Paul Stevens (English footballer)

Last updated

Paul Stevens
Personal information
Full name Paul David Stevens
Date of birth(1960-04-04)4 April 1960
Place of birth Bristol, England
Position(s) Right back
Youth career
Bristol Boys
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1978–1985 Bristol City 148 (3)
1985–1990 Bath City
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Paul David Stevens (born 4 April 1960) was an English footballer who played as a right back. He made over 140 Football League appearances in the 1970s and 1980s mostly for Bristol City. [1]

Contents

Career

Paul Stevens played locally for Hartcliffe School and Bristol Boys in Bristol. [2] He was signed by manager Alan Dicks as a professional in April 1978 for Bristol City. [2]

Stevens made his debut for Bristol City in the First Division deputising at right back for Gerry Sweeney in a 0–2 defeat at Middlesbrough on 8 April 1978, his only appearance in the 1977–78 season. [3] In 1978–79 with Sweeney ever present at right back, Stevens did not have the opportunity to appear in the first team as Bristol City finished 13th in the First Division. [3] The following season 1979–80 Bristol City finished 20th and were relegated to the Second Division. Stevens played in only one game scoring in a 1–3 defeat in the second leg of the Anglo Scottish Cup at St Mirren on 16 April 1980. [3]

In the Second Division the "Robins" fared badly being in 21st position for most of the season. After a run of only one win in 12 league matches and going six matches without scoring Stevens was introduced at right back when Alan Hay was missing and Sweeney switched to left back. The result was a 1–0 win v Sheffield Wednesday and Stevens retained his place for the remainder of the season although the "Robins" only won two more league games and were relegated to the Third Division. Stevens made 14 appearances in 1980–81. [3]

Stevens was the only ever present player in the tumultuous 1981–82 season when City were relegated for the third successive season this time to the Fourth Division. Stevens made 46 appearances in 1981–82 scoring one goal. The next highest number of appearances was 33 in this worst of all seasons for the "Robins". The one redeeming feature was reaching the FA Cup 4th round where City lost 0–1 to Aston Villa. [3]

Stevens began the first ever campaign in the Fourth Division at right back but after an early run of seven games without a win left Bristol City in 23rd place Stevens was replaced when Rob Newman moved across from left back. Stevens made 10 appearances in 1982–83 as City eventually recovered to a mid table 14th place. [3] Stevens returned in 1983–84 and missed only one game mainly playing at right back as Bristol City won promotion back to the Third Division finishing in 4th place. Stevens made 45+1 appearances scoring two goals including the winner in a 1–0 win v York City. [3]

Stevens made 30 appearances sharing the right back duties with Andy Llewellyn when Bristol City finished 5th in the Third Division in 1984–85. [3]

Stevens joined Bath City on a free transfer in July 1985 from Bristol City. In 1986–87 Stevens played for Bath City v Bristol City in the FA Cup 2nd round which Bristol City won after a replay. Stevens also helped Bath City regain their place in the Football Conference in 1989–90 before a knee injury brought his playing career to an end. [2]

Honours

with Bristol City

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristol City F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Bristol City Football Club is a professional association football club based in Bristol, England. The team compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English football league system.

Mark Gordon Robins is an English football manager and former player, who is the current manager of Coventry City in the EFL Championship. As a player, he was a striker and is best known for his time in the Premier League with Norwich City and Leicester City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Atyeo</span> English footballer (1932–1993)

Peter John Walter Atyeo was an English footballer who played as a striker. He spent the majority of his career at Bristol City. He won six England caps between 1955 and 1957, scoring five goals. Atyeo made 645 appearances for Bristol City and scored a record 351 goals for them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Beadle</span> English footballer and manager

Peter Clifford William James Beadle is an English football manager and former player who was recently manager of Southern League Division One South club Yate Town.

Brian Cameron Godfrey was a Welsh professional footballer.

Christopher Garland was an English footballer who played in all four divisions of the Football League. He was capped once by England at under-23 level.

David Gort Burnside was an English footballer, who played as an attacking midfielder. He made a total of 405 appearances in the Football League for West Bromwich Albion, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Plymouth Argyle, Bristol City and Colcester United. He then moved into non-League football becoming player-manager at Bath City and later became a youth trainer with England and briefly manager at Bristol City. He also made appearances for Los Angeles Wolves as a guest.

Michael Bell is an English former footballer. In a seventeen-year career as a professional in the English Football League he made 694 league and cup appearances with five different clubs, playing as a defender.

Arthur Spear was an English professional association football player in the years prior to the First World War. He made over 130 appearances in The Football League.

Andrew Dunsire Burton was a Scottish professional association football player in the years prior to the First World War. He made over 40 appearances in Scottish League, over 200 appearances in The Football League and played in the Southern League.

Cyril Edward Williams was an English footballer who played as an inside left. He made over 360 Football League appearances in the years after the Second World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Rogers (footballer)</span> English footballer

James Richard Rogers was an English footballer who played as an outside right and centre forward. He made over 340 Football League appearances in the years after the Second World War.

Theodore Michael Thresher was an English footballer who played at left back. He made over 370 Football League appearances in the years after the Second World War.

John Vincent "Johnny" Watkins was an English footballer who played as an outside left. He made over 180 Football League appearances in the years after the Second World War.

Gordon John Parr was an English footballer who played as a right half. He made over 280 Football League appearances in the years after the Second World War.

Alexander Tait was an English footballer who played as a centre forward. He made over 160 Football League appearances in the years after the Second World War.

Roger Douglas "Lou" Peters was an English footballer who played as an outside left. He made over 190 Football League appearances in the years after the Second World War.

David Michael Rodgers was an English footballer who played as a centre half. He made over 190 Football League appearances mainly in the 1970s.

John Shaw is a Scottish former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He made over 400 Football League appearances in the 1970s and 1980s.

Herbert "Bert" Tindill was an English footballer who played as an inside forward. He made over 550 Football League appearances in the years after the Second World War.

References

  1. ↑ Hugman, Barry (1998). PFA Football League Players' Records 1946 – 1998. Queen Anne Press. ISBN   1-85291-585-4.
  2. 1 2 3 Woods, David; Leigh Edwards (1997). Bristol City FC The First 100 years. Redcliffe Press. ISBN   1-900178-26-5.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Woods, David (1994). Bristol Babe The First 100 years of Bristol City FC. Yore Publications. ISBN   1-874427-95-X.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.