BUT for the fateful intervention of a squeaky voiced ginger-haired World Cup winner, Worcester City's full- back Allan Davies could have been plying his skills in the Premiership with Southampton alongside the likes of Matt Le Tissier and Marian Pahars.

Unfortunately within days of Davies agreeing a permanent move to the Saints, Alan Ball arrived at the club and promptly went out and spent £500,000 on Alan Neilson thus scuppering his hopes.

"It was very disappointing and it took 12 months to get over it," he said.

"I'd been told that everything had been agreed with Ian Branfoot and I was living down there, had friends and was talking personal terms and then suddenly it's all taken away.

"One moment you're playing with Matt Le Tissier and the next you're playing in front of 200 people and mentally it was very difficult to cope with."

Davies, who started as a Man City trainee had two spells at Southampton and played in two first-team testimonials. Behind him in goal was the clown prince of goalkeepers - Bruce Grobbelaar.

"He was fantastic to me. He knew I was on trial and took me aside to give me support and was brilliant."

Now enjoying a run of five games back in the John Barton's side after a spell out through injury and suspension, Davies is looking forward to helping City get back into contention in the league.

"The manager and the players feel we have under-achieved to this point when the expectation was that we would be up their challenging but you can't compensate for the injuries we have had," he said.

"We've definitely not been firing on all cylinders but hopefully the Rushden match is going to be a turning point and that is what we have to make it.

"I think that three or four wins in this league puts you straight back in there. You only have to look at the results every weekend and you cannot believe them so if we can string a decent run together we will be right back in there."