Kelvin Davis signs new Saints deal (From This is Hampshire)

Kelvin Davis signs new Saints deal

1:00pm Friday 8th March 2013 in Hampshire Sport

KELVIN Davis could have been granted his wish of finishing his playing career at Saints, after the club extended the keeper’s contract until 2016.

Club captain Davis, 36, is the longest serving member of the squad at St Mary’s, and his updated deal will now take him through to his testimonial season.

Davis, who joined from Sunderland for a fee of £1m in 2006, was due to see his previous contract expire in the summer of 2014.

A new deal looked unlikely after he lost the number one position on two occasions this season, limiting him to just eight Premier League appearances.

But Saints have underlined their commitment to their skipper by awarding him another two years, which will take him to within a few months of his 40th birthday.

Davis has made 283 appearances for the club since moving to St Mary’s, and was a key figure in the back-to-back promotions that took the team from League One into the top flight.

He had the opportunity to leave for the Premier League and join West Ham after Saints had been relegated from the Championship in 2009, but opted to stay following Markus Liebherr’s takeover.

Davis has said before that he wants to reach the 300 appearance mark for the club, while he has also indicated he would be keen to move into coaching after he hangs up his gloves.