Who Are Ya? Jon Stead

Last updated : 28 July 2015 By Tom Pritchard

 

Name: Jon Stead

Age: 32 Height: 6ft 3’

Career so far:  League appearances including substitute appearances (Goals)

2002–2004 Huddersfield Town 68 (22)

2004–2005 Blackburn Rovers 41 (8)

2005–2007 Sunderland 35 (2)

2006–2007 → Derby County (loan) 17 (3)

2007–2008 Sheffield United 39 (8)

2008 → Ipswich Town (loan) 1 (1)

2008–2010 Ipswich Town 63 (18)

2010 → Coventry City (loan) 10 (2)

2010–2013 Bristol City 79 (20)

2013–2015 Huddersfield Town 19 (2)

2014 → Oldham Athletic (loan) 5 (0)

2013–2015 → Bradford City (loan) 40 (7)

History:

Jon Stead started his career at his hometown club Huddersfield Town, getting his first ever professional goal(s) against none other than Notts - scoring a brace in a 3-0 win for the Terriers. Stead went on to score 4 more goals that season. It was the following season Stead really found his form, ending the season as Huddersfield’s top scorer with 16 league goals despite leaving for Blackburn Rovers for a fee over £1 million in the mid-season window.

Jon’s move to Blackburn Rovers and the Premier League got off to a flying start, with Stead scoring the winning goal on his debut against Middlesbrough, before following this up with another strike in the next game earning his side a point in a 1-1 draw against Newcastle. However, the most memorable moment of the season for the striker will be scoring a late winner against Manchester United at Ewood Park in a 1-0 win. Stead collected 6 goals in the top flight in his first season, averaging just below a goal every two games having made 13 appearances.

The following season wasn’t so fruitful for the striker only managing two goals before a summer move to fellow Premier League side Sunderland. The Black Cats were relegated as Stead only managed to find the net once that season in a struggling side. Sunderland opened the season in the same poor form as Stead score one goal in five games before moving to Derby County on loan, scoring 3 goals. Stead then moved to his third Premier League club, Sheffield United – adding 5 more goals to take his season total to 9. The following season back in the Championship, Stead scored the winner against Manchester City in the F.A Cup – managed by Sven-Goran Eriksson.

The striker then packed up his bags and moved on to East Anglia and the Tractor Boys, Ipswich – scoring 12 in his first season. This included a dramatic last minute goal against local rivals Norwich City in a 3-2 win at Portman Road. The following season, Stead hit 6 goals and was generally a mainstay in the Ipswich side. However, after 3 games the following season with a goal and 2 assists to his name, Roy Keane allowed Stead to move on loan to Bristol City,where he enjoyed a successful campaign scoring 9 games and getting 7 assists in 27 matches.

The move was made permanent in the summer by City manager Keith Millen, and Stead’s first game as a Bristol City player was against former club Ipswich Town – in which the latter won 3-0. Stead stayed at Bristol City for 3 seasons, scoring 20 league goals in his time at Ashton Gate.

He then headed home to Huddersfield Town where he’d started his career. However, it wasn’t the fairy tale story he’d have hoped for managing just 2 goals for the club on his return.

Stead subsequently made his own fairy tale away from Huddersfield Town, on loan at Yorkshire rivals Bradford City. His first stint in 13-14 was fairly uneventful, scoring once on the final day to help condemn Tranmere to relegation (inadvertently helping Notts prolong their League One status for one more season). Last season was more fruitful for the striker, bagging 11 goals in all competitions and 10 assists. 5 of those goals and 4 assists were in Bradford’s incredible F.A Cup run – scoring in every round until they met Reading in the Quarter-Finals and were eventually beaten in a replay. Below is the sublimely taken goal at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea and his composed finish (filmed on a potato) against Sunderland.

The striker comes with real pedigree having plied his trade in the top two leagues for the majority of his career and has held down a starting spot at the majority of clubs he's been at.

Here’s hoping Notts have got a striker full of confidence and he and Jimmy can strike up a partnership akin to Hughes/Rodgers and/or Farrell/Jones. They will certainly make themselves a nuisance, which can also be said for the 4 strikers just mentioned - all vital players of previous League Two title-winning sides.