24/5/03 - Davies is eager for title win

The 30-year-old full-back has been close on three occasions, picking up runners-up spot each time with Burton Albion, and remains as ambitious as ever to overcome the final hurdle and lift the Dr Martens Premier Division.

"I want to win the league, it's as simple as that," says Davies.

"At this level I've won the league cup, finished runners up three times but I want to try and win the league.

"I've had a chat with John Barton about it and the need for me to be more disciplined in my approach in terms of fitness and I've got the appetite for another go at it."

Davies is currently recovering from a groin operation, and a slip in the garden aside, is on target to complete a full pre season programme, an opportunity which was denied to him last year through an ankle injury.

As the dust settles on City's aborted title challenge Davies offers a balanced view on where it all went right and wrong for the St George's Lane club.

"I think we were thin on the ground regarding numbers and we did well to get away with it as long as we did," he said.

"That caught up with us eventually and where Tamworth could change their team around and bring in fresh legs we didn't have that luxury.

"It's also quite clear we missed Mark Owen's goals and I think we were 15 goals shy of being serious contenders."

With the Dr Martens league becoming more competitive year by year Davies believes the key to success lies in consistency and developing the right attitude.

"The last four years it has been anybody's league and the standard of teams is getting closer as the results prove - anybody can beat anybody on their day," he added.

"If you take Stafford for example I wouldn't take many players out of their team and put them in ours yet they finished above us.

"Consistency is the key and having a winning mentality and grabbing draws out of games you should perhaps have lost. I don't think we defended as well as we could after Christmas and the mentality of not losing disappeared."