Trevor Steven
Encyclopedia
Trevor McGregor Steven is a football talent scout. He was formerly an England
footballer
who shot to fame with the successful Everton
side of the 1980s.
A right-sided midfield
er with great vision and pinpoint crossing ability, Steven grew through the ranks at Burnley
, making his debut in 1981. Over the next two seasons he became a regular supplier of goals and Everton boss Howard Kendall
, who was building a new team based on youth, decided to bid for him.
Steven is now recognised for his media work, particularly with RTÉ Sport
in Ireland.
, at the age of 18, when he scored three goals in 36 league games to help Burnley win promotion to the Second Division as Third Division champions. He managed eight goals in the 1982–83 season
, but was unable to prevent Burnley from going straight back down to the Third Division.
final at Wembley
, the Merseyside clubs drew 0–0 before Liverpool won the replay by a single Graeme Souness
goal. Steven was not selected by Kendall, but by the time Everton lined back up at Wembley for the FA Cup
final two months later, he was in the team.
Watford
were the opponents, and Steven played his part in the second goal of Everton's 2–0 success. The controversial nature of the goal has since served to overshadow the quality of the cross which Steven delivered for it on the right touchline.
As he ventured down the flank, Steven sent in an early, high and very awkward ball towards the Watford penalty area, which Everton centre forward Andy Gray and Watford goalkeeper Steve Sherwood
challenged for together. Though Sherwood seemed to get two hands on the ball, Gray's challenge certainly involved contact with his head and the goal was given. Few argued afterwards, though debate has always raged about whether Gray committed a foul or not. Steven, however, had played his part and an FA Cup winners' medal was his.
The following season, Steven established further his right-flank partnership with full back Gary Stevens
, which was a strong and creative link-up. Kendall had completed his team-building process and Everton went from strength to strength, winning the First Division title for the first time in 15 years and reaching the FA Cup final again. Steven established himself as one of the best midfield players in Europe with his ability to take players on with his sublime skills and wing play combined with defensive duties when needed. The "double" chances evaporated when Manchester United
, despite being down to ten men, won at Wembley in extra-time, but there was consolation for Everton when they defeated Rapid Vienna
3–1 in the final of the European Cup Winners Cup in Rotterdam
. Steven scored the second goal with a crisp, close-range volley after Rapid failed to clear a corner. He had also scored a crucial goal in the semi-final against Bayern Munich. In the league, he managed 12 goals from 40 games and was among their top scorers.
Everton lost the League title to Liverpool on the last day of the season, and then Steven suffered FA Cup heartbreak for the second season in a row when Liverpool beat Everton 3–1 at Wembley. However, his season ended with some joy as he was selected by Robson for the squad which would represent England in Mexico
at the World Cup, and a year later he enjoy another title triumph as Everton finished champions of the league with Steven scoring 14 goals – the most league goals he scored in a season for the club.
Robson preferred Waddle as his one orthodox wide man for the opening game against Portugal
, but England played poorly and lost 1–0. No changes were made, despite this defeat, and England suffered a nervy and embarrassing goalless draw against Morocco
, meaning they had to win their final group game or they were out.
As a consequence, Steven got his World Cup chance as Robson ditched Waddle and went for the creative but disciplined pairing of Steven on the right and Hodge on the left. It paid dividends, as Steven combined down his flank with Stevens, as ever, to set up an opening goal for Gary Lineker
; Hodge then set up Lineker's second, and Steven delivered a corner which went uncleared, allowing Lineker to complete his hat-trick.
. His main reason for doing so seemed to be the attraction of European football, as the ban on English clubs was ongoing and Steven had been denied the chance to play in the European Cup
with Everton as a consequence. So, after 299 appearances and 60 goals, Steven left Everton in a £1.5 million pound deal and went to Scotland.
Despite being the latest in a sequence of high-profile England internationals signed by Graeme Souness, Steven's arrival at Ibrox was relatively low-key, principally because it coincided with the controversial signing of Mo Johnston
– the first high-profile, established Roman Catholic player to be signed by Rangers in the post-war period. Steven rapidly became a solid member of the Rangers squad, securing a league championship in his first season.
His form at Ibrox persuaded Bobby Robson to retain him in the England squad, though by now his choices on the flanks had ventured toward the more adventurous, with Waddle and Barnes now ahead of Steven and Hodge in the stakes. That said, Steven made the final cut of 22 players for the tournament in Italy
when Robson announced it, edging out the unlucky David Rocastle
.
Steven did not feature in the tournament until the quarter final against Cameroon
when he came on as a substitute as England found themselves behind in the second half. He did the same thing again in the semi-final – again replacing his Rangers team-mate Terry Butcher
– as England chased the game against West Germany
, ultimately forcing a draw and a penalty shootout. Steven didn't take a penalty and England went out. He finally started a game when Robson put him in the team for the showpiece third-place play-off against Italy, which England lost 2–1.
Robson's successor Graham Taylor
selected Steven for a number of friendly internationals but he didn't play in any of the qualifying games for the 1992 European Championships. Then England suffered an almighty injury crisis prior to the tournament in Sweden
and Taylor put Steven in his squad, selecting him on the right flank in an England side which looked unrecognisable from the one which had reached a World Cup semi-final two summers earlier. Steven played in the group games against Denmark
and France
, both of which ended goalless, but was dropped for the final game against the hosts, which England lost 2–1, ensuring their elimination. Steven's England career ended there, with 36 caps and four goals.
for the same amount in July 1991) to Olympique Marseille where he stayed for one season, winning the French league title.
However, his future in the South of France had looked uncertain within months of his arrival. In December 1991, it was reported that the financially troubled club were prepared to sell Steven back to Rangers in order to cut their heavy losses.However, he stayed with the club until the end of the season. Despite reports on 22 July 1992 that Steven had agreed to sign for English league champions Leeds United
,he returned to Rangers on 26 July for a fee of £2.2million.
In contrast to his first spell at the club, Steven's second period at Ibrox was undermined by a succession of minor injuries, although they were league champions in each of the next five seasons (one of them as treble winners and two as double winners) before Steven retired from playing in 1997.
He was a regular player in the first of his seasons back at Ibrox, but managed just 11 appearances in the 1994–95 season (when Rangers won their seventh successive title and their fifth that Steven had been involved in) and with the arrival of Paul Gascoigne
he managed only six league appearances. His final season, 1996–97, brought eight league appearances and one goal as Rangers matched Celtic's record of nine successive Scottish league titles.
Bobby Robson
to make his debut in a qualifier for the 1986 World Cup against Northern Ireland
. He stayed in the side for the next three games, scoring his first goal in a friendly win over the Republic of Ireland
and contributing to a brace of drawn qualifiers versus Romania
and Finland
.
When he was awarded his fifth cap against Italy
at the beginning of a summer mini-tournament in North America, he was joined behind him by his Everton team-mate Stevens, therefore transferring a successful and feared partnership to the international stage. However, Steven soon had a rival for the right flank as Robson began to explore various combinations for his wide men. Chris Waddle
was a more flamboyant and explosive player than Steven (and John Barnes
was similarly so against the more stoic Steve Hodge
on the left flank) but Robson often preferred the consistency and team play of Steven on the right wing and he became a frequent choice as a result.
Steven scored his second England goal in a 5–0 thumping of the USA
in Los Angeles
at the conclusion of the summer tour. Everton were once again challenging for First Division and FA Cup honours and Steven became one of the country's most consistent players, regularly putting on a show with Everton while maintaining his form internationally when given the opportunity. In January 1986 he scored the opening goal in a 4–0 win over Egypt in Cairo
and continued to be selected as the World Cup neared.
Steven played as England thrust aside Paraguay
in the second round but in the quarter final, with England 2–0 down against Argentina
, he was sacrificed midway through the second half by Robson to give Barnes his first run-out. Barnes single-handedly destroyed the Argentine defence but could only set up one goal and England were eliminated.
The next year saw Steven settled back into a dominant Everton side, which regained the League title with some panache. He also played a full part in a robust qualification campaign for the 1988 European Championships. By the time the tournament came round in the summer of 1988, Steven had a healthy 22 caps.
The competition was a disaster, as England succumbed to tiredness to lose all three of their group games. Steven in the squad, missed the calamitous opening defeat to the Republic of Ireland, but played in the 3–1 defeat by Holland, after which his pal Stevens was lambasted for some weak defending against Dutch centre forward Marco van Basten, who scored a memorable hat-trick. Steven stayed in the team for the now meaningless final group game against the 1–3 defeat against USSR
, which was the worst performance of the lot, although he was unlucky not to give England the lead when his header hit the underside of the crossbar when the score was still 1–1.
England came home in disgrace but Robson stayed in his job and Steven stayed in his plans as the qualifiers for the 1990 World Cup loomed. However, his right flank partner Stevens left Everton to join Rangers
and Steven struggled to form a similar telepathy
with replacement Neil McDonald. Everton ended the season without a trophy – losing the FA Cup final to Liverpool again – and Steven wasn't called up for England until the end-of-season Rous Cup
shindig against Scotland, which England won.
. In his early career he worked as a co-commentator for the BBC
during their coverage of the 2002 FIFA World Cup
.
Steven now acts as a pundit for RTÉ Sport
in Ireland, having covered the 2006 FIFA World Cup
in Germany
for the broadcaster. He is also a regular contributor to RTÉ's coverage of the Premier League and UEFA Champions League
, acting both as analyst and co-commentator. He contributed to RTÉ Sport's coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup
.
As well as his media work, Steven also acts as a football agent for many high profile players in the Scottish and English Premier Leagues. He also works for aviation company, Cloud9.
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
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 shot to fame with the successful Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
side of the 1980s.
A right-sided midfield
Midfield
Midfield is the part of a sports pitch that lies approximately in the center. It is a term most commonly associated with football to refer to the area in and around the center circle, as well as the players who occupy that region, but it can be used in field hockey to describe the same area, or in...
er with great vision and pinpoint crossing ability, Steven grew through the ranks at Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
, making his debut in 1981. Over the next two seasons he became a regular supplier of goals and Everton boss Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
, who was building a new team based on youth, decided to bid for him.
Steven is now recognised for his media work, particularly with RTÉ Sport
RTÉ Sport
RTÉ Sport is a cross platform, integrated business division of Irish broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann, responsible for the provision of sport coverage on RTÉ Radio, RTÉ Television, and RTÉ.ie....
in Ireland.
Burnley
Steven began his professional football career with Burnley on leaving school in the summer of 1980, and broke into the first team in the 1981–821981-82 in English football
The 1981–82 season was the 102nd season of competitive football in England.It was also the first season that the Three points for a win system was introduced.- First Division :Three points for a win was introduced for the first time in England...
, at the age of 18, when he scored three goals in 36 league games to help Burnley win promotion to the Second Division as Third Division champions. He managed eight goals in the 1982–83 season
1982-83 in English football
The 1982–83 season was the 103rd season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Bob Paisley's last season as Liverpool manager ended on a high as they topped the First Division with a comfortable lead. Bob Paisley retired as Liverpool manager with a record 21 prizes in nine years. His...
, but was unable to prevent Burnley from going straight back down to the Third Division.
Everton
Burnley accepted £300,000 for the then 19 year old Steven who joined Everton in the summer of 1983. He made his debut at the beginning of the following season, which proved a watershed campaign for Kendall's men. Despite finishing in 7th position in the Football League Championship, someway behind eventual Champions, Liverpool, the season was saved – as was Kendall's job – by two excellent Cup runs. In the League CupFootball League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
final at Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, the Merseyside clubs drew 0–0 before Liverpool won the replay by a single Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
goal. Steven was not selected by Kendall, but by the time Everton lined back up at Wembley for the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
final two months later, he was in the team.
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...
were the opponents, and Steven played his part in the second goal of Everton's 2–0 success. The controversial nature of the goal has since served to overshadow the quality of the cross which Steven delivered for it on the right touchline.
As he ventured down the flank, Steven sent in an early, high and very awkward ball towards the Watford penalty area, which Everton centre forward Andy Gray and Watford goalkeeper Steve Sherwood
Steve Sherwood
Stephen "Steve" Sherwood is a former footballer who played as a goalkeeper, best remembered for his time at Watford, Chelsea and Grimsby Town.-Career:...
challenged for together. Though Sherwood seemed to get two hands on the ball, Gray's challenge certainly involved contact with his head and the goal was given. Few argued afterwards, though debate has always raged about whether Gray committed a foul or not. Steven, however, had played his part and an FA Cup winners' medal was his.
The following season, Steven established further his right-flank partnership with full back Gary Stevens
Gary Stevens
Gary Michael Stevens is a retired English footballer who is best remembered playing in defence for a successful Everton side of the 1980s, as well as for the England national football team....
, which was a strong and creative link-up. Kendall had completed his team-building process and Everton went from strength to strength, winning the First Division title for the first time in 15 years and reaching the FA Cup final again. Steven established himself as one of the best midfield players in Europe with his ability to take players on with his sublime skills and wing play combined with defensive duties when needed. The "double" chances evaporated when 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...
, despite being down to ten men, won at Wembley in extra-time, but there was consolation for Everton when they defeated Rapid Vienna
SK Rapid Wien
The Sportklub Rapid Wien is an Austrian football club playing in the country's capital city of Vienna. Rapid is the most popular club in Austria and also record title holder having won the Austrian national football title 32 times...
3–1 in the final of the European Cup Winners Cup in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
. Steven scored the second goal with a crisp, close-range volley after Rapid failed to clear a corner. He had also scored a crucial goal in the semi-final against Bayern Munich. In the league, he managed 12 goals from 40 games and was among their top scorers.
Everton lost the League title to Liverpool on the last day of the season, and then Steven suffered FA Cup heartbreak for the second season in a row when Liverpool beat Everton 3–1 at Wembley. However, his season ended with some joy as he was selected by Robson for the squad which would represent England in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
at the World Cup, and a year later he enjoy another title triumph as Everton finished champions of the league with Steven scoring 14 goals – the most league goals he scored in a season for the club.
Robson preferred Waddle as his one orthodox wide man for the opening game against Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
, but England played poorly and lost 1–0. No changes were made, despite this defeat, and England suffered a nervy and embarrassing goalless draw against Morocco
Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
, meaning they had to win their final group game or they were out.
As a consequence, Steven got his World Cup chance as Robson ditched Waddle and went for the creative but disciplined pairing of Steven on the right and Hodge on the left. It paid dividends, as Steven combined down his flank with Stevens, as ever, to set up an opening goal for Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker
Gary Winston Lineker, OBE , is a former English footballer, who played as a striker. He is a sports broadcaster for the BBC, Al Jazeera Sports and Eredivisie Live...
; Hodge then set up Lineker's second, and Steven delivered a corner which went uncleared, allowing Lineker to complete his hat-trick.
Rangers
The time had come for Steven to move and Souness, then manager of Rangers, offered him the chance to pair up with his friend Stevens and reform their renowned partnership down the right. Offers came in from other smaller clubs but Steven chose IbroxRangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
. His main reason for doing so seemed to be the attraction of European football, as the ban on English clubs was ongoing and Steven had been denied the chance to play in the European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
with Everton as a consequence. So, after 299 appearances and 60 goals, Steven left Everton in a £1.5 million pound deal and went to Scotland.
Despite being the latest in a sequence of high-profile England internationals signed by Graeme Souness, Steven's arrival at Ibrox was relatively low-key, principally because it coincided with the controversial signing of Mo Johnston
Mo Johnston
Maurice John Giblin "Mo" Johnston is a former football striker.Johnston began his football career with Partick Thistle in 1981 before moving to Watford in 1983. With Watford Johnston scored 23 league goals, made his international debut, and helped the team reach the 1984 FA Cup Final...
– the first high-profile, established Roman Catholic player to be signed by Rangers in the post-war period. Steven rapidly became a solid member of the Rangers squad, securing a league championship in his first season.
His form at Ibrox persuaded Bobby Robson to retain him in the England squad, though by now his choices on the flanks had ventured toward the more adventurous, with Waddle and Barnes now ahead of Steven and Hodge in the stakes. That said, Steven made the final cut of 22 players for the tournament in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
when Robson announced it, edging out the unlucky David Rocastle
David Rocastle
David Carlyle Rocastle, nicknamed Rocky, was an English football player, who spent the majority of his career at Arsenal...
.
Steven did not feature in the tournament until the quarter final against Cameroon
Cameroon national football team
The Cameroon national football team, nicknamed Les Lions Indomptables , is controlled by the Fédération Camerounaise de Football and is Africa's most successful side in FIFA world cup; having qualified for the FIFA World Cup six times – in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010– more than any...
when he came on as a substitute as England found themselves behind in the second half. He did the same thing again in the semi-final – again replacing his Rangers team-mate Terry Butcher
Terry Butcher
Terence Ian "Terry" Butcher is an English football manager and former player. He was a highly successful football player and made his name as an uncompromising defender with Ipswich Town and Rangers in the 1980s. He was also a captain of England and won 77 caps in a ten-year international career...
– as England chased the game against West Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
, ultimately forcing a draw and a penalty shootout. Steven didn't take a penalty and England went out. He finally started a game when Robson put him in the team for the showpiece third-place play-off against Italy, which England lost 2–1.
Robson's successor Graham Taylor
Graham Taylor (football manager)
Graham Taylor OBE is a football pundit, ex-football manager, and a former player. He is best known as the manager of the England national football team, as well as being manager of Watford, a club he took from the Fourth Division to the First in the space of five years, then from bottom of the...
selected Steven for a number of friendly internationals but he didn't play in any of the qualifying games for the 1992 European Championships. Then England suffered an almighty injury crisis prior to the tournament in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Taylor put Steven in his squad, selecting him on the right flank in an England side which looked unrecognisable from the one which had reached a World Cup semi-final two summers earlier. Steven played in the group games against Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
and France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
, both of which ended goalless, but was dropped for the final game against the hosts, which England lost 2–1, ensuring their elimination. Steven's England career ended there, with 36 caps and four goals.
Marseille and return Rangers
In August 1991, Steven moved for a massive fee of £5.5 million (the joint-highest fee involving a British player at the time, shared with David Platt of Aston Villa, who had been transferred to Italian club BariBari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
for the same amount in July 1991) to Olympique Marseille where he stayed for one season, winning the French league title.
However, his future in the South of France had looked uncertain within months of his arrival. In December 1991, it was reported that the financially troubled club were prepared to sell Steven back to Rangers in order to cut their heavy losses.However, he stayed with the club until the end of the season. Despite reports on 22 July 1992 that Steven had agreed to sign for English league champions Leeds United
Leeds 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...
,he returned to Rangers on 26 July for a fee of £2.2million.
In contrast to his first spell at the club, Steven's second period at Ibrox was undermined by a succession of minor injuries, although they were league champions in each of the next five seasons (one of them as treble winners and two as double winners) before Steven retired from playing in 1997.
He was a regular player in the first of his seasons back at Ibrox, but managed just 11 appearances in the 1994–95 season (when Rangers won their seventh successive title and their fifth that Steven had been involved in) and with the arrival of Paul Gascoigne
Paul Gascoigne
Paul John Gascoigne , commonly referred to as Gazza, is a retired English professional footballer.Playing in the position of midfield, Gascoigne's career included spells at Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton and Gansu Tianma, where he scored at least a goal...
he managed only six league appearances. His final season, 1996–97, brought eight league appearances and one goal as Rangers matched Celtic's record of nine successive Scottish league titles.
International career
A stunning season for Steven was completed when, in February 1985, he was called up by England coachCoach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
Bobby Robson
Bobby Robson
Sir Robert William "Bobby" Robson, CBE was an English footballer and manager, who coached seven European clubs and the England national team during his career....
to make his debut in a qualifier for the 1986 World Cup against Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
. He stayed in the side for the next three games, scoring his first goal in a friendly win over the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
and contributing to a brace of drawn qualifiers versus Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
and Finland
Finland national football team
The Finland national football team represents Finland in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Association of Finland....
.
When he was awarded his fifth cap against Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
at the beginning of a summer mini-tournament in North America, he was joined behind him by his Everton team-mate Stevens, therefore transferring a successful and feared partnership to the international stage. However, Steven soon had a rival for the right flank as Robson began to explore various combinations for his wide men. Chris Waddle
Chris Waddle
Christopher Roland "Chris" Waddle is a former footballer from England. He played for a number of clubs in the 1980s and 90s, including Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield Wednesday in England, and Olympique de Marseille in France...
was a more flamboyant and explosive player than Steven (and John Barnes
John Barnes (footballer)
John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...
was similarly so against the more stoic Steve Hodge
Steve Hodge
Stephen Brian Hodge is a retired English footballer who enjoyed a high-profile club and international career in the 1980s and 1990s.- Playing career :...
on the left flank) but Robson often preferred the consistency and team play of Steven on the right wing and he became a frequent choice as a result.
Steven scored his second England goal in a 5–0 thumping of the USA
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
at the conclusion of the summer tour. Everton were once again challenging for First Division and FA Cup honours and Steven became one of the country's most consistent players, regularly putting on a show with Everton while maintaining his form internationally when given the opportunity. In January 1986 he scored the opening goal in a 4–0 win over Egypt in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and continued to be selected as the World Cup neared.
Steven played as England thrust aside Paraguay
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
in the second round but in the quarter final, with England 2–0 down against Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
, he was sacrificed midway through the second half by Robson to give Barnes his first run-out. Barnes single-handedly destroyed the Argentine defence but could only set up one goal and England were eliminated.
The next year saw Steven settled back into a dominant Everton side, which regained the League title with some panache. He also played a full part in a robust qualification campaign for the 1988 European Championships. By the time the tournament came round in the summer of 1988, Steven had a healthy 22 caps.
The competition was a disaster, as England succumbed to tiredness to lose all three of their group games. Steven in the squad, missed the calamitous opening defeat to the Republic of Ireland, but played in the 3–1 defeat by Holland, after which his pal Stevens was lambasted for some weak defending against Dutch centre forward Marco van Basten, who scored a memorable hat-trick. Steven stayed in the team for the now meaningless final group game against the 1–3 defeat against USSR
USSR national football team
The Soviet Union National Football Team was the national football team of the Soviet Union. It ceased to exist after the break up of the Union...
, which was the worst performance of the lot, although he was unlucky not to give England the lead when his header hit the underside of the crossbar when the score was still 1–1.
England came home in disgrace but Robson stayed in his job and Steven stayed in his plans as the qualifiers for the 1990 World Cup loomed. However, his right flank partner Stevens left Everton to join Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
and Steven struggled to form a similar telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
with replacement Neil McDonald. Everton ended the season without a trophy – losing the FA Cup final to Liverpool again – and Steven wasn't called up for England until the end-of-season Rous Cup
Rous Cup
The Rous Cup was a short-lived football competition in the second half of the 1980s, contested between England, Scotland and, in later years, a guest team from South America.-Overview:...
shindig against Scotland, which England won.
Media work
Since he retired, Steven has worked in the mediaMass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
. In his early career he worked as a co-commentator for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
during their coverage of the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
.
Steven now acts as a pundit for RTÉ Sport
RTÉ Sport
RTÉ Sport is a cross platform, integrated business division of Irish broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann, responsible for the provision of sport coverage on RTÉ Radio, RTÉ Television, and RTÉ.ie....
in Ireland, having covered the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for the broadcaster. He is also a regular contributor to RTÉ's coverage of the Premier League and UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, acting both as analyst and co-commentator. He contributed to RTÉ Sport's coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
.
As well as his media work, Steven also acts as a football agent for many high profile players in the Scottish and English Premier Leagues. He also works for aviation company, Cloud9.
Honours
- Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe 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....
winner: 1984–85, 1986–87 - FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winner: 1984 - UEFA Cup Winners' CupUEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
winner: 1985 - FA Community ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
winner: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 - Scottish football championsScottish football championsThe Scottish football champions are the winners of the highest league in Scottish football, namely the Scottish Football League from 1890 until 1998 and the Scottish Premier League thereafter....
winner: 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 - Scottish League CupScottish League CupThe Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
winner: 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994 - Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
winner: 1993, 1996 - Ligue 1Ligue 1Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
winner: 1992
External links
- Player profile at Soccerbase
- FIFA Profile