hotspur 2019–21
On 25 May 2020
Tottenham
Tottenham () is a town in North London, England, within the London Borough of Haringey. It is located in the ceremonial county of Greater London. Tottenham is centred north-northeast of Charing Cross, bordering Edmonton to the north, Waltham ...
released Davison at the end of her contract.
Aston Villa 2021–22
On 3 September 2021 it was announced that Davison had joined
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park ...
on a short term contract. It was announced on 4 January 2022 that Davison had left Aston Villa at the end of her contract.
International career
Davison played for England regularly at Under-19, Under-21 and Under-23 level. In April 2009 she received her first call-up to the England senior squad. Her England debut came in July 2009 when she came on as a substitute for
Jessica Clarke in the 2–0 defeat at home to
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
.
Subsequently, out of favour with England coach
Hope Powell
Hope Patricia Powell, CBE (born 8 December 1966) is an English former international footballer and former women's first-team manager of Brighton & Hove Albion. She was the coach of the England women's national football team and the Great Britain ...
, in December 2013 Davison was named in the first senior squad by Powell's successor
Mark Sampson
Mark Geraint Sampson (born 18 October 1982) is a Welsh football coach who was most recently a first team coach at Stevenage. He has also been a manager of the England women's team.
Playing career
Born and raised in Creigiau, a suburb of Car ...
. She was named on the standby list for the
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup
The 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup was the seventh FIFA Women's World Cup, the quadrennial international soccer championship contested by the women's national teams of the member associations of FIFA. The tournament was hosted by Canada for the ...
in Canada.
On 7 June 2016 Davison opened her account for England in her 12th appearance in a 7–0 euro qualifying win over Serbia. Having scored her first goal she secured her second international goal just five minutes later, in the opening minutes of the second half, helping England seal qualification to the 2017 European Championship in the Netherlands.
Statistics
International goals
:''Scores and results list England's goal tally first.''
Honours
Club
;
Buffalo Flash
* USL W-League Championship: 2010
Western New York Flash
The Western New York Flash (WNY Flash) was an American soccer club based in Elma, New York that competed in the United Women's Soccer league. They have won league championships in four different leagues: the USL W-League in 2010, Women's Pro ...
* WPS Championship: 2011
Arsenal Ladies
Arsenal Women Football Club, commonly referred to as Arsenal, is an English professional women's football club based in Islington, London, England. The club plays in the Women's Super League, the top tier of English women's football.
Arse ...
*
FA Women's Super League 1:
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
*
FA Women's Cup
The Women's FA Challenge Cup Competition is the top annual cup tournament for women's clubs in English football. Founded in 1970, it has been named the WFA Cup, FA Women's Cup and now Women's FA Cup (Vitality Women's FA Cup for sponsorship reas ...
:
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
*
FA WSL Cup:
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
Liverpool Ladies
*
FA Women's Super League 1:
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
Chelsea Ladies
*
FA Women's Super League 1:
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
,
2017-18
*
FA Women's Cup
The Women's FA Challenge Cup Competition is the top annual cup tournament for women's clubs in English football. Founded in 1970, it has been named the WFA Cup, FA Women's Cup and now Women's FA Cup (Vitality Women's FA Cup for sponsorship reas ...
:
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
Individual
*
PFA WSL 1 Team of the Year (1): 2013
References
External links
*
Profileat
Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) was the top-level professional women's soccer league in the United States. It began play on March 29, 2009. The league was composed of seven teams for its first two seasons and fielded six teams for the 2011 sea ...
(WPS)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Davison, Gemma
English women's footballers
Women's association football midfielders
Arsenal W.F.C. players
Chelsea F.C. Women players
Liverpool F.C. Women players
England women's international footballers
FA Women's National League players
1987 births
Living people
Footballers from Chipping Barnet
Expatriate women's soccer players in the United States
Western New York Flash players
Women's Super League players
Women's Professional Soccer players
USL W-League (1995–2015) players
England women's under-23 international footballers
Reading F.C. Women players
Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Women players
Aston Villa W.F.C. players