Dave Simpson (soccer) facts for kids
Simpson in 2008
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David Anthony Simpson Knight | ||
| Date of birth | January 11, 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Scarborough, Ontario | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward/Winger/Midfield | ||
| Youth career | |||
| North Scarborough SC | |||
| Erin Mills SC | |||
| 2001 | Stuttgart | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002 | Royal Antwerp | 2 | (0) |
| 2003 | Hamilton Thunder | 11 | (4) |
| 2005 | Toronto Lynx | 18 | (3) |
| 2006 | Lombard-Pápa | 12 | (1) |
| 2006–2008 | Sparta Prague | 1 | (0) |
| 2007 | → Kladno (loan) | 15 | (2) |
| 2008 | → SIAD Most (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2008 | Dunaújváros | 23 | (5) |
| 2009 | Integrál | 15 | (6) |
| 2010 | Chonburi | 8 | (1) |
| 2011 | Mississauga Eagles FC | 9 | (6) |
| 2012 | Brantford Galaxy | 10 | (7) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2003 | Canada U20 | 4 | (1) |
| 2008 | Canada | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 2 January 2010 |
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Dave Simpson (born David Anthony Simpson Knight on January 11, 1983) is a Canadian retired footballer. He played as a forward, winger, or midfielder. Dave is known for being the first Canadian to play for AC Sparta Prague in the Czech Republic and Chonburi F.C. in Thailand.
Contents
Early Football Days
Dave Simpson started playing football at a young age. He joined the North Scarborough SC youth team. When he was 17, he played in the Welsh International Super Cup. He was amazing, scoring 14 goals in just 5 games! This earned him the "Golden Boot Winner" award.
After that, Dave joined the Erin Mills Soccer Club. In 2001, he traveled to Stuttgart, Germany, with his team. They played against youth teams, including VfB Stuttgart. Dave impressed the Stuttgart coach so much that he was asked to play with their team for the second half of a game. He later signed with VfB Stuttgart's U19 team and stayed there until the end of 2001.
Professional Career Highlights
After his time in Germany, Dave almost joined a Hungarian team. But then he signed a five-year contract with Royal Antwerp FC in Belgium. Due to some paperwork issues, he could only play in practice games for three months. The club then faced money problems, and he left in 2002.
Playing in Canada
In 2003, Dave came back to Canada. He joined Hamilton Thunder in the Canadian Professional Soccer League. He scored his first goal for Hamilton on June 7, 2003. Dave helped Hamilton win their first title as Western Conference champions. However, they lost in the playoff semi-finals. After some contract disagreements, he missed the entire 2004 season.
On April 19, 2005, Dave joined the Toronto Lynx. He played his first game for them on April 23, 2005. He scored his first two goals for the Lynx in a 4–4 tie against the Puerto Rico Islanders on May 28, 2005.
Adventures in Europe
In 2006, Dave went back to Europe. He signed with Lombard-Pápa TFC in Hungary. His team was moved down to a lower league at the end of the season.
Later in 2006, Dave made history. He became the first Canadian-born player to sign with AC Sparta Prague, a big club in the Czech Republic. After a new coach joined, Dave was loaned to SK Kladno. He scored in his second game for Kladno. However, he got a concussion in a game and had to miss most of the season.
In 2007, Dave extended his contract with Sparta Prague. He was later loaned to FK SIAD Most in early 2008. Dave was playing well until he was in a car crash. This kept him out of action for two weeks. In the summer of 2008, Dave and Sparta Prague decided to end his contract.
More Club Moves
Dave then tried out for Viborg FF and Toronto FC. He eventually signed with Dunaújváros FC in Hungary. He was their top goal scorer with five goals. In February 2009, Dunaújváros FC closed down because of money problems. Dave then joined Integrál-DAC, where he scored 11 goals and was again the top scorer. But Integrál-DAC also closed down in the summer of 2009, making him a free agent.
On June 25, 2009, Dave played in a charity match. He was part of a team with famous player Zinedine Zidane. Dave helped set up a tying goal in the last moments of the game.
Playing in Asia and Retirement
In July 2010, Dave signed with Chonburi F.C. in Thailand. He was the first Canadian to play in the Thai Premier League. He scored his first goal in his second game. While with Chonburi, he won the Thai FA Cup in 2010. The next year, he stopped playing professional football because of injuries.
In April 2011, Dave came out of retirement. He signed with his hometown club, Mississauga Eagles FC, in the Canadian Soccer League. He was named the team captain. In 2012, he played for Brantford Galaxy. He scored seven goals in ten games. After some changes with the team's coach, Dave and several other players left the team.
Playing for Canada
Dave Simpson played for Canada's national youth teams. He was part of the U17, U18, and U20 teams. In 2003, he played in 4 matches for the U20 team and scored 1 goal.
He was also called to play for the senior men's national team. In 2007, he was considered for the Gold Cup tournament. Dave earned his first official game for Canada's senior team on January 30, 2008. This was during a 1–0 win against Martinique.
Achievements
Dave Simpson has won some important titles during his career:
- Club
- AC Sparta Prague:
- Gambrinus liga Championship: 2007
- Champions League Qualification in 2007
- Chonburi:
- Thailand FA Cup Champions in 2010
About Dave's Life
Dave Simpson was born in Toronto, Ontario, and grew up in North York. His mother, Ann Knight, is from Portugal and Barbados. His father, Bovrell Simpson, is from Jamaica.
In 2010, Dave was diagnosed with Stargardt disease. This is an eye disease that affects central vision and can cause vision problems. He had been living with the disease since he was 18, but he didn't know about it until then. Dave became a father on September 24, 2011, when his daughter Jaya was born. He married Janelle Nathaniel, a former model from the Czech Republic, in 2012.
Dave Simpson holds some special records. He was involved in the highest transfer fees (when a player moves between clubs) for both the Toronto Lynx and Lombard-Pápa TFC. He also remains the only Canadian player to ever play for the big Thai Premier League club, Chonburi F.C.
