Club career Steve Bould

1 club career

1.1 stoke city
1.2 arsenal
1.3 sunderland

club career
stoke city

born in stoke-on-trent, bould signed hometown club stoke city schoolboy in 1978, turning professional in november 1980. made debut @ right in 3–2 defeat away middlesbrough in september 1981. however, unable command regular place in team, , loaned out torquay united in october 1982 gain first team experience, playing 9 league games bruce rioch s side.

bould became regular in stoke side after mick mills switched him centre-back replace paul dyson. proved shrewd move excelled in new position , became first team regular potters . injury required surgery cost him appearances in 1986–87 , arguably stoke play-off place. end of 1987–88 season acknowledged bould best defender in division two. both arsenal , everton made approaches defender. after discussions bould chose arsenal , tribunal set price @ £390,000, small fee compared stoke demanding.

arsenal

he moved arsenal fee of £390,000 on 13 june 1988, , became part of famous 4 defensive line-up, tony adams, nigel winterburn , former stoke teammate lee dixon. bould won first division title twice in 1988–89 , 1990–91, playing in club s famous 2–0 victory against liverpool @ anfield won title in last minute of last game of season. voted player of year club s fans 1991–92, though less successful season club defending champions, managing fourth-place finish in league , suffering exit european cup, shock first hurdle exit fa cup @ hands of minnows wrexham.

on 15 august 1992, had distinction of being scorer of arsenal s first premier league goal on opening day of season @ highbury, breaking deadlock in 28th minute although arsenal went on lose match 4–2 norwich city.

however, injury ruled him out of fa cup , league cup finals arsenal won in 1992–93, , place in team taken andy linighan scored arsenal s winning goal in fa cup final replay against sheffield wednesday.

after winning cup winners cup final in 1993–94, further success eluded arsenal , bould several years, , arrival of french manager arsène wenger in october 1996 led speculate ageing bould leave club (especially second-choice behind martin keown); instead spurred brief revival, , bould became important member of squad won double in 1997–98. famously set tony adams chipped throughball final goal in arsenal s 4–0 win on everton, match won them premier league title. 2 weeks later won fa cup complete double.

his final season @ highbury disappointing one. arsenal reached fa cup semi finals drew manchester united force replay. score @ 1–1 in final minute of game, arsenal awarded penalty. peter schmeichel saved dennis bergkamp , winner ryan giggs in time ended arsenal s defence of trophy. month later beaten premier league manchester united.

sunderland

by age against bould , moved newly promoted sunderland in july 1999 fee of £500,000. following departure of skipper kevin ball in december 1999, manager peter reid made him club captain , helped them finish seventh – missing out on uefa cup place. stayed @ stadium of light until arthritis contributed retirement in september 2000 having played 21 premier league games sunderland.