David Stephens
{{short description|Footballer (born 1991)}}
{{distinguish|David Stephen}}
{{other people}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = David Stephens
| image = David Stephens 16-02-13.png
| image_size = 200
| caption = Stephens playing for Barnet in 2013
| fullname = David Rhys Remington Stephens{{Cite book
| editor-first = Barry J.
| editor-last = Hugman
| title = The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11
| year = 2010
| publisher = Mainstream Publishing
| isbn = 978-1-84596-601-0
| page = 392 }}
| height = {{height|ft=6|in=4}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|10|8|df=y}}
| birth_place = Welwyn Garden City, England
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| position = Defender
| youthyears1 = 2004–2009
| youthclubs1 = Norwich City
| years1 = 2009–2010
| clubs1 = Norwich City
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2010
| clubs2 = → Lincoln City (loan)
| caps2 = 3
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2010–2012
| clubs3 = Hibernian
| caps3 = 23
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2012–2015
| clubs4 = Barnet
| caps4 = 130
| goals4 = 2
| years5 = 2015–2024
| clubs5 = Boreham Wood
| caps5 = 216
| goals5 = 6
| years6 = 2023
| clubs6 = → Dulwich Hamlet (loan)
| caps6 = 7
| goals6 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2007–2008
| nationalteam1 = Wales U17
| nationalyears2 = 2008–2010
| nationalteam2 = Wales U19
| nationalyears3 = 2010–2012
| nationalteam3 = Wales U21
| nationalcaps1 = 11
| nationalgoals1 = 2
| nationalcaps2 = 7
| nationalgoals2 = 1
| nationalcaps3 = 6
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| club-update = 14:35, 2 April 2024 (UTC)
| ntupdate = 17:59, 10 April 2015 (UTC)
}}
David Rhys Remington Stephens (born 8 October 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender. Stephens has previously played for Norwich City, Lincoln City and Hibernian. He has represented Wales at youth international levels up to and including the Wales under-21 team.
Club career
=Youth team at Norwich City=
Born in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, Stephens joined Norwich City's Academy as a 13-year-old. He was initially preferred in a central midfield role, but is now primarily thought of as a central defender.
=Professional career=
Stephens signed a professional contract with Norwich in June 2009. His first team debut came on 6 October 2009, as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Gillingham in the Football League Trophy.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8284822.stm|title=Gillingham 0–1 Norwich|date=6 October 2009|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=2009-10-06}} On 19 March 2010, Stephens joined Football League Two side Lincoln City on loan for the remainder of the 2009–10 season.{{Cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/lincoln_city/8576728.stm |title=Lincoln City sign Norwich City's David Stephens on loan |publisher=BBC Sport |date=19 March 2010 |access-date=2010-03-20}}
Stephens signed for Scottish Premier League team Hibernian on a three-year deal in July 2010.{{cite news |url=http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/20100705/promising-defender-agrees-to-join_2262950_2084911 |title=Promising Defender Agrees To Join |publisher=Hibernian FC |work=hibernianfc.co.uk |date=5 July 2010 |access-date=5 July 2010 |archive-date=16 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716052943/http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/20100705/promising-defender-agrees-to-join_2262950_2084911 |url-status=dead }} Stephens made his debut for Hibs as a substitute in the opening day 3–2 win at Motherwell on 15 August. He made 29 appearances in just over two years with Hibs.
Stephens left Hibs on 31 August 2012 and signed for Football League Two club Barnet.{{cite news|url=http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/20120831/stephens-leaves-hibernian_2262950_2906046|title=Stephens Leaves Hibernian|work=hibernianfc.co.uk|publisher=Hibernian FC |date=31 August 2012|access-date=31 August 2012}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19445280|title=Barnet sign Hibernian defender David Stephens on free transfer|publisher=BBC Sport|date=31 August 2012|access-date=31 August 2012}} Stephens played regularly for Barnet, forming several different centre back partnerships throughout the course of the 2012–13 season. Stephens was voted Barnet's Player of the Season by supporters in 2012–13 and again in 2013–14. He is known to be both superstitious and a fan of Engelbert Humperdinck. Stephens stated in an interview that he listened to Humperdinck's 1969 hit The Way It Used to Be before every game and believed he would have a bad game without it. He cited Humperdinck as a major factor in him winning Barnet's player of the year award in consecutive seasons. After promotion in 2014–15, Stephens rejected a new deal at Barnet and left the club on 1 July 2015.{{Cite web |url=http://www.barnetfc.com/news/article/david-stephens-departs-2518918.aspx |title=David Stephens departs |access-date=1 July 2015 |archive-date=23 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923182615/http://www.barnetfc.com/news/article/david-stephens-departs-2518918.aspx |url-status=dead }} In October of that year, Stephens joined Boreham Wood. In March 2023, Stephens joined National League South club Dulwich Hamlet on loan until the end of the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet/news/stephens-joins-on-loan-from-the-wood-2769048.html|title=Stephens Joins On Loan From The Wood|publisher=Dulwich Hamlet F.C.|date=23 March 2023|accessdate=28 March 2023}} Stephens left Boreham Wood during the 2023–24 season. In total, he made 257 appearances for Wood, scoring seven goals.
International career
Stephens made his debut for the Wales under-17 side on 27 August 2007 in a 2–1 friendly win over Belgium,{{Cite news |url=http://www.faw.org.uk/fixtures-events/results/match/306 |title=Wales 2–1 Belgium |publisher=Football Association of Wales |date=27 August 2007 |access-date=2009-11-11 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924011227/http://www.faw.org.uk/fixtures-events/results/match/306 |archive-date=24 September 2015 }} before scoring his first goal for the side two days later as a substitute during a second 2–1 victory over Belgium.{{Cite news|title=Wales 2–1 Belgium |publisher=Football Association of Wales |date=29 August 2007 }} Having established himself in the team, he featured in all three matches of the first qualifying round as well as in two matches of the elite round of qualifying for the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship, scoring his second under-17 goal in a 1–1 draw with Slovenia.{{Cite news|url=http://www.faw.org.uk/fixtures-events/results/match/337 |title=Slovenia 1–1 Wales |publisher=Football Association of Wales |date=17 March 2008 |access-date=2009-11-11 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121105842/http://www.faw.org.uk/fixtures-events/results/match/337 |archive-date=21 November 2008 }} He made his final appearance at under-17 level on 19 July 2008 in a 1–0 defeat to Sweden.{{Cite news|url=http://www.faw.org.uk/fixtures-events/results/match/346 |title=Sweden 1–0 Wales |publisher=Football Association of Wales |date=19 July 2008 |access-date=2009-11-11 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006113657/http://www.faw.org.uk/fixtures-events/results/match/346 |archive-date=6 October 2008 }}
Three months later, Stephen moved up to the Wales under-19 squad, being handed his debut in a 0–0 draw with Montenegro on 30 September 2008.{{Cite news|url=http://www.faw.org.uk/fixtures-events/results/match/391 |title=Wales 0–0 Montenegro |publisher=Football Association of Wales |date=30 September 2008 |access-date=2009-11-11 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121122549/http://www.faw.org.uk/fixtures-events/results/match/391 |archive-date=21 November 2008 }} He was also part of the unsuccessful under-19 squads for the qualifying rounds of both the 2009 and 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, scoring his first goal at under-19 level on 8 November 2009 in a 3–1 win over Macedonia.{{Cite news |url=http://www.faw.org.uk/fixtures-events/results/match/420 |title=Macedonia 1–3 Wales |publisher=Football Association of Wales |date=8 November 2009 |access-date=2009-11-11 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308183026/http://www.faw.org.uk/fixtures-events/results/match/420 |archive-date=8 March 2016 }} He made his debut at under-21 level on 10 August 2010 in a 1–1 draw with Malta.{{Cite news |url=http://www.faw.org.uk/fixtures-events/results/match/484 |title=Malta 1–1 Wales |publisher=Football Association of Wales |date=10 August 2010 |access-date=2010-08-10 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815221224/http://www.faw.org.uk/fixtures-events/results/match/484 |archive-date=15 August 2010 }}
Career statistics
{{updated|end of 2023-24 season}}{{soccerbase|id=52149}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fitbastats.com/hibs/player.php?playerid=1108|title=David Stephens|work=fitbastats.com|access-date=19 June 2012}}
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
Honours
Barnet
- Conference Premier: 2014–15
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}}
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20081006115312/http://www.faw.org.uk/teams/player/116 David Stephens profile at the Football Association of Wales]}}
{{Barnet F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stephens, David}}
Category:Footballers from Welwyn Garden City
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:Wales men's youth international footballers
Category:Wales men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Norwich City F.C. players
Category:Lincoln City F.C. players
Category:Hibernian F.C. players
Category:Boreham Wood F.C. players
Category:Dulwich Hamlet F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Scottish Premier League players