IAN  STEVENS

Height 5' 10"

Weight  11 7lbs

Forward

League appearances  373(71)

Ian was born in Malta on the 21st of October 1966. He broke in to football at the age of 18 when scouts at Preston notified the management that there was someone well worth taking an interest in. It took them until the November of 1984 to convince the youngster that his future was at Deepdale and he duly signed. Competition was high at Preston and Stevo found it difficult to make a lasting impression and he was released on a free in October 1986. He trained with, and played for, Stockport for a month but started only one game at Edgeley Park.  Lancaster City were quick to snap up the goal scoring predator and he quickly built up a reputation as an excellent striker during his 5 months there. Bolton had him watched and made the move to sign him in March 1987. He took his second chance at League football with enthusiasm and scored 9 goals in 34 starts. The lack of opportunity for first team football saw Stevo accept the offer of a move to Bury in March 1991. It was here that Ian's career took off. 126 appearances brought 40 goals and a striker who improved his all round game remarkably. He was becoming known as a provider as well as for being brave in front of goals. By the start of the 1994 season Shrewsbury Town had decided that the 27 year old was worth a £20,000 gamble, and it paid off. 132 games at Gay Meadow brought 51 goals.

 Then came his first spell at Brunton Park. Mervyn Day paid £100,000 for his services and he repaid it by finishing as top scorer during both of his season's here.  To read a detailed account of his goals scored in the 97/98 season  Click Here

and Click Here  to read about the 98/99 season.

His first spell at Carlisle ended when he moved to Wrexham where he played 20 games and scored 4 goals. After a season away he impressed new manager Ian Atkins enough to earn another spell 'at home' with Carlisle United.  Click Here  to read about his 2000/01 season.

 2001/02 proved to be a difficult season for Ian Stevens but one that he can be proud of, yet again proving his ability with a calm assurance.  Starting the season from the subs bench, coming on for Jonny Allen in the 69th minute fans expected Steve to carry on where he had left off the season before.  However after playing some part of the the next  3 games Ian was dropped despite having scored in the last of these, a 2-1  defeat away at Torquay.  There then followed  a period of 16 league games where Stevo only made made the bench twice and wasn't used at all.  Roddy Collins  preferring to use other less tested players.   Through this time Ian kept his own council.  By December things were looking desperate for United  with very few goals being scored. Ian had played in the FA Cup replay against Barnet on the 27th of November and although he hadn't scored had played well and was rewarded with a place in the starting line up against Scunthorpe at home on December 1st.   Ian immediately showed the fans what they had been missing by touching on the ball for Soley to score the first, then scoring the second himself from a Richie Foran cross. After the game Collins admitted he had been wrong  and Ian claimed the starting place he deserved.  Three league games on came the 6-1 win at home to  Leyton Orient on the 12th of January.  This was a magnificent team performance but it was also   Stevo's day  with him claiming the match ball after his second hat trick for the club, the first against league opposition.  The first goal was scored with only two minutes on the clock when Murphy put a ball down the left for Stevo to latch on to and he calmly slotted the ball past the Orient keeper.  His second and Carlisle's third came on 15 minutes . A poor clearance by an Orient defender was headed back in the box by Soley and Stevo  slotted the ball home.  On 32 minutes Stevo completed his hat trick scoring Carlisle's fifth after no response from a demoralised Orient.  Murphy broke down the left and sent an excellent cross to Ian, who sent a powerful header goalwards, the Orient keeper managed to parry the ball down but  Stevo wasn't about to let him off and bundled the rebound into the net.  Injury saw Ian miss three games in February, his next goal coming at home to Swansea on the 9th of March.  Stevo scored the first in a comprehensive 3-1 win when a good ball by Soley wasn't cut out by the Swansea defence and he ran into space to shoot low into the right hand corner of the net. Ians last two goals of the season came in consecutive games, the first at home to Oxford on the 23rd of March.  This was an important game for Carlisle, a win would virtually  guarantee safety and  with Ian Atkins as manager of Oxford, Roddy Collins was determined to win. After a quiet start Ian  opened the scoring in the 17th minute. Richie Foran  created with a powerful run that beat three Oxford defenders then from the by-line he cut the ball back for Stevo to turn and  power the ball into the corner of the net. The match ended as a 2-1 home win for the blues leaving us needing only one point for statistical safety. The next game was away at Halifax on the Friday night with Halifax desperate for a result to stop their slide to the conference. Halifax scored first and the huge blue army following were starting to get restless when on 34 minutes Allan  send a ball to Foran down the left side. Foran's cross found Stevo who knocked the ball in the net.  The eventual 2-2 score guaranteeing safety with 6 games left to play.

Stevo  proved himself the ultimate professional, with a quiet dignity and  belief in his own skill he proved his doubters,  including his manager wrong. As ever his movement in the box and  his predatory eye for a goal made him an important asset to the team.  His reward for his hard work for the team was to find like so many others he was released at the end of the season.

For Ian's thoughts on life at Carlisle United  Click here

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