Steve Sidwell facts for kids
Sidwell playing for Stoke City in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 14 December 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Wandsworth, England | ||
| Height | 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Chipstead | |||
| 1997–2001 | Arsenal | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2001–2003 | Arsenal | 0 | (0) |
| 2001–2002 | → Brentford (loan) | 30 | (4) |
| 2002 | → Beveren (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 12 | (5) |
| 2003–2007 | Reading | 168 | (29) |
| 2007–2008 | Chelsea | 15 | (0) |
| 2008–2011 | Aston Villa | 45 | (3) |
| 2011–2014 | Fulham | 92 | (14) |
| 2014–2016 | Stoke City | 13 | (0) |
| 2016 | → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) | 16 | (1) |
| 2016–2018 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 34 | (1) |
| Total | 425 | (57) | |
| National team | |||
| 2001–2002 | England U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2003 | England U21 | 5 | (0) |
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Steven James Sidwell (born 14 December 1982) is an English former professional footballer. He played as a midfielder for many clubs during his career.
Sidwell started his journey in football at the Arsenal youth academy. He won two FA Youth Cups, which are big competitions for young players. Even though he played well on loan at Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion, he never played for Arsenal's main team.
He became well-known while playing for Reading in the EFL Championship. He helped them get promoted to the Premier League for the first time ever in the 2005–06 season. After that, he joined Chelsea but found it hard to get regular playing time. He then moved to Aston Villa and later to Fulham. His time at Fulham ended when the club was relegated from the Premier League. He finished his career with Stoke City and a final two-year spell at Brighton & Hove Albion, retiring in 2018.
Contents
Playing Career
Starting at Arsenal
Steve Sidwell was born in Wandsworth, London. He joined Arsenal when he was just 9 years old. He was part of the youth team that won the FA Youth Cup in 2000 and 2001. One of his teammates was James Harper, who he would later play with at Reading.
To gain experience, Sidwell spent the 2001–02 season on loan at Brentford. He played 35 games and scored four goals. Brentford lost in the play-off final that year. He also had a loan spell at Brighton & Hove Albion in the 2002–03 season, where he scored five goals in 12 games. Even with these good performances, he didn't get a chance to play for Arsenal's senior team.
Success with Reading
In January 2003, Sidwell moved to Reading. He quickly made an impact, scoring two goals in his second game. In his first season, 2002–03, Reading reached the play-offs but didn't get promoted.
Sidwell continued to play well in the 2003–04 season, scoring in the first three matches. He played in 48 games and scored nine goals that season. In July 2004, he signed a new three-year contract with Reading.
The 2004–05 season saw Sidwell play 47 times, scoring five goals. He was even named the best player outside the Premier League by FourFourTwo Magazine. He was also chosen for the PFA Team of the Year.
The 2005–06 season was a huge success for Reading. They won the Championship with an amazing 106 points, earning promotion to the Premier League for the first time. Sidwell played in 40 games and scored ten goals, again earning a spot in the PFA Team of the Year.
In the 2006–07 season, Reading did very well in the Premier League, finishing 8th. Sidwell scored on the opening day against Middlesbrough and scored both goals in a 2–0 win over Aston Villa. His strong performances led to interest from bigger clubs like Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. At the end of the season, it was confirmed he would be moving on.
Time at Chelsea
Steve Sidwell joined Chelsea on 1 July 2007. He was excited to play alongside top players like Michael Essien and Frank Lampard. He made his league debut for Chelsea on 12 August 2007.
He scored his only goal for Chelsea on 26 September 2007, in a 4–0 win against Hull City in the Football League Cup. However, it was difficult for Sidwell to get a regular place in Chelsea's starting team. He played 25 games in total during the 2007–08 season. After one season, he looked for new opportunities.
Moving to Aston Villa
On 10 July 2008, Sidwell signed a three-year deal with Aston Villa. He scored an own goal in his first competitive game for Villa, but later scored his first goal for the club in a 4–0 win against Wigan Athletic.
He scored two more goals in the 2008–09 season, including one just 34 seconds into a game against Everton. Sidwell faced some injuries during his time at Villa. He played 25 games that season as Villa finished in 6th place.
In the 2009–10 season, Sidwell was used less often by the manager. He made 33 appearances, but 19 of those were as a substitute. He also suffered from an Achilles tendon injury in the 2010–11 season. In January 2011, he decided to move to Fulham.
Years at Fulham
Sidwell joined Fulham on 7 January 2011. He made his debut on 22 January 2011 in a win against Stoke City. His contract was extended until 2014. He scored goals against Liverpool and Arsenal in his first half-season.
In the 2011–12 season, he played 28 games before a hernia injury ended his season early. He returned strong in the 2012–13 season, scoring a penalty on the opening day. He scored late goals against West Bromwich Albion and Everton. He was sent off twice in April 2013 for late tackles.
The 2013–14 season was tough for Fulham. Sidwell's own performances improved under new manager René Meulensteen, and he scored five of his eight goals that season during Meulensteen's time. He was even made captain for a short period. However, Fulham was eventually relegated to the Championship. Sidwell was released by Fulham in May 2014.
Stoke City and Brighton
On 9 June 2014, Sidwell joined Stoke City. He was excited to join a club that was "really moving forward." He made his debut on 24 August 2014. However, he found it hard to get regular playing time due to strong competition. In December 2014, he tore a knee ligament, which kept him out for a while. He made 16 appearances in the 2014–15 season. He was released by Stoke at the end of the 2015–16 season.
On 25 January 2016, Sidwell joined Brighton & Hove Albion on loan. He played 18 times and scored once as Brighton finished 3rd in the Championship. After his release from Stoke, he signed a one-year contract with Brighton. On 5 November 2016, Sidwell scored an amazing goal from 50 yards in a 2–0 win against Bristol City. He played a big part in Brighton's success as they earned automatic promotion to the Premier League.
Sidwell missed the entire 2017–18 season due to back and ankle injuries.
Retirement
Steve Sidwell announced his retirement as a player in August 2018. He took on new roles as an ambassador and youth development coach at his last club, Brighton & Hove Albion.
He is now a regular co-host of That Peter Crouch Podcast, alongside Peter Crouch and Chris Stark. This weekly show is one of the most popular podcasts in the UK.
International Career
Steve Sidwell played for England's youth teams. In 2001, he played for the England U20 team. He later made his debut for the England U21 team in 2003 and played 5 games for them.
Personal Life
Steve Sidwell married Krystell on 19 June 2005. Soon after their honeymoon, he got a tattoo on his back of the wedding vows he had written for her.
He has a sister named Louise and a brother named Lee. Lee also played football for AFC Wimbledon in their first season, 2002–03.
Sidwell grew up supporting Crystal Palace but started following Arsenal after joining their academy as a schoolboy.
Honours
Arsenal Youth
- FA Youth Cup: 2000, 2001
Reading
- Football League Championship: 2005–06 (Winners)
Aston Villa
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2009–10
Brighton & Hove Albion
- EFL Championship runner-up: 2016–17
Individual Awards
- PFA Team of the Year: 2004–05 Football League Championship, 2005–06 Football League Championship
- Football League Championship Player of the Month: September 2004
See also
In Spanish: Steve Sidwell para niños
