Davies claims to be victim of red card ploy

He may have committed 153 more fouls than any other player in Premier League history but Kevin Davies, the Bolton Wanderers striker, insists he is the victim of a deliberate attempt by opposition managers to get him cautioned or sent off.

Davies has claimed ahead of today's game at Aston Villa that opposition players have been ordered to go to ground when he is close to them. "Certain teams or managers will just say 'go down' if I'm anywhere near and try and get you booked," Davies said yesterday. "It goes on quite a lot. There's been a few games where it's obvious to me that people have been told to go over the top and make a meal of any contact with me.

"They do that to try and get me out of the game. I don't mind it really, I just get on with it and do the job. I would like to see men stand up and take it a bit more."