Bert Stephens
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2016}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Bert Stephens
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Herbert James Stephens
| birth_date = {{birth date|1909|5|13|df=y}}
| birth_place = Chatham, England
| death_date = {{death-date and age|August 1987|May 1909}}{{hugman|18777|accessdate=25 July 2018}}
| death_place = Thanet, England
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=8}}
| position = Outside forward
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = {{0|0000}}–1931
| clubs1 = Ealing Association
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 1931–1935
| clubs2 = Brentford
| caps2 = 6
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 1935–1948
| clubs3 = Brighton & Hove Albion
| caps3 = 180
| goals3 = 86
}}
Herbert James Stephens (13 May 1909 – September 1987) was an English professional footballer, best remembered for his time as an outside forward in the Football League with Brighton & Hove Albion. At the time of his retirement in 1948, Stephens was Brighton's second-highest goalscorer.
Career
= Brentford =
An outside forward, Stephens began his career at amateur club Ealing Association and joined Third Division South club Brentford in February 1931.{{Cite book |last=Haynes |first=Graham |title=Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006 |last2=Coumbe |first2=Frank |publisher=Yore Publications |year=2006 |isbn=978-0955294914 |location=Harefield |page=154}} He made just six appearances for the club and scored one goal, before his departure at the end of the 1934–35 season.{{Cite book |title=100 Years Of Brentford |publisher=Brentford FC |year=1989 |isbn=0951526200 |editor-last=White |editor-first=Eric |pages=371–372}} Stephens spent much of his time with the club in the reserve team, with whom he won two London Combination titles and the 1934–35 London Challenge Cup.
= Brighton & Hove Albion =
Stephens joined Third Division South club Brighton & Hove Albion in June 1935. He was Brighton's top scorer in the 1936–37 season, with 26 goals in all competitions and again in 1938–39, with 17 goals.Carder & Harris, Albion A–Z, p. 338. After competitive football was suspended in 1939 due to the outbreak of the Second World War, Stephens remained with the Gulls. He retired in 1948, after scoring 86 goals in 180 league games and at the time he was Brighton's second-highest goalscorer. Including his tally in wartime matches, Stephens scored 174 goals for the Gulls.{{Cite web |title=Club Records |url=http://www.seagulls.co.uk/news/article/club-records-1228223.aspx |access-date=16 June 2015 |website=seagulls.co.uk}}
Personal life
Career statistics
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition ! rowspan="2" |Club ! rowspan="2" |Season ! colspan="3" |League ! colspan="2" |FA Cup ! colspan="2" |Total |
| Division
!Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals |
|---|
| rowspan="2" |Brentford
| rowspan="2" |Third Division South |2 |0 |0 |0 |2 |0 |
| 1932–33
|4 |1 |0 |0 |4 |1 |
| colspan="3" |Career total
!6 !1 !0 !0 !6 !1 |
Honours
Brentford Reserves
- London Combination (2): 1931–32, 1932–33{{Cite web |title=Club presented with medals |url=http://world.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~1075469,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213021733/http://world.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~1075469,00.html |archive-date=13 February 2018 |access-date=12 February 2018 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}}
- London Challenge Cup (1): 1934–35
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stephens, Bert}}
Category:Footballers from Chatham, Kent
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Brentford F.C. players
Category:Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. players
Category:English Football League players