Derby's Davies takes second bite at cherry

For two successive seasons, manager Billy Davies succeeded in steering Preston North End to the Championship play-offs. Yet, on both occasions, his team failed to reach the Premiership.

Last year, the Lilywhites lost in a two-legged semi-final against Leeds United and the year before, Preston went down in the final at the Millennium Stadium against West Ham United (0-1). In the semis, the North Enders had eliminated Derby County 2-0 over two legs.

Last June Davies left Preston to join Derby. The Rams had to pay compensation to secure his signature and now the club is relying on Davies for a second go at promotion with a different club.

After a four-year spell at Deepdale, Preston chairman Derek Shaw wanted Davies to stay. But Davies felt he needed a change and after a row with the board, County agreed to pay Preston almost two years of Davies's wages.

Davies was unveiled as Terry Westley's replacement on June 2, 2006 along with his coaching staff, including no.2 Julian Darby.

Davies was born on May 31, 1964 in Glasgow. He started his career as a midfielder at Rangers, spending six years at Ibrox Park and then moved to IF Elsborg where he had a short spell.

He returned from Sweden in the closing stages of his career and had stints at St Mirren, Leicester City, Dunfermline and Motherwell.

At Fir Park, he started to learn the managerial ropes and almost steered Motherwell to European football. However, poor form followed and he was subsequently dismissed in 2002-03.

Former Scotland manager Craig Brown saw great potential in Davies and appointed him as his assistant at Preston.

Davies got the top job at Deepdale in 2004. A year later, in May 2005, he took Preston close to the Premiership but the side lost to West Ham in the ultimate showdown.

In the following campaign, Preston passed through a bad patch in the first phase but then a remarkable sequence of 22 games without defeat - they equalled club record set in Invincibles' double of 1888 - earned them a place in the play-offs, losing to Leeds in the semi-finals.

During that season, Davies won the managerial award twice to add to the three he had claimed in the Scottish league while at Motherwell.

Last November, he received another such accolade for a run of six straight wins in The Championship.

During his time at Preston, he failed in his bid to take over at Charlton after being given the green light to apply for the job.

It was at this stage that he decided to find a more ambitious club than Preston and opted for Derby.

The Charlton setback had given Davies the hunger to manage in the top flight and his wish could be fulfilled if he continues on the good road at Pride Park.

Can Davies's Derby replace Charlton (or anyone for that matter), the club that turned him down, in the Premier League next May?

Last season the Rams struggled and finished just two places above the relegation zone.

But the takeover by local businessmen improved their financial position and now they have high hopes of a more positive outlook under the guidance of Davies.

£1 million signing

His first capture came in late July when striker Steve Howard was signed from Luton Town for £1 million - Derby's biggest signing since 2001.

In the first half of the season, Derby played steadily and kept the pace with the front-runners.

Yet, almost 85 per cent of their wins have all been achieved with a difference of a single goal, giving the fans a nerve-racking time.

When asked about the side's ambitions, Davies remarked that for six or seven years Derby had been fighting against demotion and now they were only six months into a long-term rebuilding plan.

Derby's first signing this month could probably be Manchester United midfielder David Jones. He is expected to sign for Derby on a permanent move (£1m) after his loan spell at Pride Park.

The New Year's 2-1 win at ex-club Preston went down nicely for Davies since the three points sent his side to the runners-up spot (just three points below leaders Birmingham). Preston are third.