View source for Danny Simpson

{{Short description|English footballer (born 1987)}}
{{for-multi|the Brookside character|Sean Smith (Brookside)|the footballer of the early 20th century|Danny Simpson (early footballer)}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Danny Simpson
| image = Danny Simpson LCFC (cropped) 3.jpg
| caption = Simpson with [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] in 2016
| full_name = Daniel Peter Simpson<ref>{{cite web |title=Updated squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/612828 |publisher=Premier League |date=2 February 2018 |access-date=11 February 2018 }}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|1|4|df=y}}<ref name="Hugman2010-11">{{cite book |editor-first=Barry J. |editor-last=Hugman |title=The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11 |year=2010 |publisher=Mainstream Publishing |location=Edinburgh |isbn=978-1-84596-601-0 |page=379 }}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Eccles, Greater Manchester]], England
| height = {{convert|1.76|m|order=flip}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lcfc.com/players/3157/Danny-Simpson/profile |title=Danny Simpson |publisher=Leicester City F.C. |access-date=22 December 2018}}</ref>
| position = [[Right-back]]
| youthyears1 = 2003–2006
| youthclubs1 = [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]
| years1 = 2006–2010
| clubs1 = [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]
| caps1 = 3
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2006
| clubs2 = → [[Royal Antwerp F.C.|Royal Antwerp]] (loan)
| caps2 = 30
| goals2 = 1
| years4 = 2007
| clubs4 = → [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] (loan)
| caps4 = 14
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2008
| clubs5 = → [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] (loan)
| caps5 = 8
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2008–2009
| clubs6 = → [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]] (loan)
| caps6 = 12
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2009–2010
| clubs7 = → [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] (loan)
| caps7 = 20
| goals7 = 1
| years8 = 2010–2013
| clubs8 = [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]]
| caps8 = 103
| goals8 = 0
| years9 = 2013–2014
| clubs9 = [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]]
| caps9 = 37
| goals9 = 0
| years10 = 2014–2019
| clubs10 = [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]]
| caps10 = 113
| goals10 = 0
| years11 = 2019–2020
| clubs11 = [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]]
| caps11 = 24
| goals11 = 0
| years12 = 2021–2022
| clubs12 = [[Bristol City F.C.|Bristol City]]
| caps12 = 7
| goals12 = 0
| years13 = 2023–2024
| clubs13 = [[Macclesfield F.C.|Macclesfield]]
| caps13 = 0
| goals13 = 0
| totalcaps = 371
| totalgoals = 2
}}
'''Daniel Peter Simpson''' (born 4 January 1987) is an English former professional [[association football|footballer]] who played as a [[right-back]]. He started his career at [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] in the [[Premier League]], later loaned for [[Royal Antwerp F.C.|Royal Antwerp]], [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]], [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]], [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]] and [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] during his professional development.

He signed for Newcastle on a permanent basis in January 2010, before relocating to [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] on a free transfer in June 2013. He signed for [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] in 2014, then newly promoted to the [[Premier League]]. He was part of the Leicester squad that avoided relegation, in his first season, before winning the Premier League title in the [[2015–16 Leicester City F.C. season|2015–16 season]]. He left Leicester for [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]] in 2019, but was released a year later. He then joined [[Bristol City]] where he made seven appearances for the club between 2021 and 2022, after this he joined [[Macclesfield FC|Macclesfield]] where he didn't make a single appearance, retiring after that.

He had an [[Exhibition fight|exhibition boxing match]] in [[Danny Aarons vs Danny Simpson|August 2024]] against Danny Aarons at the [[3Arena (Dublin)|3Arena]]. The bout ended in a split draw.

==Football career==
===Manchester United===
[[File:Danny simpson.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Simpson pictured during his time at [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] in 2009]]

Simpson was born in [[Eccles, Greater Manchester|Eccles]], [[Greater Manchester]],<ref name="Hugman2010-11"/> to a Jamaican father and English mother.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/JFF-nets-eight---Beckford--McAnuff-among-recruits-from-UK-trip_13066699 |title=JFF nets eight – Beckford, McAnuff among recruits from UK trip |first=Jamaica Observer |last=Limited |website=Jamaica Observer |access-date=16 December 2016 |archive-date=11 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911191608/http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/JFF-nets-eight---Beckford--McAnuff-among-recruits-from-UK-trip_13066699 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Simpson played for Parkwyddn JFC in [[Eccles, Greater Manchester|Eccles]] as a youth before being picked up by [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]. He is a product of the [[Manchester United F.C. Reserves and Academy|Manchester United youth system]], having come up through the ranks into the reserve squad in 2005.

In early January 2006, he was sent on loan, along with three other United youths, to the [[Belgian Second Division]] club [[Royal Antwerp F.C.|Royal Antwerp]] for the remainder of the season, to gain match experience.<ref>{{cite news |first=Adam |last=Marshall |title=Another United loanee |url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11667_2362508,00.html |work=Sky Sports |publisher=BSkyB |date=7 January 2006 |access-date=10 November 2008}}</ref> Simpson also spent the first half of the 2006–07 season at Antwerp before returning to United in January 2007.<ref>{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Bartram |title=Youngsters join Antwerp |url=http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=355888 |publisher=Manchester United |date=18 August 2006 |access-date=10 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918045750/http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid=%7BB4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70%7D&newsid=355888 |archive-date=18 September 2012 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

On 25 January 2007, he joined [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] on loan for the rest of the season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sunderland sign Simpson on loan |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/6300117.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=25 January 2007 |access-date=10 November 2008}}</ref> The loan move saw him link up with fellow Manchester United player [[Jonny Evans]]. He won the Championship title with Sunderland that season. Simpson returned to United at the start of the [[2007–08 Manchester United F.C. season|2007–08 season]] and signed a new contract in September 2007 that would keep him at the club until 2010.<ref>{{cite news |title=Man Utd hand new deal to Simpson |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/6979964.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=5 September 2007 |access-date=10 November 2008}}</ref> He made his first competitive appearance for United on 26 September 2007 in the 2–0 [[Football League Cup|League Cup]] loss to [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Man Utd 0–2 Coventry |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/7008020.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=26 September 2007 |access-date=10 November 2008}}</ref> and soon after made his [[Premier League]] debut on 6 October 2007 against [[Wigan Athletic F.C.|Wigan Athletic]] at [[Old Trafford]], coming on as a 30th-minute [[substitute (football)|substitute]] for the injured [[John O'Shea]]. He set up the fourth goal with a well flighted cross for [[Wayne Rooney]]. The match ended with a 4–0 win to United.<ref>{{cite news |first=John |last=Sinnott |title=Man Utd 4–0 Wigan |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7019619.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=6 October 2007 |access-date=6 October 2007}}</ref> His European debut came on 23 October 2007, when he came on as an 80th-minute substitute for [[Ryan Giggs]] against [[FC Dynamo Kyiv|Dynamo Kyiv]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Saj |last=Chowdhury |title=Dynamo Kiev 2–4 Man Utd |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7054215.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=23 October 2007 |access-date=10 November 2008}}</ref> His first European start was in the reverse fixture against Dynamo Kyiv on 7 November 2007; United won the game 4–0.<ref>{{cite news |first=Phil |last=McNulty |title=Man Utd 4–0 Dynamo Kiev |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7076590.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=7 November 2007 |access-date=10 November 2008}}</ref>

On 21 March 2008, Simpson signed a loan deal with [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]]. With [[Gary Neville]] on the verge of returning to the Manchester United first team, United manager [[Alex Ferguson]] decided it was best for Simpson to get as much first team football as possible, something that would be quite hard to come by at Old Trafford with both Gary Neville and [[Wes Brown]] ahead of Simpson in the pecking order.<ref>{{cite news |first=Adam |last=Bostock |title=Simpson out as Nev nears return |url=http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=543149 |publisher=Manchester United |date=21 March 2008 |access-date=21 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080324124052/http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid=%7BB4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70%7D&newsid=543149 |archive-date=24 March 2008 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

On 4 August 2008, Simpson signed for [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]] on a season-long loan deal.<ref>{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Bartram |title=Simmo joins Rovers on loan |url=http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=6615332 |publisher=Manchester United |date=4 September 2008 |access-date=4 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014201455/http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid=%7BB4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70%7D&newsid=6615332 |archive-date=14 October 2008 |url-status=dead  }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Blackburn sign Man Utd's Simpson |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/blackburn_rovers/7541677.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=4 August 2008 |access-date=4 August 2008}}</ref> Simpson made his Blackburn debut on 27 August 2008, playing in Rovers' 4–1 win over [[Grimsby Town F.C.|Grimsby Town]] in the [[Football League Cup|League Cup]] Second Round.<ref>{{cite news |title=Blackburn 4–1 Grimsby |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/7576508.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=27 August 2008 |access-date=28 August 2008}}</ref> His Premier League debut for Blackburn Rovers came almost three weeks later, on 13 September 2008, in a 4–0 defeat at home to [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Sam |last=Lyon |title=Blackburn 0–4 Arsenal |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7601879.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=13 September 2008 |access-date=13 September 2008}}</ref>
With the exception of Blackburn's League Cup Fifth Round defeat by Manchester United, which he was forced to miss because of a clause in his loan agreement, Simpson was ever-present for Blackburn during their League Cup and FA Cup campaigns. He also played in 11 out of the 14 league matches for which he was eligible prior to Christmas 2008, although he was named on the bench for the other three. After Christmas, Simpson only played in one further league match, another 4–0 defeat to Arsenal,<ref>{{cite news |first=Ian |last=Hughes |title=Arsenal 4–0 Blackburn |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7944245.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=14 March 2009 |access-date=28 April 2009}}</ref> and in early May 2009, with his first team opportunities limited at Blackburn, the loan agreement was terminated early and he returned to train with Manchester United.<ref>{{cite news |first=Chris |last=Burton |title=Home form gives Sam hope |url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_5299066,00.html |work=Sky Sports |publisher=BSkyB |date=8 May 2009 |access-date=14 August 2009}}</ref>

===Newcastle United===
[[File:Danny Simpson - 2009.jpg|thumb|upright|Simpson playing for [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] in 2009]]

On 14 August 2009, Simpson joined [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] on loan until January 2010,<ref>{{cite news |title=Simpson makes Magpies loan switch |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/8201408.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=14 August 2009 |access-date=14 August 2009}}</ref> making his debut in a 1–0 victory over [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]] at St. James' Park. He scored his first goal for Newcastle against Peterborough United on 7 November 2009.

Following the completion of the loan deal, Newcastle made a bid to keep Simpson on a permanent basis. An undisclosed fee, reported as being in the region of £750,000,<ref>{{cite news |title=Everton keen on loan move for Arsenal's Philippe Senderos |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article6995850.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604153052/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article6995850.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 June 2011 |work=The Times |date=21 January 2010 |access-date=21 January 2010 |location=London |first1=Gary |last1=Jacob |first2=Tony |last2=Barrett |first3=George |last3=Caulkin}}</ref> was agreed between Newcastle and Manchester United and Simpson signed a three-and-a-half-year contract on 20 January 2010.<ref>{{cite news |title=Newcastle sign Manchester United defender Danny Simpson |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/8469941.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=20 January 2010 |access-date=21 January 2010}}</ref>

He played a solid part in Newcastle's promotion to the Premier League, winning his second Championship title in the process, while forming a right flank partnership with January signing [[Wayne Routledge]]. Towards the end of the season, he "played through the pain" with what he considered a small ankle injury. He only realised the full extent of the ankle injury at the end of the season, and he had an operation to correct it. He was out for three months, including the first month or so of Newcastle's season.<ref>{{cite web |author=Mark Douglas |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/danny-simpson-reveals-full-injury-1416407 |title=Danny Simpson reveals his full injury blow |publisher=Chronicle Live |date=24 June 2010 |access-date=23 June 2013}}</ref> Simpson returned to action from his injury lay off, playing two reserve games in October. He made his first start of the new season in Newcastle's 2–1 victory over [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]], replacing [[James Perch]] at right back. Simpson kept his right-back spot with consistently strong performances, forming a strong partnership with [[Joey Barton]] on the right flank.

On 20 September 2011, Simpson scored a curler in Newcastle's 4–3 win over [[Football League Championship|Championship]] side [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]] in the third round of the [[Football League Cup|League Cup]].

On 10 December 2011, Simpson started alongside [[James Perch]] at center back in place of the injured [[Steven Taylor (footballer)|Steven Taylor]] and [[Fabricio Coloccini]] for Newcastle's 4–2 defeat at [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]]. He had played at right back for the beginning of the season.

===Queens Park Rangers===
After his contract with Newcastle expired at the end of the 2012–13 season, Simpson signed a three-year deal with Championship club [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] on 27 June 2013.<ref>{{cite news |title=Exclusive: Simpson Signs |url=http://www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/270613-exclusive-simpson-signs-882907.aspx |publisher=Queens Park Rangers F.C. |access-date=28 June 2013 |date=27 June 2013}}</ref> He scored his first goal for QPR in a [[Football League Cup|League Cup]] tie against [[Exeter City F.C.|Exeter City]] on 6 August 2013.<ref>{{cite news |title=Exeter 0–2 QPR |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23499499 |website=BBC Sport |date=6 August 2013 |access-date=6 August 2013}}</ref> He made 36 Championship appearances for QPR as they earned promotion via [[2015 Football League play-offs|the play-offs]].{{citation needed|date=September 2017}}

===Leicester City===
[[File:Danny Simpson LCFC.jpg|thumb|Simpson and his daughter celebrating Leicester's title win on 7 May 2016]]

On 30 August 2014 signed a three-year contract for fellow promoted team [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] for an undisclosed fee.<ref name="simpson_leicester">{{cite news |title=Danny Simpson joins Leicester City from QPR on three-year deal |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28998920 |access-date=21 May 2015 |website=BBC Sport |date=30 August 2014}}</ref> Simpson made his Leicester debut in a 2–0 defeat against [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] off the bench on 27 September 2014. However, he didn't make his second appearance for the club until 7 December against [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]], as he often struggled to get into the side ahead of regular right back [[Ritchie De Laet]]. Simpson made 14 appearances overall for Leicester in the 2014–15 season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Danny Simpson |url=http://www.foxestalk.co.uk/forums/history/players?pid=1541 |website=FoxesTalk – History |access-date=12 June 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024090438/http://www.foxestalk.co.uk/forums/history/players?pid=1541 |archive-date=24 October 2016}}</ref>

In the [[2015–16 Leicester City F.C. season|2015–16 season]], under the new management of [[Claudio Ranieri]], De Laet was again preferred ahead of Simpson to begin with. However, following a 5–2 defeat by [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]], Ranieri changed his full backs bringing Simpson in for De Laet helping to shore up Leicester's defence, as Simpson was considered a much more defensive full-back than De Laet and "rarely ventured forward".<ref>{{cite news |title=How Claudio Ranieri's tactics put his rivals to shame at Leicester City |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/04/30/how-claudio-ranieris-tactics-put-his-rivals-to-shame-at-leiceste/ |last=Gill |first=JJ |date=30 April 2016 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |access-date=12 June 2016}}</ref> Leicester went on to win the [[2015–16 Premier League]] title, and Simpson earned a winner's medal with 30 league appearances.<ref name="PremProfile"/>

He was released by Leicester at the end of the 2018–19 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48205542|title=Leicester's Christian Fuchs signs new deal as Danny Simpson & Shinji Okazaki leave|date=8 May 2019|access-date=9 May 2019|website=BBC Sport}}</ref>

In February and March 2021, Simpson began playing with the [[Leicester City F.C. Under-23s and Academy|Leicester City U23s]] squad in order to regain match fitness.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/title-winner-danny-simpson-playing-4985405|title=Why title-winner Danny Simpson is playing for Leicester City again|publisher=Leicestershirelive.com|date=9 February 2021|access-date=8 March 2021}}</ref>

===Huddersfield Town===
After being released by Leicester, Simpson signed a deal until the end of the 2019–20 season with [[EFL Championship]] side [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Lee |last=Ryder |title=Transfer: Danny Simpson signs for Town |url=https://www.htafc.com/SimpsonSigns |publisher=Huddersfield Town AFC |date=27 September 2019 }}</ref>

===Bristol City===
On 26 March 2021, Simpson joined [[Bristol City F.C.|Bristol City]] on a deal until the end of the season. The move reunited him with former Leicester manager [[Nigel Pearson]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56541614|title=Danny Simpson: Bristol City sign ex-Leicester right-back until end of season|website=BBC Sport|date=26 March 2021|access-date=26 March 2021}}</ref>

On 23 June 2021, it was announced Simpson had signed a new 1-year contract extension with the club. This was brought to an end early on 7 March 2022, when Simpson's contract was cancelled by mutual consent.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60645973 |title=Danny Simpson: Bristol City cancel full-back's contract by mutual consent |website=BBC Sport |date=7 March 2022 |accessdate=7 March 2022}}</ref>

===As a free agent===
Simpson began making appearances as a TV pundit in 2022. Despite this, he confirmed in a December 2022 interview, whilst launching a campaign to better support players' mental health at the end of their careers, that he was not yet retired, and was still training in the hope of finding a new club.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-united-academy-danny-simpson-25631169 |title=Manchester United academy player won 'impossible' Premier League but is now facing an even bigger challenge |website=Manchester Evening News |date=4 December 2022 |accessdate=27 December 2022}}</ref> As of May 2023, he was training with [[Macclesfield F.C.|Macclesfield]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://talksport.com/football/1377150/premier-league-danny-simpson-retirement-leicester |title=I was a Premier League title winner with Leicester – now I'm scared of retiring and help elite athletes deal with 'real world' after sport |website=talkSPORT |date=19 May 2023 |accessdate=23 July 2023}}</ref>

By October 2023, he had returned to Manchester United to study for his coaching badges whilst weighing up the next step in his career, alongside fellow ex-United player [[Phil Jones (footballer, born 1992)|Phil Jones]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-united-academy-danny-simpson-27855048 |title=Why Danny Simpson has returned to Manchester United |website=Manchester Evening News |date=6 October 2023 |accessdate=4 November 2023}}</ref>

===Macclesfield===
In December 2023, Simpson was signed by [[Northern Premier League]] Premier Division club [[Macclesfield F.C.|Macclesfield]], making his debut on 5 December in the [[Cheshire Senior Cup]] against [[Tranmere Rovers F.C.|Tranmere Rovers]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-manchester-united-player-danny-28243147|title=Former Manchester United player Danny Simpson makes football return|publisher=Manchester Evening News|date=6 December 2023|accessdate=20 December 2023}}</ref>

On 26 July 2024, Simpson announced his retirement from professional football.<ref>{{Citation |last=Harris |first=John |title=The football star |date=2017-06-14 |work=The English Premier League |pages=97–111 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781315636696-8 |access-date=2024-07-27 |publisher=Routledge |doi=10.4324/9781315636696-8 |isbn=978-1-315-63669-6|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== Boxing career ==

=== Simpson vs Aarons ===
{{Main|Danny Aarons vs Danny Simpson}}
On 7 August 2024, it was announced that Simpson would partake in an [[Exhibition fight|exhibition boxing match]] headlining [[Danny Aarons vs Danny Simpson|MF & DAZN: X Series 17]] at the [[3Arena (Dublin)|3Arena]] in [[Dublin]], Ireland against English [[YouTuber]] and [[Streamer (video gaming)|streamer]] Danny Aarons.<ref>{{Cite web |last=George |first=Glinski |date=7 August 2024 |title=Former Manchester United and Leicester footballer to make boxing debut on KSI Misfits card |url=https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/1999921/man-utd-leicester-boxing-debut-ksi-danny-simpson/ |website=talkSport}}</ref> During the leadup to the bout, Simpson and Aarons agreed that the winner will receive either Simpson's [[2015–16 Premier League]] title winner's medal or Aarons' [[YouTube Creator Awards|YouTube Creator Award]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ellis |first=Jordan |date=30 August 2024 |title=Danny Simpson will lose his Premier League winner's medal if boxing debut goes wrong |url=https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/2027511/danny-simpson-premier-league-medal-bet-boxing-debut/ |website=talkSport}}</ref>

The bout ended in a [[split draw]], with one judge scoring it 39–37 to Simpson, 39–37 to Aarons and 38–38.<ref name="MF17Card">{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Alexander K. |date=31 August 2024 |title=Misfits Boxing 17 results: Danny Aarons battles Premier League champion Danny Simpson to draw |url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/8/31/24233161/misfits-boxing-17-results-danny-aarons-battles-premier-league-champion-danny-simpson-to-draw |website=[[MMA Fighting]]}}</ref> Both men indicated they were interested in a rematch following the announcement of the result.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schuller |first=Rudi |date=31 August 2024 |title=Danny Aarons and Danny Simpson fight to a draw |url=https://www.dazn.com/en-GB/news/boxing/x-series-017-live-updates-highlights-results-from-danny-aarons-vs-danny-simpson/vd2eka9mwfe31ayrikn2pq62c |website=[[DAZN]]}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Simpson has two daughters, Skye who was born six weeks prematurely in mid-2011 and Vienna born in 2020.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/danny-simpson-reaching-skye-after-1402352 |location=Newcastle |work=Evening Chronicle |first=Lee |last=Ryder |title=Danny Simpson reaching for Skye after birth |date=3 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://nz.news.yahoo.com/challenge-melissa-reeves-welcomes-baby-031111362.html | title=The Challenge 's Melissa Reeves Welcomes Baby Girl: 'I Feel So Happy and Blessed' | date=9 June 2020 }}</ref>

On 20 May 2015, Simpson was found guilty of assaulting his then-girlfriend and mother of his child, Stephanie Ward, on 28 December 2014.<ref>{{cite news |title=Danny Simpson convicted of assaulting ex-girlfriend |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32820683 |website=BBC Sport |date=20 May 2015 |access-date=20 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Danny Simpson convicted of assaulting ex-girlfriend |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/32820683 |access-date=8 September 2020}}</ref> He was sentenced to 300 hours of community service.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33154782 |title=Danny Simpson to face Leicester hearing after assault sentence |website=BBC Sport |date=16 June 2015 |access-date=16 June 2015}}</ref> On 12 May 2016, his sentence was reviewed in light of press intrusion into his community service, and replaced with a 22:00 to 06:00 curfew for 21 days.<ref name=BBC36276824>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36276824 |title=Leicester City's Danny Simpson spared community service due to press intrusion |date=12 May 2016 |website=BBC Sport}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
[[File:Danny Simpson (1).jpg|thumb|upright|Simpson warming up for [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] in 2008]]

{{updated|match played 23 October 2021}}<ref>{{soccerbase|46064}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|National cup
!colspan="2"|League cup
!colspan="2"|Continental
!colspan="2"|Other{{efn|Includes appearances in the [[FA Community Shield]], [[UEFA Super Cup]], [[FIFA Club World Cup]] and [[Football League play-offs]]}}
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division
!Apps!!Goals
!Apps!!Goals
!Apps!!Goals
!Apps!!Goals
!Apps!!Goals
!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="6"|[[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]
|[[2005–06 Manchester United F.C. season|2005–06]]
|[[Premier League]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|[[2006–07 Manchester United F.C. season|2006–07]]
|Premier League
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|[[2007–08 Manchester United F.C. season|2007–08]]
|Premier League
|3||0||1||0||1||0||3||0||0||0||8||0
|-
|[[2008–09 Manchester United F.C. season|2008–09]]
|Premier League
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
|[[2009–10 Manchester United F.C. season|2009–10]]
|Premier League
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!3!!0!!1!!0!!1!!0!!3!!0!!0!!0!!8!!0
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Royal Antwerp F.C.|Royal Antwerp]] (loan)
|[[2005–06 in Belgian football|2005–06]]
|[[Belgian Second Division]]
|14||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||14||0
|-
|[[2006–07 in Belgian football|2006–07]]
|Belgian Second Division
|16||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||16||1
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!30!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!30!!1
|-
|[[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] (loan)
|[[2006–07 Sunderland A.F.C. season|2006–07]]
|[[Football League Championship|Championship]]
|14||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||14||0
|-
|[[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] (loan)
|[[2007–08 Ipswich Town F.C. season|2007–08]]
|Championship
|8||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||8||0
|-
|[[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]] (loan)
|[[2008–09 Blackburn Rovers F.C. season|2008–09]]
|Premier League
||12||0||5||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||20||0
|-
|[[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] (loan)
|[[2009–10 Newcastle United F.C. season|2009–10]]
|Championship
|20||1||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||22||1
|-
|rowspan="5"|Newcastle United
|[[2009–10 Newcastle United F.C. season|2009–10]]
|Championship
|19||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||19||0
|-
|[[2010–11 Newcastle United F.C. season|2010–11]]
|Premier League
|30||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||31||0
|-
|[[2011–12 Newcastle United F.C. season|2011–12]]
|Premier League
|35||0||2||0||3||1||0||0||0||0||40||1
|-
|[[2012–13 Newcastle United F.C. season|2012–13]]
|Premier League
|19||0||0||0||0||0||7||0||0||0||26||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!123!!1!!4!!0!!4!!1!!7!!0!!0!!0!!138!!2
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]]
|[[2013–14 Queens Park Rangers F.C. season|2013–14]]
|Championship
|36||0||1||0||2||1||0||0||3||0||42||1
|-
|[[2014–15 Queens Park Rangers F.C. season|2014–15]]
|Premier League
|1||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||2||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!37!!0!!1!!0!!3!!1!!0!!0!!3!!0!!44!!1
|-
|rowspan="6"|[[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]]
|[[2014–15 Leicester City F.C. season|2014–15]]
|Premier League
|14||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||16||0
|-
|[[2015–16 Leicester City F.C. season|2015–16]]
|Premier League
|30||0||1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||32||0
|-
|[[2016–17 Leicester City F.C. season|2016–17]]
|Premier League
|35||0||2||0||1||0||6||0||1||0||45||0
|-
|[[2017–18 Leicester City F.C. season|2017–18]]
|Premier League
|28||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||30||0
|-
|[[2018–19 Leicester City F.C. season|2018–19]]
|Premier League
|6||0||1||0||2||0||0||0||0||0||9||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!113!!0!!9!!0!!4!!0!!6!!0!!1!!0!!133!!0
|-
|[[Leicester City F.C. Under-23s and Academy|Leicester City U23]]
|[[2018–19 Leicester City F.C. season|2018–19]]
|colspan="1"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||1||0||1||0
|-
|[[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]]
|[[2019–20 Huddersfield Town A.F.C. season|2019–20]]
|Championship
|24||0||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||25||0
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Bristol City F.C.|Bristol City]]
|[[2020–21 Bristol City F.C. season|2020–21]]
|Championship
|4||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||4||0
|-
|[[2021-22 Bristol City F.C. season|2021–22]]
|Championship
|3||0||0||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||4||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!7!!0!!0!!0!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!8!!0
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!371!!2!!21!!0!!15!!2!!16!!0!!5!!0!!428!!4
|}

{{notelist}}

== Boxing record ==
{{BoxingRecordSummary|draws=1|nc=|ko-wins=|ko-losses=|dec-wins=|dec-losses=|dq-wins=|dq-losses=}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!{{abbr|No.|Number}}
!Result
!Record
!Opponent
!Type
!Round, time
!Date
!Location
!Notes
|-
|1
| style="background:#c5d2ea; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-draw" |Draw
| 0–0–1
| style="text-align:left;" |Danny Aarons
| {{Abbr|SD|Split draw}}
| 4
| [[Danny Aarons vs Danny Simpson|31 Aug 2024]]
| style="text-align:left;" |{{Small|[[3Arena (Dublin)|3Arena]], [[Dublin]], Ireland}}
| style="text-align:left;" |
|}

== Pay-per-view bouts ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ United Kingdom
!No.
!Date
!Fight
!Billing
!Network
!Buys
!Revenue
!Source(s)
|-
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | [[Danny Aarons vs Danny Simpson|31 August 2024]]
| align="center" | '''Aarons''' vs '''Simpson'''
| align="center"  {{N/A}}
| align="center" | [[DAZN]]
| align="center" {{TBA}}
| align="center" {{TBA}}
| align="center" {{TBA}}
|-
|}

==Honours==
'''Sunderland'''
*[[Football League Championship]]: [[2006–07 Football League Championship|2006–07]]<ref name="Hugman2010-11"/>

'''Newcastle United'''
*Football League Championship: [[2009–10 Football League Championship|2009–10]]<ref name="Hugman2010-11"/>

'''Queens Park Rangers'''
*[[Football League Championship play-offs]]: [[2014 Football League play-offs#Championship|2014]]<ref name="simpson_leicester"/>

'''Leicester City'''
*[[Premier League]]: [[2015–16 Premier League|2015–16]]<ref name="PremProfile">{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/players/3157/Danny-Simpson/overview |title=Danny Simpson: Overview |publisher=Premier League |access-date=2 March 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[http://www.lcfc.com/team/player-profile/danny-simpson/17 Danny Simpson profile] at the official [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.]] website
*{{Soccerbase}}
*{{Boxrec|id=1272045}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Danny}}
[[Category:1987 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Footballers from Eccles, Greater Manchester]]
[[Category:Footballers from Salford]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football defenders]]
[[Category:Manchester United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Royal Antwerp F.C. players]]
[[Category:Sunderland A.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Ipswich Town F.C. players]]
[[Category:Blackburn Rovers F.C. players]]
[[Category:Newcastle United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Queens Park Rangers F.C. players]]
[[Category:Leicester City F.C. players]]
[[Category:Huddersfield Town A.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Bristol City F.C. players]]
[[Category:Challenger Pro League players]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:Premier League players]]
[[Category:English expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium]]
[[Category:English expatriate sportspeople in Belgium]]
[[Category:Black British sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century Black British people]]
[[Category:English people of Jamaican descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Jamaican descent]]
[[Category:English people convicted of assault]]
[[Category:British sportspeople convicted of crimes]]
[[Category:21st-century English sportsmen]]