Stone: Steven Brian (Steve)

2005-2007 (Player Details)

Right Midfield

Born: Gateshead: 20-08-1971

Debut v Crewe Alexandra (h): 22-04-2006

5’8” 12st 7lb (2003)

Stone signed professional forms for Nottingham Forest on 20th May 1989 and had a very successful ten year career with them, despite being blighted by a succession of injuries which kept him out of action for long stretches at a time. He was unlucky enough to break his leg three times during his time with Forest. He did, however, establish himself as a vital team player and a fixture in the team when available. He also earned a call up for the England squad, making his international debut in 1995 against Norway. He went on to be capped nine times, and scored twice. He was part of Terry Venables’ squad for Euro’96. However, another serious knee injury meant he missed the entire 1996-97 season. Despite this, he fought his way back into the Forest team. Following the club's relegation from the EPL, he moved to Aston Villa for £5.5 million in 1999, having scored twenty-three times in one hundred and eighty-nine starts and four more from the bench in League games as well as scoring another four times in twenty-five starts and another from the bench in Cup and other games for Forest. He soon became a vital team player under then manager John Gregory. However, following Gregory's dismissal, Stone failed to impress new manager Graham Taylor and he was loaned to Portsmouth for a month in November 2002 scoring once in five League games before making the move permanent on a free transfer in December 2002, having played ninety times in the League for Villa, of which twenty-four were as a substitute and scoring four goals, together with three more goals in twenty starts and eleven games from the bench in Cup and other competitions. Despite continuied injuries, he established himself as a regular in the Portsmouth team. He was an invaluable part of the team that won promotion to the EPL, and then achieved mid-table finishes in the following two seasons. However, when his contract expired in June 2005, new manager Alain Perrin decided to release Stone, and he signed for Leeds. Stone's career at Leeds was short-lived. He was injured in training as soon as he joined the club, and it took him most of his first season to recover from the injury to his knee. Stone played a few matches at the end of the 2005-06 campaign, and continued to play at the start of the 2006-07 campaign. Injuries, however, struck again, and Steve retired early on 15th December 2006. He now lives in the North-East of England and commentates for BBC Radio 5-Live on football matches played in the region.