Steve Kember
Encyclopedia
Stephen Dennis "Steve" Kember (born 8 September 1948 in Croydon
, South London
) is a former footballer
who played in the centre of midfield during his career, before going into management. He has a long affiliation with Crystal Palace
, where he is currently the Chief Scout
.
By the end of the decade, he was a regular in the Palace midfield, and became a fans' favourite by scoring the winning goal in the home tie with Fulham
, in 1969, that secured promotion to the First Division
for the first time in the club's history. That season, Kember was one of only three players who played in every game.
In the top flight, Steve continued to impress, gaining England U23 caps, and in the summer of 1971, having helped Palace to survival, Steve replaced John Sewell
as captain, following his departure to Orient
.
However, the captaincy was short-lived, and Kember joined Chelsea
for a record fee of £170,000 in September.
At Chelsea, Steve quickly stamped his authority on a place in the starting line-up, playing most of the West-London club's games, that season.
However, Chelsea then fell into decline, and were eventually relegated to the Second Division
, at the end of the 1974-75
season. With relegation comes and inevitable sell-off of stars, and Kember moved back to the top-flight, to Leicester City
, shortly after Chelsea's relegation.
At first, he was a regular in Leicester's first team line up, but after two seasons, he was little more than a squad player, only appearing in half of Leicester's games in the 1977-78 season.
Early in the 1978-79
season, Terry Venables
signed him back to Crystal Palace. While Kember had been away, the south London club's fortunes had taken a dramatic turn for the worst, being relegated to the Second Division in 1974, and again, to the Third
, the following year. They had been promoted in the 1976-77
season, but were still a long way behind where they were when Kember left.
Venables' signing of Steve was intended to be as a squad player, but Kember's experience added so much to the side that he quickly became a regular in the first XI. So much so that Palace were promoted back to the First Division, at the end of the season.
Venables then decided that Kember was not good enough for the First Division, so he moved on again, this time to Canadian
side, the Vancouver Whitecaps
.
He had a largely un-noteworthy couple of seasons in Canada, and in the summer of 1981 he returned to Palace again (who had a new chairman, Ron Noades
), this time as a coach for the Youth setup.
, who had only been appointed in the summer. With the club looming over successive relegations once again, Gradi was dismissed in November, and Kember got his first taste of management.
He had a relatively successful period, taking the club on an FA Cup run to the Fifth Round, and achieving Second Division survival with a game to spare.
However, for reasons unknown, he was replaced with the highly unpopular Alan Mullery
. Kember said of the matter that he was "away on holiday at the time" and thus wasn't even notified of his dismissal.
He then joined non-league Whyteleafe
in November 1986, as manager, helping them to the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup in the 1988-89
and 1989-90
seasons. In the former, "The Leafe" were also promoted, to the Isthmian League
Division One.
In the summer of 1993, Kember resigned (to be replaced by former Palace team-mate Paul Hinshelwood
) and once again went back to Palace, as a member of the coaching staff.
He stayed in that role until April 2001, when, with Palace once again looming over relegation to the third tier, manager Alan Smith
was sacked by new chairman Simon Jordan
, and Kember was made caretaker for the remaining two games.
With two games left in the season, and Palace six points short of survival, it seemed that only a miracle would keep them up.
However, Kember made changes to the side, and after a last-gasp win at Stockport County
, Palace survived.
In honour of this achievement, chairman Jordan said that Kember would now have a "job for life" at Palace.
However, this was not the managerial job just yet. Steve Bruce
took over, and Kember was made his assistant.
Bruce's tenure only lasted a couple of months, and, after Kember was again made caretaker (this time with Terry Bullivant
), Trevor Francis
took over. Francis was unpopular with the fans in his 14 months with the club, and was eventually sacked in February 2003, with Kember again being made caretaker, this time alone.
At the end of the season, Kember was made manager full-time, and Palace's 2003-04
season got off to a flying start, the club winning all three of their opening games, to top the table. However, this excellent form soon ended, and by November, Palace were in 20th, and only two points above the drop-zone after losing 5-0 at newly-promoted Wigan Athletic
. Jordan saw this as the final straw, and Kember was sacked, clearly revoking Jordan's "job for life" pledge.
Kember coached at Cumnor House School
in Purley
, and later coached football and cricket at Whitgift School
, South London
, alongside scouting
for Fulham
initially, and the returning to Crystal Palace
as Chief Scout after the departure of Jordan.
, Hampton and Richmond. In May 2009 Robbie moved to Bromley
. Matthew and Paul, are believed to be retired.
in his native Croydon
called Kember's Wine Bar however the bar closed in 1993 after he was declared bankrupt.
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
) is a former 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...
who played in the centre of midfield during his career, before going into management. He has a long affiliation with 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...
, where he is currently the Chief Scout
Scout (association football)
A football scout attends football matches on the behalf of clubs to collect intelligence. Primarily, there are two types of scouts: player scouts and tactical scouts....
.
Playing career
In 1963, Steve joined Crystal Palace, as an apprentice, and in 1965, on his 17th birthday, he was rewarded with a professional contract.By the end of the decade, he was a regular in the Palace midfield, and became a fans' favourite by scoring the winning goal in the home tie with Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
, in 1969, that secured promotion to the First Division
Football 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....
for the first time in the club's history. That season, Kember was one of only three players who played in every game.
In the top flight, Steve continued to impress, gaining England U23 caps, and in the summer of 1971, having helped Palace to survival, Steve replaced John Sewell
John Sewell
John Sewell, CM is a Canadian political activist and writer on municipal affairs; he was the mayor of Toronto, Ontario from 1978 to 1980.-Background:...
as captain, following his departure to Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
.
However, the captaincy was short-lived, and Kember joined Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
for a record fee of £170,000 in September.
At Chelsea, Steve quickly stamped his authority on a place in the starting line-up, playing most of the West-London club's games, that season.
However, Chelsea then fell into decline, and were eventually relegated to the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
, at the end of the 1974-75
1974-75 in English football
The 1974–75 season was the 95th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Dave Mackay guided Derby County to their second league title in four years having overcome strong competition from Liverpool, Ipswich Town, Everton, Stoke City, Manchester City, Sheffield United and...
season. With relegation comes and inevitable sell-off of stars, and Kember moved back to the top-flight, to Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, shortly after Chelsea's relegation.
At first, he was a regular in Leicester's first team line up, but after two seasons, he was little more than a squad player, only appearing in half of Leicester's games in the 1977-78 season.
Early in the 1978-79
1978-79 in English football
-FA Cup:Manchester United had seemingly pulled off a remarkable comeback against Arsenal in the 1979 FA Cup Final to make the score 2–2 after being two goals down, but a last-minute goal from Alan Sunderland saw Arsenal lift the trophy with a 3–2 scoreline...
season, Terry Venables
Terry Venables
Terence Frederick "Terry" Venables , often referred to as "El Tel", is a former football player and manager, as well as being a media pundit. During the 1960s and 70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, and gained two caps for England...
signed him back to Crystal Palace. While Kember had been away, the south London club's fortunes had taken a dramatic turn for the worst, being relegated to the Second Division in 1974, and again, to the Third
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
, the following year. They had been promoted in the 1976-77
1976-77 in English football
The 1976–77 season was the 97th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The Football League revamped the tie-breaking criteria for teams level of points, replacing the traditional goal average tie-breaker with one based on goal difference to try to encourage more scoring...
season, but were still a long way behind where they were when Kember left.
Venables' signing of Steve was intended to be as a squad player, but Kember's experience added so much to the side that he quickly became a regular in the first XI. So much so that Palace were promoted back to the First Division, at the end of the season.
Venables then decided that Kember was not good enough for the First Division, so he moved on again, this time to Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
side, the Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL)
The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...
.
He had a largely un-noteworthy couple of seasons in Canada, and in the summer of 1981 he returned to Palace again (who had a new chairman, Ron Noades
Ron Noades
Ron Noades is an English businessman who has a strong connection with investments in football clubs. In his time, he has been chairman of Southall, Wimbledon, Crystal Palace and Brentford between 1981 and 1998.-Crystal Palace:...
), this time as a coach for the Youth setup.
Management
Noades quickly became tired of manager Dario GradiDario Gradi
Dario Gradi MBE is an Italian-born English football manager and former player, who was serving as manager of the Crewe Alexandra F.C. Academy. He is a former manager of Crewe Alexandra, with whom he has been associated for almost thirty years.Gradi is notable for his 24-year first spell as manager...
, who had only been appointed in the summer. With the club looming over successive relegations once again, Gradi was dismissed in November, and Kember got his first taste of management.
He had a relatively successful period, taking the club on an FA Cup run to the Fifth Round, and achieving Second Division survival with a game to spare.
However, for reasons unknown, he was replaced with the highly unpopular Alan Mullery
Alan Mullery
Alan Patrick Mullery MBE is a former English football player and manager. After enjoying a successful career with Fulham and in the 1960s and 1970s, he became a manager working with several different clubs. He is now employed as a television pundit...
. Kember said of the matter that he was "away on holiday at the time" and thus wasn't even notified of his dismissal.
He then joined non-league Whyteleafe
Whyteleafe F.C.
Whyteleafe F.C. are an English semi-professional football club based in Whyteleafe, Surrey. The club was established in 1946 and joined the Athenian League in 1981. They are currently members of Division One South of the Isthmian League.-History:...
in November 1986, as manager, helping them to the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup in the 1988-89
1988-89 in English football
The 1988–89 season was the 109th season of competitive football in England.-Hillsborough disaster:On 15 April, a crowd crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough killed 94 people and injured more than 300. A 95th Liverpool supporter died in hospital...
and 1989-90
1989-90 in English football
-European competitions:English clubs were still banned from competing in European competitions following the Heysel Stadium disaster.- First Division :...
seasons. In the former, "The Leafe" were also promoted, to the Isthmian League
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League is a regional football league covering London and South East England featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. It is sponsored by Ryman, and therefore officially known as the Ryman League. It was founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area...
Division One.
In the summer of 1993, Kember resigned (to be replaced by former Palace team-mate Paul Hinshelwood
Paul Hinshelwood (footballer born 1956)
Paul Hinshelwood is a retired English footballer.Paul grew up in Croydon, and in 1969, Paul played in the final of the London FA Schools Cup, watched by Crystal Palace manager Arthur Rowe. Rowe was impressed, and the brothers were invited for trials with the club...
) and once again went back to Palace, as a member of the coaching staff.
He stayed in that role until April 2001, when, with Palace once again looming over relegation to the third tier, manager Alan Smith
Alan Smith (manager)
Alan Smith is an English former football manager who began his coaching career as Steve Coppell's assistant at Crystal Palace. When Palace suffered relegation from the Premiership in 1993, Coppell resigned and Smith moved up to the manager's seat...
was sacked by new chairman Simon Jordan
Simon Jordan
Simon Jordan is an English businessman who made his fortune in the mobile phone industry. In 2000 he purchased Crystal Palace Football Club and remained chairman of the club until they entered administration in early 2010....
, and Kember was made caretaker for the remaining two games.
With two games left in the season, and Palace six points short of survival, it seemed that only a miracle would keep them up.
However, Kember made changes to the side, and after a last-gasp win at Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
, Palace survived.
In honour of this achievement, chairman Jordan said that Kember would now have a "job for life" at Palace.
However, this was not the managerial job just yet. Steve Bruce
Steve Bruce
Stephen Roger "Steve" Bruce is an English football manager and former player. Born in Corbridge, Northumberland, he was a promising schoolboy footballer but was rejected by a number of professional clubs. He was on the verge of quitting the game altogether when he was offered a trial with Gillingham...
took over, and Kember was made his assistant.
Bruce's tenure only lasted a couple of months, and, after Kember was again made caretaker (this time with Terry Bullivant
Terry Bullivant
Terry Bullivant is an English football coachBullivant was a midfielder during his playing days, signed as an apprentice in May 1974 to Fulham FC and transferred to Aston Villa FC for £220,000 in November 1979....
), Trevor Francis
Trevor Francis
Trevor John Francis , is a former footballer who won the European Cup with Nottingham Forest and played for England 52 times. He was England's first £1 million player...
took over. Francis was unpopular with the fans in his 14 months with the club, and was eventually sacked in February 2003, with Kember again being made caretaker, this time alone.
At the end of the season, Kember was made manager full-time, and Palace's 2003-04
2003-04 in English football
The 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game....
season got off to a flying start, the club winning all three of their opening games, to top the table. However, this excellent form soon ended, and by November, Palace were in 20th, and only two points above the drop-zone after losing 5-0 at newly-promoted Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
. Jordan saw this as the final straw, and Kember was sacked, clearly revoking Jordan's "job for life" pledge.
Kember coached at Cumnor House School
Cumnor House School
Cumnor House School is a junior independent school in South Croydon, Greater London. The school is owned and operated by Cognita, the largest independent schools company in the United Kingdom....
in Purley
Purley
- in England :*Purley, London**Purley Way, out-of-town retail area*Purley-on-Thames, in Berkshire- People :*David Purley , British race driver*Purley, several members of a fictional family in 1996's Secrets & Lies...
, and later coached football and cricket at Whitgift School
Whitgift School
Whitgift School is an independent day school educating approximately 1,400 boys aged 10 to 18 in South Croydon, London in a parkland site.- History and grounds :...
, South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
, alongside scouting
Scout (association football)
A football scout attends football matches on the behalf of clubs to collect intelligence. Primarily, there are two types of scouts: player scouts and tactical scouts....
for Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
initially, and the returning to 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...
as Chief Scout after the departure of Jordan.
Family
Kember has three sons, Matthew, Robbie, and Paul. Robbie and Paul came through the Youth system at Palace, and went on into non-league football, while Matthew started out at Whyteleafe. Paul had trials with Middlesbrough while Robbie had spells with Woking, Basingstoke, Crawley, Lewes, Tonbridge Angels, Eastbourne BoroughEastbourne Borough F.C.
Eastbourne Borough are a semi-professional English football club, based in the town of Eastbourne, East Sussex, and are members of the Conference South. They are known as The Sports after their previous name as Langney Sports. Eastbourne Borough play their home matches at Priory Lane in Langney...
, Hampton and Richmond. In May 2009 Robbie moved to Bromley
Bromley F.C.
Bromley Football Club are an English football club based in Bromley, in Greater London, England. They currently play in the Conference South, and play their home matches at Hayes Lane.-Early years:...
. Matthew and Paul, are believed to be retired.
Business
In the early 1990s Kember owned a wine barWine bar
A wine bar is a tavern-like business focusing on selling wine, rather than liquor or beer. A typical feature of many wine bars is a wide selection of wines available by the glass. Some wine bars are profiled on wines of a certain type of origin, such as Italian wine or Champagne...
in his native Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
called Kember's Wine Bar however the bar closed in 1993 after he was declared bankrupt.
External links
- Palace Legends: Steve Kember Crystal Palace FC
- Steve Kember Bob's '70-'71 Footballers