Doughty Davies blossoms with age

THE modern Premier League might be the natural home of hype and hyperbole, but some players are apparently fated to defy convention.

Take Kevin Davies, for example. The Bolton captain will never be an ideal poster boy for the self-styled greatest league in the world — his default expression is one of snarling aggression and two of the division’s A-list managers, Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, have never been shy in hiding their annoyance with his physical approach.

But, to Bolton, he is an inspiration. His tireless displays have helped Wanderers more than hold their own in the Premier League and age does not appear to have dulled his edge.