Alan Davidson

NSL Career: South Melbourne, Melbourne Croatia, Collingwood 324 (15) / 1979 - 1997/98

Socceroos Career: 51 (2) A Internationals / 25 (1) B Internationals

Through resilience, Alan Davidson became one of the greatest Australian full-backs of all time and one of the most complete footballers to grace the NSL. Strongly built with excellent technical ability, a massive engine and a fantastic distributor - Davidson could play on either side of the pitch or equally well in front of the centre backs.

Davidson started his junior career with West Newport before joining Altona City where he progressed through the ranks and made his first team debut at the age of 16 in the Victorian State League. Davidson joined South Melbourne as an 18 year old for the 1979 NSL season and quickly cemented his spot in the side before debuting for the national team a year later. 

Davidson was a standout in the South side that had the best defensive record in the 1980 season, playing alongside future South Team of the Century members Peter Laumets and Steve Blair, South stalwart Arthur Xanthopoulos and Scottish full-back Vince Bannon. South's back four performed well again during the 1981 season, but a lack of goals cost the team as they finished runners-up in the league.

During the 1980s, Australian footballers struggled to earn an overseas contract due largely to the difficulty in obtaining a work permit. Some European football associations, specifically England's FA, required foreign players to have played a certain number of games for their national team over a period of time to qualify for a work permit.

In 1983, Davidson had the opportunity to join Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich after a successful trial but turned it down to try his luck in England. Davidson successfully trialled with Second Division club Brighton before First Division club Arsenal matched their offer and was set to sign the Australian defender, however, Davidson failed to obtain a required work permit and returned to South Melbourne.

The Socceroos defender was part of the club's first NSL Championship-winning side in 1984, scoring in South's Southern Conference Final against Heidelberg before starting in both legs of the first ever championship-deciding grand final in the competition. Davidson's talent was noticed by Nottingham Forest who finished third in the 1983/84 English First Division season. Davidson played three First Division matches for Nottingham before a serious injury ended his career in England and the defender returned to South Melbourne for the 1986 season before making a move to Melbourne Croatia in 1987. 

While managing serious injuries sustained in England, Davidson continued to stand out in the NSL and for the Socceroos: playing in back-to-back losing grand finals for Croatia (1990/91 and 1991/92) and contributing to Australia's strong performances in 1988 (Australian Bicentenary Gold Cup runners-up and Seoul Olympics quarter-finalists).

At the end of the 1991/92 NSL season, Davidson moved to Malaysia's Liga Semi-Pro where he became an instant hit: winning the championship, cup and player of the season award in his first year. During the 1990s, Davidson moved between the NSL and Liga Perdana (succeeded the Liga Semi-Pro as Malaysia's first fully professional top flight league) and won the NSL Cup with both South Melbourne and Collingwood Warriors before finishing his career at Melbourne Knights (formerly Croatia) at the age of 38. 

Following his playing career, Davidson had a short stint as coach of Pahang at the start of the 1999 Liga Perdana 1 season before the club went on to win the championship. Davidson's contribution to South Melbourne earned him a place in the club's Team of the Century. Davidson's son Jason went on to become a Socceroo, making Alan and Jason the fourth Australian father-son duo to earn full international caps. Alan Davidson was selected at right back in FFA's Socceroos Team of the 1980s.