Steve Kabba
Encyclopedia
Sorfitu Tejan "Steve" Kabba (born 7 March 1981 in Lambeth
, London) is an English
professional footballer
. He is of Sierra Leone
an origin. He plays as a striker
for Football League Two
side Barnet
. He notably played Premier League football for Sheffield United
, having also played for Crystal Palace
, Southend United
, Luton Town
, Grimsby Town
, Watford
, Blackpool
, Oldham Athletic, Brentford
and Burton Albion
.
and was promoted to the first team at the start of the 1999–2000 season under the management of Steve Coppell
. He made his first professional appearance for Palace on 4 December 1999 in the club's 2–0 league defeat against Crewe Alexandra
. Kabba started the game and was substituted in the 39th minute with Richard Harris
replacing him.
After struggling to break into the first team, Kabba was loaned out to Southend United
for one month in October 2000. However, he did not play a game for United. Upon his return to Palace he made his first appearance for them in just under a year when he played against Tranmere Rovers
in November 2000. Despite holding down a good scoring record for the reserve side, Kabba failed to make an impact on the first team and in March 2002 he was loaned out again, this time to Luton Town
. He made three substitute appearance for the Hatters before returning to Selhurst Park
. He scored his first and only goal for Palace in a 2–1 win over Preston in August 2002.
club, Grimsby Town
on an initial one month loan. He made his Grimsby debut against Bradford City
. He scored six goals in fourteen games for the Mariners. Grimsby manager Paul Groves put forward his plans to land the striker on a permanent deal. However, his performances had caught the eye of rivals Sheffield United
who made an official approach to sign Kabba. In turn the Grimsby Telegraph
ran a campaign which they named "Stay Steve" in which supporters were given paper pull outs to hold up on Kabba's final game for the club.
. His good rapport with Grimsby fans was shattered when he goaded the clubs supporters following a goal for United in there 4–1 victory at Blundell Park
. Kabba continued his good form under Neil Warnock
and after this successful first season his career was interrupted by a sequence of leg injuries allowing him just one appearance as a substitute in over a year. He returned to fitness at the end of 2004–05 Championship
season.
Ultimately Kabba would appear less than 100 times in his five years at the club. During a clear out at Bramall Lane
he was transfer listed on 22 December 2006 along with seven other players. He made only a handful of Premier League appearances for the Blades and his last appearance was as a substitute against West Ham United
in November 2006.
for an initial fee of £500,000 (which rose to £750,000) on 26 January 2007, signing a two-and-a-half year contract. On 31 January 2007 he played his first Premier League match for Watford against Manchester United
. On 2 February 2008 Kabba scored his first goal in nearly two years in a 3–0 league win over Wolverhampton Wanderers
. On 11 July 2008 Kabba joined fellow Championship club Blackpool
on loan until 1 January 2009. After suffering an injury he finally made his debut for the club as a 90th minute substitute on 16 August in a 1–1 draw away at Norwich City
. At the end of his loan spell, on 31 December 2008 he returned to Watford.
On 26 February 2009, Kabba joined League One side Oldham Athletic
on loan until the end of the season. Two days later, he made his debut for the Latics in a 3–2 victory over Millwall
. He was released by Watford at the end of the 2008/09 season.
on a free transfer, after being released by Watford.
in the FA Cup. Kabba's loan was extended to the end of the season after scoring 3 goals in 4 League games in his initial spell.
He was released by Brentford on 11 May 2010 along with three other players. During his short stint at Burton, Kabba became popular amongst the fans at the club. Fans would sing the latter part of The Pharcyde
's "Otha Fish" (in which rapper Fatlip
seems to mention Kabba several times) as a tribute to the player. This cult song quickly became part of Kabba's image and a small pocket of Barnet
fans have started singing the song after he scores a goal.
in July 2010. He made his debut for the Bees on the opening day of the 2010–11 season at Chesterfield
where he had to be stretchered off with five minutes to go after a foul by Craig Davies, who was sent off for the challenge. Kabba scored his first goal for the club in the 2–2 draw away to Morecambe
on 25 September 2010, and scored again four days later in a 4–2 defeat at Wycombe Wanderers
. On 2 April 2011, Kabba scored all four goals in a 4–1 away victory against Burton Albion
.
Lambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, London) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
. He is of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
an origin. He plays as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
for Football League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
. He notably played Premier League football for Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
, having also played for Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
, Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
, Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
, Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
, Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, Oldham Athletic, Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
and Burton Albion
Burton Albion F.C.
Burton Albion Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club's home ground is the Pirelli Stadium, having moved from Eton Park in 2005...
.
Crystal Palace
Kabba started his career at Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
and was promoted to the first team at the start of the 1999–2000 season under the management of Steve Coppell
Steve Coppell
Stephen James "Steve" Coppell is an English former footballer and manager, currently without a club.As a player, he was a highly regarded right winger known for his speed and work rate. He won domestic honours with Manchester United and represented England at the World Cup...
. He made his first professional appearance for Palace on 4 December 1999 in the club's 2–0 league defeat against 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...
. Kabba started the game and was substituted in the 39th minute with Richard Harris
Richard Harris (footballer)
Richard Harris is a former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Crystal Palace and Wycombe Wanderers during the late 1990s and early 2000s...
replacing him.
After struggling to break into the first team, Kabba was loaned out to Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
for one month in October 2000. However, he did not play a game for United. Upon his return to Palace he made his first appearance for them in just under a year when he played against Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
in November 2000. Despite holding down a good scoring record for the reserve side, Kabba failed to make an impact on the first team and in March 2002 he was loaned out again, this time to Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
. He made three substitute appearance for the Hatters before returning to Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park is an English football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club. Its present capacity is 26,309.-History:...
. He scored his first and only goal for Palace in a 2–1 win over Preston in August 2002.
Grimsby Town (loan)
At the start of the 2002–03 season, Kabba was made available for loan again, and in August 2002 he joined fellow First DivisionFootball League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
club, Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
on an initial one month loan. He made his Grimsby debut against Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
. He scored six goals in fourteen games for the Mariners. Grimsby manager Paul Groves put forward his plans to land the striker on a permanent deal. However, his performances had caught the eye of rivals Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
who made an official approach to sign Kabba. In turn the Grimsby Telegraph
Grimsby Telegraph
The Grimsby Telegraph is a daily British regional newspaper for the town of Grimsby and the surrounding area that makes up North East Lincolnshire. It is owned by Northcliffe Newspapers. The main area for the paper's distribution is in or around Grimsby and Cleethorpes...
ran a campaign which they named "Stay Steve" in which supporters were given paper pull outs to hold up on Kabba's final game for the club.
Sheffield United
Grimsby could not compete with United's bid and this eventually saw him join the Blades in November 2002 for a fee of £250,000. In his first season his eleven goals in 33 games helped the team reach two domestic cup semi-finals and the First Division play-off final. Scoring a goal for United against rivals Leeds UnitedLeeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
. His good rapport with Grimsby fans was shattered when he goaded the clubs supporters following a goal for United in there 4–1 victory at Blundell Park
Blundell Park
Blundell Park is a football ground in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England and home to Grimsby Town Football Club. The stadium was built in 1898, but only one of the original stands remain. The current capacity of the ground is 9546, though with the introduction of all seating in the late...
. Kabba continued his good form under Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock is an English former footballer who is currently manager of English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers....
and after this successful first season his career was interrupted by a sequence of leg injuries allowing him just one appearance as a substitute in over a year. He returned to fitness at the end of 2004–05 Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
season.
Ultimately Kabba would appear less than 100 times in his five years at the club. During a clear out at Bramall Lane
Bramall Lane
-Cricket at the Lane:Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the town's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket...
he was transfer listed on 22 December 2006 along with seven other players. He made only a handful of Premier League appearances for the Blades and his last appearance was as a substitute against West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
in November 2006.
Watford
His next move was to move back down south to sign for Premier League newcomers WatfordWatford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
for an initial fee of £500,000 (which rose to £750,000) on 26 January 2007, signing a two-and-a-half year contract. On 31 January 2007 he played his first Premier League match for Watford against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. On 2 February 2008 Kabba scored his first goal in nearly two years in a 3–0 league win over Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
. On 11 July 2008 Kabba joined fellow Championship club Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
on loan until 1 January 2009. After suffering an injury he finally made his debut for the club as a 90th minute substitute on 16 August in a 1–1 draw away at Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
. At the end of his loan spell, on 31 December 2008 he returned to Watford.
On 26 February 2009, Kabba joined League One side Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
on loan until the end of the season. Two days later, he made his debut for the Latics in a 3–2 victory over Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
. He was released by Watford at the end of the 2008/09 season.
Brentford
On 6 August 2009, Kabba signed for BrentfordBrentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
on a free transfer, after being released by Watford.
Burton Albion
In November 2009, Kabba signed for Burton Albion on loan, making his Brewers debut on 28 November away to GillinghamGillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
in the FA Cup. Kabba's loan was extended to the end of the season after scoring 3 goals in 4 League games in his initial spell.
He was released by Brentford on 11 May 2010 along with three other players. During his short stint at Burton, Kabba became popular amongst the fans at the club. Fans would sing the latter part of The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde are an alternative hip hop group based in South Central Los Angeles. The original four members of the group are Imani , Slimkid3 , Bootie Brown and Fatlip . DJ Mark Luv was the group's first DJ, followed by producer J-Swift and then J Dilla...
's "Otha Fish" (in which rapper Fatlip
Fatlip
Fatlip is a Los Angeles-born hip hop musician. He started his career in the hip hop group The Pharcyde.-The Pharcyde:...
seems to mention Kabba several times) as a tribute to the player. This cult song quickly became part of Kabba's image and a small pocket of Barnet
Barnet
High Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
fans have started singing the song after he scores a goal.
Barnet
After a successful trial Kabba signed for BarnetBarnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
in July 2010. He made his debut for the Bees on the opening day of the 2010–11 season at Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
where he had to be stretchered off with five minutes to go after a foul by Craig Davies, who was sent off for the challenge. Kabba scored his first goal for the club in the 2–2 draw away to Morecambe
Morecambe F.C.
Morecambe Football Club is an English football club based in Morecambe, Lancashire. It plays its football in League Two, the fourth division of English football, having been promoted in 2007 for the first time in their history to the Football League. They played their home matches at Christie Park...
on 25 September 2010, and scored again four days later in a 4–2 defeat at Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
. On 2 April 2011, Kabba scored all four goals in a 4–1 away victory against Burton Albion
Burton Albion F.C.
Burton Albion Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club's home ground is the Pirelli Stadium, having moved from Eton Park in 2005...
.
External links
- Steve Kabba profile Watford FC