Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos defender Jason Davidson dedicated goal against UAE to mother Effie

SOCCEROOS scorer Jason Davidson revealed that his love-heart celebration was dedicated to his mum, who attended Tuesday’s game just days after surgery.

NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 27: Jason Davidson and Mark Milligan of Australia celebrate a goal during the Asian Cup Semi Final match between the Australian Socceroos and the United Arab Emirates at Hunter Stadium on January 27, 2015 in Newcastle, Australia. (Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***

Socceroos goalscorer Jason Davidson revealed that his love-heart celebration was dedicated to his mum, who attended Tuesday night’s game just days after surgery.

Effie, whose husband Alan was a Socceroos great, couldn’t bare to watch her son on TV and made the 11th hour decision to travel from Melbourne to Newcastle.

And Davidson ensured his mum’s trip was worthwhile, by scoring his first international goal, and the crucial second to kill off UAE and secure an Asian Cup final berth.

Jason’s 14th minute left-footed strike sent 21,079 people into raptures, but made a beeline for his mum and performed the celebration made famous by Wales and Real Madrid attacker Gareth Bale, before he was mobbed by adoring teammates.

Jason Davidson’s goal celebration was directed at his mother Effie.

“That’s why I ran over to do the love heart, for my mum, dad and partner (Natasa),’’ Jason said.

“But especially for mum, because she had an operation just before the game.

“She wasn’t going to come, she should’ve stayed at home because she knows she wasn’t 100 per cent.

“Once that went in, all the feeling inside was for those three.’’

Alan, who retired in 1998, scored two goals in 79 internationals, played for Nottingham Forrest and later became a legend in Malaysia after notching over 300 NSL games.

Alan and Effie Davidson with thson Jason during the recent World Cup in Brazil.

His experience has seen him play a hands on role in his son’s club career, including the move to a high school in Japan, where Alan’s mother is from.

Davidson has been mainly abroad since then, eventually moving to Portugal, Netherlands and now England where he plays for West Brom, and despite the distance he’s forged a close bond with his mum.

“He is very, very close to his mother, they have a special bond,’’ Alan said.

Davidson recalled his mum was against him moving so young, but dad won out.

It’s all the family for the Davidsons.

“My mum was against it. I was 14 and mum didn’t want to lose her baby to another country,’’ Jason said.

“I went and stuck it out for 3 years. It made me grow up at a young age and it’s about discipline and hard work and that experience has made me the person I am today.’’

Credited with assists (including Tim Cahill’s header against China) and even an own goal on his Socceroos debut, it took 16 internationals for Davidson to break the ice, having netted for Dutch side Heracles Almelo.

“It was a dream come true, words can’t describe how I feel,’’ Davidson said.

“I saw Mass lift his head and he just got a toe-poke to it, I was calm and composed and knew what I had to do.

“I’ve scored a few at club level in the same position and I’m just happy I can do that for the national team.

“My job is to defend first but my father always said to me anything I can give to the team going forward, whether it’s an assist or goal, it’s a bonus.’’

Originally published as Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos defender Jason Davidson dedicated goal against UAE to mother Effie