Arabian Falcons FC manager Jonjo Shelvey has announced the club’s first major signing of the season, with Premier League winner Danny Simpson coming out of retirement to join as player-coach. The 39-year-old right back, who won the Premier League title with Leicester City in 2016, has signed for the UAE Second Division side and will combine playing duties with a coaching role in Shelvey’s backroom team.
Simpson’s Premier League Pedigree
A product of Manchester United’s academy, Simpson enjoyed a distinguished career in English football. He won promotion to the Premier League with Sunderland, Newcastle United and Queens Park Rangers. He played a key role in Leicester City’s historic 2015-16 Premier League title triumph, one of the greatest sporting underdog stories of all time. Simpson made 30 league appearances that season and earned a winner’s medal as the Foxes defied 5,000-1 odds to lift the trophy.
Joining the Falcons Project
Simpson is the latest high-profile former Premier League player to join the ambitious Falcons project, creating a formidable leadership group alongside Shelvey, fellow ex-Premier League star and club captain Ravel Morrison, and co-owner and Head of Football Operations Jason Puncheon. Shelvey, himself a former iconic Premier League midfielder with over 300 top-flight appearances for clubs including Liverpool, Newcastle United, Swansea City and Burnley, has made a swift transition into management. Capped six times by England, Shelvey joined Arabian Falcons as a player before stepping into the managerial role for the final five games of last season. His impressive impact in that short period saw the team mount a late promotion charge, narrowly missing out.
Quotes from Simpson and Shelvey
Simpson said: “The opportunity to join Jonjo and this exciting project was one I couldn’t turn down. I still have plenty to offer on the pitch, and I’m looking forward to helping the team achieve its ambitions. The club has a clear plan, and I want to play my part in delivering a successful promotion-winning campaign.”
Shelvey said he was pleased to welcome Simpson: “After stepping in for the last five games last season and coming so close to promotion, we now have the opportunity to build properly in my first full campaign. Danny is the ideal signing, a Premier League champion with vast experience, leadership, and a winning mentality. He strengthens us immediately on the pitch and will be invaluable in helping develop the squad. This is the start of us building a team I firmly believe can win promotion this season.”
Academy and Documentary
This season, the club has also launched its own academy, led by Shelvey, Simpson, Morrison and Puncheon. The academy aims to create a professional pathway for talented young players across the UAE, combining elite coaching expertise with first-team opportunities. A behind-the-scenes documentary crew will follow the team throughout the new season as they launch their promotion push.
