Steven Davis’ agent has announced the truth about what happened all those years ago in 2012 when the NI international left Rangers for Southampton during our dark days.
The nature of the ex-Fulham man’s departure has been a topic of some contention, but for the first time in eight years, Rob Segal, his long-term agent of two decades, has confirmed the true nature of what really happened:
“He refused to sign the registration papers for his Southampton move until Southampton paid a sum of money to Rangers to help them. Rangers were so close to being extinct and he didn’t just walk away. He possibly could have received that money but he insisted on that money going back to Rangers.”
The repeated story most fans suggest is that Davis demanded Southampton paid Rangers a fee, and Davis’ own comments at the time were a little strange:
“There was an element of uncertainty at how long it would take to get the transfer papers through, so I have to give credit to the [Southampton] executive chairman Nicola Cortese for wanting to get it done and removing the need for things to drag on any longer.”
But Segal has now revealed the true story – the £800,000 signing on fee that Davis was supposed to get as a free agent went to Rangers, which we did know, but it turns out Davis wouldn’t sign the papers at St Mary’s until that money instead went to Rangers.
He literally held Southampton to ransom and insisted the near-million came to Ibrox as a ‘transfer fee’.
We always knew Davis was a classy guy, but this shows just how classy. And a good deed is not something the perpetrator would ever boast of because otherwise they’re doing it for the praise. And Davis kept quiet all those years ago, did the right and decent thing, without a hint of fanfare.
And the truth is we have a much better player now than the one who left.
A true gentleman on and off the pitch.