Steve Arnold (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Stephen Frank Arnold is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League
as a midfielder
for Crewe Alexandra
, Liverpool
, Southport
, Torquay United
and Rochdale
.
Arnold was born in Willesden
, London
. He began his football career as an apprentice at Crewe Alexandra
, turning professional in January 1969 and making his league debut the same season. His talent was soon spotted by bigger teams and in September 1970, after only 15 league appearances, he became a forerunner to the many players to leave Crewe for the top flight when he joined Liverpool
for a fee of £12,000. He failed to establish himself at Anfield
, making only two league appearances. His only start was in the penultimate league match of the season, away to Manchester City
, when Bill Shankly
made ten changes to protect his first-choice players before the Fairs Cup
semi-final against Leeds United just two days later, incurring a heavy fine from the Football League
.
In January 1972 he was sent on loan to Southport
, scoring 3 times in 16 league appearances, and in September of the following season he was loaned to Torquay United
, making his debut in the goalless draw away to Bury
on 2 September. He played twice more for the Gulls, scoring in his final appearance, a 2-1 defeat away to league newcomers Hereford United on 30 September. In June 1973, he left Anfield, moving to Rochdale where he was to end his league career after only one season of regular first-team football, making 40 league appearances and scoring once.
He went on to play non-league football
for Weymouth
, scoring 14 goals from 57 appearances, and on loan to Dorchester Town
(13 appearances), before injury forced his retirement.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
for Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
, Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, Southport
Southport F.C.
Southport Football Club are an English football club, based in Southport, Merseyside. They are currently in the Conference National, and play their home matches at Haig Avenue, which has a capacity of 6,008...
, Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
and Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
.
Arnold was born in Willesden
Willesden
Willesden is an area in North West London which forms part of the London Borough of Brent. It is situated 5 miles north west of Charing Cross...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He began his football career as an apprentice at Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
, turning professional in January 1969 and making his league debut the same season. His talent was soon spotted by bigger teams and in September 1970, after only 15 league appearances, he became a forerunner to the many players to leave Crewe for the top flight when he joined Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
for a fee of £12,000. He failed to establish himself at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
, making only two league appearances. His only start was in the penultimate league match of the season, away to Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, when Bill Shankly
Bill Shankly
William "Bill" Shankly, OBE was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Liverpool between 1959 and 1974. One of Britain's most successful and respected football managers, Shankly was also a fine player whose career was interrupted by the Second World War...
made ten changes to protect his first-choice players before the Fairs Cup
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a European football competition played between 1955 and 1971. The competition was the idea of Swiss pools supremo Ernst Thommen, Ottorino Barassi from Italy, and the English Football Association general secretary Stanley Rous, all of whom later became senior officials...
semi-final against Leeds United just two days later, incurring a heavy fine from the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
.
In January 1972 he was sent on loan to Southport
Southport F.C.
Southport Football Club are an English football club, based in Southport, Merseyside. They are currently in the Conference National, and play their home matches at Haig Avenue, which has a capacity of 6,008...
, scoring 3 times in 16 league appearances, and in September of the following season he was loaned to Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
, making his debut in the goalless draw away to Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
on 2 September. He played twice more for the Gulls, scoring in his final appearance, a 2-1 defeat away to league newcomers Hereford United on 30 September. In June 1973, he left Anfield, moving to Rochdale where he was to end his league career after only one season of regular first-team football, making 40 league appearances and scoring once.
He went on to play non-league football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
for Weymouth
Weymouth F.C.
Weymouth F.C. are an English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who currently play in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:Weymouth Football Club were founded in 1890 and played their first game on 24 September of that year...
, scoring 14 goals from 57 appearances, and on loan to Dorchester Town
Dorchester Town F.C.
Dorchester Town Football Club are a semi-professional football club, based in Dorchester, Dorset, England, and currently playing in the Blue Square Bet South...
(13 appearances), before injury forced his retirement.
External links
- League stats at Neil Brown's site