Leif Davis
{{Short description|English footballer (born 1999)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Leif Davis
| image = Leif Davis 2021.jpg
| caption = Davis in 2021
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|12|31| df=y}}
| birth_place = Newcastle upon Tyne, England
| height = {{convert|1.82|m|order=flip}}{{Soccerway|580888}}
| position = Left-back
| currentclub = Ipswich Town
| clubnumber = 3
| youthyears1 = 2015–2016
| youthclubs1 = Wallsend Boys Club
| youthyears2 = 2016–2018
| youthclubs2 = Morecambe
| youthyears3 = 2018
| youthclubs3 = Leeds United
| years1 = 2018–2022
| clubs1 = Leeds United
| caps1 = 9
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2021–2022
| clubs2 = → AFC Bournemouth (loan)
| caps2 = 12
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2022–
| clubs3 = Ipswich Town
| caps3 = 119
| goals3 = 6
| club-update = 23:13, 25 May 2025 (UTC)
}}
Leif Davis (born 31 December 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a left-back for {{English football updater|IpswichT}} club Ipswich Town.
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Davis spent time in the youth systems at Wallsend Boys Club and Morecambe before joining Leeds United in 2018. He helped Leeds win promotion to the Premier League in 2020. He spent a loan spell at AFC Bournemouth during the 2021–22 season, where he also won promotion to the Premier League. In 2022, Davis signed for Ipswich Town, helping the side win promotion to the EFL Championship in his first season at the club in the 2022–23 campaign, and an immediate subsequent promotion to the Premier League in the 2023–24 season.
Club career
=Early career=
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Davis started his career at English youth football club Wallsend Boys Club in Wallsend, North Tyneside.
On 27 June 2016, Davis joined Morecambe where he spent two years as a scholar, progressing through the ranks of the club’s academy.{{Cite web |url=https://talksport.com/football/efl/395089/leeds-united-sign-leif-davis/ |title=Leeds United sign 18-year-old full-back Leif Davis from Morecambe |date=4 July 2018 |publisher=Talk Sport |access-date=23 December 2018}}
=Leeds United=
On 4 July 2018, Davis joined EFL Championship side Leeds United under head coach Marcelo Bielsa for an undisclosed fee, where he initially linked up with the Leeds academy.{{Cite web |url=https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/23492/whites-capture-leif-davis |title=WHITES CAPTURE LEIF DAVIS – Leeds United |date=4 July 2018 |publisher=Leeds United |access-date=23 December 2018}}
After impressing for Leeds' Under 23s side,{{Cite web |url=https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/11/12/leif-davis-selection-is-another-blow-for-leeds-teammate/ |title=Leif Davis selection is another blow for teammate |date=12 November 2018 |publisher=HITC |access-date=23 December 2018}} Davis was promoted to the first team and was named as an unused substitute on several occasions by head coach Bielsa before making his debut for the club on 23 December 2018, when he started in a 3–2 win against Aston Villa at Villa Park after Barry Douglas fell ill before kickoff.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46582452 |title=Aston Villa 2 Leeds United 3 |date=21 December 2018 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=23 December 2018}}
Davis was regularly named as an unused substitute on the bench for the first team squad in the Championship, but still featured regularly for Carlos Corberán's Leeds United Under 23s side over the course of the 2018–19 season,{{Cite news |url=https://tbrfootball.com/true-leader-leeds-under-23-captain-hugo-diaz-impresses-the-fans-once-again/ |title='True leader' – Leeds under-23 captain Hugo Diaz impresses the fans once again |date=12 March 2019 |access-date=1 June 2019 |publisher=The Boot Room}} that won the PDL Northern League 2018–19 season and became the national Professional Development League champions by beating Birmingham City on penalties in the final in May 2019.{{Cite web |url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-united-latest/carlos-corberan-on-what-the-future-can-hold-for-leeds-united-s-pdl-champions-1-9754577 |title=Carlos Corberan on what the future can hold for Leeds United's PDL champions |date=7 May 2019 |publisher=YEP |access-date=15 May 2019}}
With Davis potentially set for a spell in the first team towards the end of the 2018–19 season, after injuries to left-backs Barry Douglas and Ezgjan Alioski, Davis himself was ruled out for the remainder of the season, including Leeds' play-off campaign, after knee surgery in April.{{Cite news |url=https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/04/26/photo-leeds-defender-leif-davis-undergoes-operation/ |title=Leeds defender Leif Davis undergoes operation |date=29 April 2019 |access-date=22 March 2020 |publisher=HITC}}{{Cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48196167 |title=Leeds United 2–4 Derby County (Derby win 4–3 on agg) |date=15 May 2019 |publisher=BBC Sport}} Davis made a total of five appearances during his first season of senior football at Leeds.
Davis made his first appearance of the 2019–20 season as a second-half substitute in a 3–1 away win against Bristol City on the opening day of the season. He went on to make a total of three substitute appearances in the league during the season, as well as two starts in the EFL Cup. After the English professional football season was paused in March 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19, the season was resumed during June, where Davis earned promotion with Leeds to the Premier League and also become the EFL Championship Champions for the 2019–20 season in July after the successful resumption of the season.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53449068 |title=Championship: Leeds United promoted to Premier League after 16-year absence |date=17 July 2020 |access-date=9 August 2020|work=BBC Sport}}
His first start of the 2020–21 season came on 16 September 2020 in Leeds' 1–1 draw against Hull City in the EFL Cup. Hull went on to win 9–8 on penalties.{{Cite web |date=25 September 2020 |title=Leeds 1 Hull City 1 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54067170 |access-date=25 September 2020 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}} Davis made his Premier League debut for Leeds, as a second-half substitute in Leeds' 1–1 draw with Manchester City on 3 October 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/54305847 |title=Leeds United 1–1 Manchester City |website=BBC Sport |first=Phil |last=McNulty |date=3 October 2020 |accessdate=7 October 2020}} He made a total of 4 appearances in all competitions as Leeds finished 9th in the club’s first season back in the Premier League since 2004.
Davis also featured a number of times for Leeds’ U23 side which won the Premier League 2 Division 2 title for the 2020–21 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.premierleague.com/premier-league-2-explained |title=Premier League 2 explained |website=Premier League |accessdate=4 March 2025}}
==AFC Bournemouth (loan)==
On 27 July 2021, Davis joined Championship side AFC Bournemouth on a season-long loan deal.{{cite web|url=https://www.afcb.co.uk/news/first-team/davis-joins-cherries-from-leeds/|title=DAVIS JOINS CHERRIES FROM LEEDS|website=www.afcb.co.uk|date=27 July 2021|accessdate=27 July 2021}} He made his debut for the club coming on as a late sub in the Cherries 2–1 win over Nottingham Forest on 14 August.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58124648|title=Nottingham Forest 1-2 AFC Bournemouth|website=BBC Sport|date=14 August 2021|accessdate=23 October 2021}} Davis then made his first start for Bournemouth in an unfamiliar right wing role, in a 2–0 away win at Birmingham City on 18 August.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58168103|title=Birmingham City 0-2 AFC Bournemouth|website=BBC Sport|date=18 August 2021|accessdate=23 October 2021}} Davis made 15 appearances in all competitions during the 2021–22 season, with 12 of those appearances coming in the league as he helped Bournemouth achieve promotion to the Premier League following a second-placed finish in the Championship.
=Ipswich Town=
File:Leif Davis 2024.jpg in 2024]]
On 25 July 2022, Davis joined Ipswich Town on a three-year contract for a seven-figure fee.{{Cite web |title=Leif Davis Is A Blue |url=https://www.itfc.co.uk/news/2022/july/leif-davis-joins-town/ |access-date=2022-07-26 |website=www.itfc.co.uk |date=25 July 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62303632|website=BBC Sport|title=Leif Davis: Leeds United left-back joins Ipswich Town on three-year deal|date=26 July 2022|accessdate=2 August 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/ipswich-town/profile-of-itfc-signing-leif-davis-9174556|title=Everything you need to know about Town new boy Leif Davis|date=29 July 2022|last=Watson|first=Stuart|website=East Anglian Daily Times|accessdate=2 August 2022}} He made his debut five days later on the opening day of the 2022–23 season in a 1–1 draw against Bolton Wanderers at Portman Road.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62274964|title=Ipswich Town 1–1 Bolton Wanderers|website=BBC Sport|date=30 July 2022|accessdate=1 September 2023}} He quickly established himself as the first choice left-back at Ipswich. He scored his first goal for the club in a 1–2 away defeat against Oxford United on 21 January 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64272531|title=Oxford United 2–1 Ipswich Town|website=BBC Sport|date=21 January 2023|accessdate=1 September 2023}} Davis was an integral member of the team during the 2022–23 season with Ipswich, making 46 appearances across all competitions, scoring 3 league goals and getting 14 league assists in total, and helping the club win promotion from EFL League One following a second-placed league finish. His form throughout the season earned him a place in both the EFL League One Team of the Season and the PFA League One Team of the Year.
Davis continued to be a key player for Ipswich throughout the 2023–24 season, making 43 league starts and contributing 18 assists, a record number of assists by a defender in a Championship season,{{cite web|url= https://www.skysports.com/football/video/30998/13252723/leif-davis-best-bits-for-ipswich-town-during-2023-24-championship-season|title=Davis knocking on England’s door? Best bits from record-breaking 2023/24 Season|website=Sky Sports|date=11 November 2024|accessdate=4 March 2025}} as well as scoring crucial goals in 3–2 home wins against Bristol City and Southampton in the later stages of the season.{{cite web|url= https://www.itfc.co.uk/news/2024/august/07/leif-nominated-for-pfa-championship-award/|title=Leif Nominated for PFA Championship Award|website=Ipswich Town F.C|date=7 August 2024|accessdate=28 February 2025}} He helped Ipswich earn a second successive promotion as Ipswich won promotion to the Premier League as Championship runners-up. His performances throughout the season saw him included in the EFL Championship Team of the Season and PFA Championship Team of the Year as well as being named as Ipswich's Players' Player of the Year and being nominated for the PFA Championship Player of the Season award.
Following Ipswich’s promotion to the Premier League, Davis signed a new contract with Ipswich until 2028 on 21st October 2024.{{cite web|url= https://www.itfc.co.uk/news/2024/october/21/leif-signs-new-contract/ |title=Leif Signs New Contract|website=Ipswich Town F.C|date=21 October 2024|accessdate=28 February 2025}} He scored his first Premier League goal for Ipswich in a 1–1 home draw on 2 November 2024 against Leicester City: a stunning 55th-minute volley which was cancelled out by Jordan Ayew in the 94th minute.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/nov/02/ipswich-leicester-premier-league-match-report|title=Jordan Ayew's late equaliser denies Ipswich first league win of season|website=The Observer|publisher=The Guardian|date=2 November 2024|access-date=11 November 2024}} The goal was nominated for the Premier League Goal of the Month award for November.{{cite web|url= https://www.premierleague.com/news/4183431|title=November 2024 Guinness Goal of the Month contenders |website=Premier League|date=2 December 2024|accessdate=28 February 2025}}
Style of play
Davis predominantly plays as a left-back. During his time at Leeds United, he was converted by then Leeds United Under 23s manager Carlos Corberán to also play as a centre-back.{{Cite web |url=https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/24327/leif-davis-it-was-a-great-experience |title=LEIF DAVIS: IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE |date=28 December 2018 |publisher=Leeds United |access-date=27 July 2019}} Davis describes his style of play as "a modern-day, attacking left-back".{{Cite web |url=https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/leif-davis-leeds-united-transfer-14866300/ |title=Leif Davis in profile: What can Leeds United expect from the promising defender they have snapped up for the U23s? |publisher=Leeds Live |access-date=27 July 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://soccersouls.com/who-is-this-promising-teenager-that-leeds-have-signed-the-future-star-under-bielsa/ |title=Who is this promising teenager that Leeds have signed? The future star under Bielsa? |date=8 July 2018 |publisher=Soccer Souls |access-date=27 July 2019}} Davis is known for his crossing ability and set piece taking and his ability to create chances and provide assists.{{Cite web |url= https://learning.coachesvoice.com/cv/leif-davis-ipswich/ |title= Every bit the modern full-back |date=6 September 2024 |publisher=Coaches’ Voice |access-date=28 February 2025}}
Personal life
Outside of football, Davis has expressed an interest in becoming an aircraft pilot. He often uses Microsoft Flight Simulator in his spare time and has stated that he would like to train for a pilot licence after he retires from playing football.{{Cite web |url= https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/24362263.ipswich-town-leif-davis-praised-5-live-unique-hobby-revealed/ |title= Ipswich Town: Leif Davis praised by 5 Live with unique hobby revealed |publisher=East Anglian Daily Times |date=3 June 2024 |access-date=4 March 2025}}{{Cite web |url= https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1967536/Premier-League-Leif-Davis-Ipswich-Town/amp |title= Premier League star training to become a pilot and helped fly his team-mates in pre-season |publisher=express.co.uk |date=26 October 2024 |access-date=4 March 2025}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 25 May 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|EFL Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | |||||||||
| Division||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="5"|Leeds United
|2018–19{{soccerbase season|117236|2018|accessdate=23 December 2018}} |4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2019–20{{soccerbase season|117236|2019|accessdate=21 August 2019}}
|Championship |3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 5 | 0 | |
| 2020–21{{soccerbase season|117236|2020|accessdate=3 October 2020}}
|2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 4 | 0 | |
| 2021–22{{soccerbase season|117236|2021|accessdate=23 October 2021}}
|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!9||0||2||0||3||0||0||0||14||0 | |||||||||
| Leeds United U21
|colspan="1"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| AFC Bournemouth (loan)
|Championship |12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 15 | 0 | |
| rowspan="4"|Ipswich Town
|2022–23{{soccerbase season|117236|2022|access-date=27 November 2022}} |43 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 3 |
| 2023–24{{soccerbase season|117236|2023|access-date=11 August 2023}}
|Championship |43 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 44 | 2 | |
| 2024–25{{soccerbase season|117236|2024|access-date=11 November 2024}}
|Premier League |33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 33 | 1 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!119||6||3||0||0||0||1||0||123||6 | |||||||||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!140||6||7||0||4||0||3||0||154||6 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Leeds United
- EFL Championship: 2019–20{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53367031|title=Huddersfield Town 2–1 West Bromwich Albion |website=BBC Sport |date=17 July 2020 |access-date=9 May 2023}}
AFC Bournemouth
- EFL Championship runner-up: 2021–22{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60342935|title=AFC Bournemouth 1–0 Nottingham Forest|website=BBC Sport |date=3 May 2022 |access-date=6 June 2022}}
Ipswich Town
- EFL Championship runner-up: 2023–24{{cite web | url=https://www.itfc.co.uk/news/2024/may/04/ipswich-town-promoted-to-premier-league/ | title=We Are Premier League! | date=4 May 2024 }}
- EFL League One runner-up: 2022–23{{cite web|title=Fleetwood Town 2 - 2 Ipswich Town|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65439606|publisher=BBC Sport|date=7 May 2023|accessdate=9 May 2023}}
Individual
- EFL League One Team of the Season: 2022–23{{cite news |title=EFL Team of the Season line-ups revealed |date=23 April 2023 |url=https://www.efl.com/news/2023/april/efl-team-of-the-season-line-ups-revealed/ |access-date=23 April 2023 |publisher=EFL}}
- PFA Team of the Year: 2022–23 League One,{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66650723 |title=Erling Haaland: Manchester City forward wins PFA men's Player of the Year award |publisher=BBC Sport |date=29 August 2023 |access-date=29 August 2023}} 2023–24 Championship{{cite news |url=https://www.thepfa.com/news/2024/8/20/pfa-championship-team-of-the-year-2024 |title=PFA Championship Team of the Year |publisher=PFA |date=20 August 2024}}
- EFL Championship Team of the Season: 2023–24{{cite news |url=https://www.efl.com/news/2024/april/14/see-who-made-the-efl-team-of-the-season/ |title=See who made the EFL Team of the Season line-ups |publisher=EFL |date=14 April 2024 |access-date=14 April 2024}}
- The Athletic Championship Team of the Season: 2023–24{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5476993/2024/05/21/athletic-end-of-season-awards-2023-24-men/ |title=The Athletic's end-of-season awards, 2023–24: Men's football |website=The Athletic |date=21 May 2024 |access-date=5 June 2024 |language=en |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240521163513/https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5476993/2024/05/21/athletic-end-of-season-awards-2023-24-men/ |archive-date=21 May 2024 |url-status=live}}
- Ipswich Town Players' Player of the Year: 2023–24{{cite news |url=https://www.itfc.co.uk/news/2024/may/06/end-of-season-award-winners/ |title=End of Season Award Winners |publisher=Ipswich Town F.C. |date=7 May 2024 |access-date=9 May 2024}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://www.itfc.co.uk/players/leifdavis Profile] at the Ipswich Town F.C. website
{{Ipswich Town F.C. squad}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards
| bg = gold
| fg = navy
| list =
{{2022–23 EFL League One Team of the Season}}
{{2022–23 EFL League One PFA Team of the Year}}
{{2023–24 EFL Championship Team of the Season}}
{{2023–24 EFL Championship PFA Team of the Year}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Leif}}
Category:Footballers from Newcastle upon Tyne
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Wallsend Boys Club players
Category:Morecambe F.C. players
Category:Leeds United F.C. players
Category:AFC Bournemouth players
Category:Ipswich Town F.C. players
Category:English Football League players