Stephen Swift (footballer)

Stephen Swift

Personal information
Date of birth	(1980-07-21) 21 July 1980 (age 43)
Place of birth	Glasgow, Scotland
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Cumnock Juniors (manager)
Youth career
	Gleniffer Thistle
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–2001	Benburb	126	(42)
2000–2002	Livingston	0	(0)
2001–2002	Cowdenbeath [1]	33	(3)
2002–2003	Linlithgow Rose	38	(9)
2003–2006	Stranraer [2]	104	(18)
2006–2007	Queen of the South [3]	10	(0)
2007–2008	Ayr United [4]	13	(2)
2008–2011	Irvine Meadow	128	(22)
2011–2012	Pollok	22	(7)
2017	Kilwinning Rangers
Total		496	(106)
Managerial career
2012–2016	Kilbirnie Ladeside
2017–2021	BSC Glasgow
2021–2022	Stenhousemuir
2023–2024	Broomhill
2024–	Cumnock Juniors
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Stephen Swift (born 21 July 1980) is a Scottish former professional footballer, who manages West of Scotland side Cumnock Juniors.

Career

Swift began his career with Benburb with whom he was capped at Junior level for Scotland. ^[5] After an unsuccessful trial with Motherwell, he signed for Livingston in 2000 on a delayed transfer, finally arriving at the club in 2001. ^{[6] [7]} A pacy right back, Swift was loaned out to Cowdenbeath, initially on a three-month deal, however the move was made permanent and the player departed Livingston without having made a first team appearance. ^{[8] [9]}

Swift left Cowdenbeath in 2002 to drop back to Junior level, joining Linlithgow Rose where he was re-united with his former Benburb boss, Jim Sinnet. ^[10] Stepping back up again at the end of the following season, Swift joined Stranraer where the club won the Third Division championship in his first season, then followed that with promotion to the First Division a year later. He later played for Queen of the South and Ayr United before dropping to the Juniors again, firstly with Irvine Meadow with whom he won the West Region Premier Division, West of Scotland Cup and other honours and was in the Irvine Meadow team that reached the fourth round of the Scottish Cup in 2009–10 before moving to Pollok.

Swift was appointed co-manager of Kilbirnie Ladeside in March 2012 in partnership with ex-Pollok teammate Mark Crilly and assumed sole charge following Crilly's resignation in February 2015. ^{[11] [12]} He led Ladeside to victory in the Ayrshire Sectional League Cup in October 2016 but resigned from his position the following month. ^[13] After a short spell coaching at Largs Thistle, Swift briefly resumed his playing career with Kilwinning Rangers before joining BSC Glasgow as their new manager in April 2017. ^{[14] [15]} On 27 April 2021, Swift was appointed manager of League Two club Stenhousemuir. ^[16] Swift departed the club in December 2022. ^[17]

Swift rejoined former club BSC Glasgow, now known as Broomhill, ahead of the 2023-24 Lowland League season. ^[18] Swift left Broomhill at the end of the season to take up the managerial position at Cumnock Juniors. ^[19]

Managerial record

As of match played 3 December 2022

Managerial record by team and tenure

Team	Nat	From	To	Record					Ref.
				G	W	D	L	Win %
Stenhousemuir		28 April 2021	7 December 2022	69	26	16	27	037.68
Career Total				69	26	16	27	037.68	—

References

1. "Cowdenbeath: 1946/47 – 2010/11". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
2. "Stranraer: 1955/56 – 2010/11". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
3. "Queen of the South: 1946/47 – 2010/11". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
4. "Ayr United: 1946/47 – 2010/11". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
5. Jamie Wire. "Junior Scotland". Non-league Scotland. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
6. "Well snub cost me my job". Daily Record. 17 August 2000. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
7. "Livvy will have to act Swift-ly to beat Boro to Bens ace Steve". Daily Record. 4 September 2000. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
8. "Loan kid makes Swift progress". Daily Record. 29 October 2001. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
9. "Duo leave Livvy". BBC Sport. 2 November 2001. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
10. "Sinnet in swoop for ace Swift". The Scotsman. 5 June 2002. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
11. KILBIRNIE LADESIDE [@LADESIDE1901] (12 March 2012). "The club are delighted to announce Stephen Swift and Mark Crilly as our new management team" (Tweet). Retrieved 24 February 2015– via Twitter.
12. Jeffrey, John (24 February 2015). "Management changes". pitchero.com/clubs/kilbirnieladeside/. Kilbirnie Ladeside FC. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
13. O'Donnell, Jim (15 November 2016). "Kilbirnie Ladeside boss Stevie Swift brings five-year tenure to an end after Kirkintilloch Rob Roy defeat". Evening Times. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
14. McConnell, Stewart (18 February 2017). "Former Meadow ace joins Buffs". Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
15. "Stephen Swift Named BSC Glasgow Manager". bscglasgow.co.uk/. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
16. "Warriors appoint Stephen Swift as new manager". stenhousemuirfc.com. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
17. Fitzpatrick, Ian (8 December 2022). "CLUB STATEMENT || STEPHEN SWIFT". Stenhousemuir FC. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
18. Park, Michael (30 May 2023). "Welcome home Swifty!". X.
19. "We are delighted to announce our new Manager Stephen Swift". X. 21 April 2024.

External links

• Stephen Swift at Soccerbase