Kelvin Davis on Southampton career and becoming Eastleigh manager

When Davis arrived in Hampshire, nearly 20 years ago, the experienced shot-stopper had endured Premier League relegation with an all-time low points tally at Sunderland.

When he finally hung up the gloves 10 years later at the age of 40, Davis had experienced further relegation, back-to-back promotions and European football.

Emerging on the right side of that turbulence, 299 appearances - and performances like that against Leeds at Elland Road - made Davis a Saints hero. 

“Southampton will always be a massive part of my career,” Davis told the Daily Echo.

Kelvin Davis introduces himself to the Eastleigh supporters (Image: Graham Scambler) 

“The way it ended for me on the pitch was as good as I think it could be, to have a testimonial after 10 years and have the club finish in the highest position it’s finished.

“I am genuinely thankful for how that turned out. Saints fans know that I have always appreciated them.

“Now, when you move into management, I wouldn’t say you’re starting again but it’s about carving out a career in a new direction.”

Davis did not disappear from the club when his playing career finished and he worked towards his UEFA Pro Coaching License.

After a brief stint working behind the scenes, Davis became a first-team coach in December 2017 and maintained that role for nearly five years before his dismissal in one last roll of the dice on Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Now four games into his fledgling management career, Davis finds himself calling on the experience of former bosses - as varied as George Burley and Nigel Adkins to Mauricio Pochettino and Ronald Koeman.

“I am extremely fortunate to have worked with some super high-level coaches and people, and that is managers I worked under and with,” Davis said.

Kelvin Davis made 299 appearances for Saints

“Every coach gets to the stage where they want to go their own way but often I feel myself having images of previous managers imprinted in how I want to do things.

“I am very fortunate to have those experiences, and from a leadership side of things we had guys like Les Reed, Ralph Krueger and Ross Wilson, seeing how important it is to treat people right.”

He continued: “You always look at what your experiences have taught you and there were some tough times, I found myself in some difficult positions as a player.

“We are still very connected to what we felt like as players and we say that to the group in debriefs and team meetings.

"I don’t feel like it was that long ago I was sitting in that chair looking at the details on the screen.

“We are trying to create an environment where the team are in it together, it’s their game plan to perform and it’s right to ask that question they might have.”

Davis admits he had some sleepless nights in the build-up to his first few days at Eastleigh, appointed on February 19. 

The Spitfires were without a win in 11 matches in all competitions before Richard Hill's exit and at risk of being drawn into a relegation scrap.

Eastleigh were knocked out of the FA Cup third round after a replay with Newport County (Image: PA)

Some strong early results have helped the process but Davis has settled into his work at the Silverlake Stadium. 

Davis is on an initial deal until the end of the season. All parties hold interest in extending that but the focus is first on securing the club's National League status.

"I feel like I have been here a lot longer," the 47 year old insisted, reflecting on his first month as boss. 

"The first few days were a whirlwind, we got a call on Saturday night, met up on Sunday and then were taking a session on Monday for Tuesday’s game.

"I think the familiarity of the area helped and I have been down the Silverlake before, I have taken my kids down there to watch games."

Davis has an 18 year old lad, Sonnie, currently playing with his shirt tucked in at right-back for Southampton's under-21s academy side. 

"I took Sonnie down there because I didn’t want him to be blinkered by the Premier League and wanted him to see the different levels of football," he added. 

"Getting in the office and getting to know the environment, Jason (Bristow, assistant) and Vince (Bartram, goalkeeper coach), it felt like I had been there a lot longer.

"I worked with Vince at Saints and felt like I knew Jason from seeing him on the touchline. The staff in place are the continuity and the people are the essence of the club."

It has been a promising start to his tenure with Eastleigh, with a 5-2 win at Oxford City just 48 hours after his appointment last month.

The Spitfires followed that up with a home win over highly-tipped playoff contenders Bromley four days later.

Although, only one point has followed in the next two - Solihull Moors scored a last-minute equaliser in a 3-3 draw at the Silverlake last weekend.

Davis said: "We had to try and understand everyone’s capabilities to understand what we want to achieve as a club.

Eastleigh went 5-0 up at Oxford City in his first game in charge (Image: Graham Scambler)

"We got a great response in the first couple of weeks and the performances were fantastic. We couldn’t have asked for any more.

"Every coach has ideas and we haven’t got a massive pool for a squad so the players you’ve got are who you’re working with.

"I like to play an intense game of football with high energy and high pressing. We want to keep the ball, but you have to be aware of the limitations of the players.

"There is always lots to improve on, you’re trying to get a perfect performance and the players have found a level we can work at immediately."

It was notable that Davis listed everyone from the chairman to the kitman to the club secretary as integral to the organisation's performance. 

The club have allowed him to bring in a former Saints teammate, Danny Butterfield, as assistant manager. 

Butterfield, 44, made 54 appearances for Saints between 2010-2013 and has forged his own coaching career in recent years. 

He coached in the Saints academy for two years and has held prominent roles at MK Dons, Macclesfield Town and Lincoln City. 

Butterfield was also a hugely popular loans manager at Saints before departing to become assistant boss at Lincoln in December 2022. 

"Mine and Danny’s relationship is built on playing together and a friendship," Davis said. 

Kelvin Davis and assistant boss Danny Butterfield (Image: Graham Scambler)

"We have a group which are family friends with the likes of Dan Harding, Richard Chaplow, Lee Holmes and these guys.

"For whatever reason, we have stayed in touch and our kids are friends and hopefully we will always be friends. That is a bond that football and being a team has given us.

"The opportunity for me and Danny to put our heads together in a professional sense has been great - he wouldn’t be with me if I didn’t think so much of him as a coach and a football person.

"Likewise, I am sure Danny wouldn’t want to work with me if I had different ideas or was a different type of character. The connection we have is strong we are open-minded guys."

Eastleigh have nine fixtures left until the conclusion of their league season and a six-point gap between themselves in the drop zone.

Once their National League membership for an 11th successive campaign is confirmed they will press on with plans for next term. 

"In football, you never know what’s going to happen," Davis concluded. 

"But what I do know is the commitment and open-mindedness to make something better that Eastleigh will definitely receive from myself and the staff.

"We are really hoping that we can put ourselves in a position to be thinking about next season sooner rather than later."