Freddie Steele (footballer)

Infobox Football biography
playername = Freddie Steele


fullname = Frederick Charles Steele
dateofbirth = 6 May 1916 [cite web|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=10287|title=Freddie Steele|work=soccerbase.com|accessdate=2007-07-15]
cityofbirth = Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath = death date and age|1976|4|23|1916|5|6
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height =
position = Centre forward
youthyears = 1931-1933
youthclubs = Stoke City
years = 1933-1949
1949-1951
1951-1953
clubs = Stoke City
Mansfield Town
Port Vale
caps(goals) = 224 (140)cite web|url=http://homepage.ntlworld.com/rob.stanway/victoria/hero.htm|title=Victoria Ground Heroes - Freddie Steele|author=Rob Stanway|accessdate=2007-07-15]
053 0(39)
025 0(12)
nationalyears = 1936-1937
nationalteam = nat|England
nationalcaps(goals) = 006 00(8) [cite web|url=http://www.englandstats.com/playerreport.php?pid=916 |title=Freddie Steele|work=englandstats.com|accessdate=2007-07-15]
manageryears = 1949-1951
1951-1953
managerclubs = Mansfield Town
Port Vale

Frederick Charles Steele (6 May 1916 - 23 April 1976) was a footballer who played as a centre forward for Stoke City and was a former England international. He also had spells at Mansfield Town and Port Vale as a player-manager, following his retirement from playing.cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/HallofFameDetail/0,,10310~401829,00.html|title=Freddie Steele|work=Stoke City|accessdate=2007-07-15]

Club career

toke City

Freddie Steele was signed for Stoke City in 1931, aged 15, by manager Tom Mather. He carried out work in the club's offices, until he was old enough to turn professional. He signed pro papers in August 1933 and made his debut in December 1934. Nicknamed "Nobby" by fans, Steele was a prolific goalscorer for Stoke, scoring 220 goals in 384 games during his tenure at the club. This tally included 5 goals in a 10–3 win over West Bromwich Albion, which is a record league win for the club. Steele's 33 league goals in 1936-37 remains a club record to this date.cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ClubHistoryDetail/0,,10310~401166,00.html|title=1930-1940 Stan's The Man|work=Stoke City F.C.|accessdate=2007-06-23] A knee injury sidelined him in 1937, which he struggled to recover from. He decided to retire in 1939, aged 23. However, he opted to return to the game, scoring 10 times in 5 matches upon his return. The outbreak of World War II then halted his progress, as the Football League was suspended.

During the war Steele still played, including a spell as a guest player at Arsenal. He returned in 1945-46, scoring 49 goals in 43 games during the course of the season. He left the club in 1949, due to persistent knee problems.cite web|url=http://www.stokecityfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ClubHistoryDetail/0,,10310~401166,00.html|title=1930-1940 Stan's The Man|work=Stoke City F.C.|accessdate=2007-06-23]

International career

Steele was capped six times for England and scored in wins over Sweden and Finland. In the Sweden game, Steele scored a first half hat-trick in a 4–0 win. [cite web|url=http://www.englandstats.com/matchreport.php?mid=210|work=englandstats.com|title=Sweden 0 - England 4|accessdate=2007-07-15] He scored 8 goals for his country in total, however a knee injury sustained in 1937 meant that he did not play for his country again.

Management career

Steele assumed a player-manager role at Mansfield Town, then later at Port Vale. At Port Vale, he achieved some success, winning the Football League Third Division and guiding the club to the semi-final stage of the FA Cup in 1953-54.

References