Stephen Wearne (English footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Stephen Wearne

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname = Stephen Christopher Wearne{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/202021/efl-professional-retain-list---2019-20.pdf |title=EFL Professional retain list 2019–20|publisher=EFL.com|access-date=11 August 2021}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|2000|12|16}}

| birth_place = Stockton-on-Tees, England

| height =

| position = Attacking midfielder

| currentclub = Carlisle United

| clubnumber = 39

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2017 | youthclubs1 = Newcastle United

| youthyears2 = 2017–2019 | youthclubs2 = Middlesbrough

| years1 = 2019–2020 | clubs1 = Middlesbrough | caps1 = 0 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2020–2022 | clubs2 = Sunderland | caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2022 | clubs3 = → Torquay United (loan) | caps3 = 14 | goals3 = 3

| years4 = 2022–2023 | clubs4 = Grimsby Town | caps4 = 8 |goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2022–2023 | clubs5 = → Torquay United (loan) | caps5 = 9 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2023–2024 | clubs6 = Gateshead | caps6 = 34 | goals6 = 12

| years7 = 2024–2025 | clubs7 = Milton Keynes Dons | caps7 = 17 | goals7 = 4

| years8 = 2025– | clubs8 = Carlisle United | caps8 = 12 | goals8 = 1

| club-update = 21:00, 29 March 2025 (UTC)

}}

Stephen Christopher Wearne (born 16 December 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for {{English football updater|CarlisleUTD}} club Carlisle United.

Wearne came through the youth academies of Newcastle United and Middlesbrough before signing professional terms with Sunderland. His previous clubs include Gateshead and Grimsby Town and Torquay United.

Playing career

=Early career=

A youth product of Newcastle United and Middlesbrough, he signed his first professional contact with Middlesbrough on 15 April 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/pro-contracts-for-academy-graduates|title=Pro Contracts For Academy Graduates | Middlesbrough FC|website=www.mfc.co.uk}}

=Sunderland=

He transferred to Sunderland on 9 September 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/sunderland-sign-attacking-midfielder-strengthen-18906624|title=Sunderland sign attacking midfielder to strengthen their U23 side|first=James|last=Hunter|date=September 9, 2020|website=ChronicleLive}} He made his professional debut with Sunderland in a 2–1 EFL Trophy win over Lincoln City on 5 October 2021, scoring the game-winning goal in the 72nd minute.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/football/sunderland-afc/story-of-the-night-as-sunderland-win-at-lincoln-to-begin-papa-johns-trophy-title-defence-after-dan-neil-and-stephen-wearne-goals-3408250|title=Story of the night as SAFC win at Lincoln to begin Papa John's Trophy title defence|website=www.sunderlandecho.com}}

On 7 January 2022, Wearne joined National League side Torquay United on loan for the remainder of the 2021–22 season.{{Cite web |url=https://torquayunited.com/stephen-wearne-joins-united-on-loan/ |title=Stephen Wearne joins United on loan |publisher=Torquay United FC |date=7 January 2022 |accessdate=7 January 2022}}

He returned to Sunderland, and was later released following the clubs promotion to the EFL Championship.{{cite web | url=https://safc.com/news/team-news/2022/may/retained-and-released-list-202223 | title=Retained list confirmed | date=25 May 2022 }}

=Grimsby Town=

On 27 June 2022, Wearne signed for EFL League Two side Grimsby Town on a one-year deal.{{cite news | url=https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/grimsby-town-announce-third-signing-7262890 | title=Grimsby Town announce signing of Stephen Wearne following Sunderland release | newspaper=Grimsbylive | date=27 June 2022 }} Upon signing, Wearne said he was convinced to sign for Grimsby when he was on holiday in Cancun, Mexico with his girlfriend. "Other managers were pressuring me to make a decision. I said to her - I need a sign. I went to bed that night, next morning, I came out of the lift and the first guy I see has a Grimsby top on. And I just said, 'That's the sign'. It's done".{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61980500 | title=Holidaying Grimsby fan prompted Wearne's move | work=BBC Sport }}

On 9 August, Wearne scored his first goal for The Mariners in a 4–0 win over Crewe Alexandra in the EFL Cup first round.{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62388013 | title=Grimsby Town 4–0 Crewe Alexandra | work=BBC Sport }}

On 1 November 2022, Wearne returned to National League side Torquay United on a one-month loan.{{cite web | url=https://gtfc.co.uk/wearne-joins-torquay-on-loan/ | title=Wearne Joins Torquay on-Loan - Grimsby Town Football Club | date=November 2022 }} Wearne played his first game back later that day and assisted the fourth goal in a 6–1 win over Aldershot Town.{{cite web | url=https://www.devonlive.com/sport/football/match-reports/torquay-united-6-aldershot-1-7773063 | title=Six of the best as Torquay United hammer Aldershot | date=November 2022 }} His loan was extended for a further month on 2 December 2022.{{cite web | url=https://gtfc.co.uk/wearne-extends-loan/ | title=Wearne Extends Loan - Grimsby Town Football Club | date=2 December 2022 }}

=Gateshead=

On 24 March 2023, Wearne signed for Gateshead on a free transfer until the end of the 2022-23 season.{{Cite web |last=McGraghan |first=Jack |date=24 March 2023 |title=Stephen Wearne signs |url=https://gateshead-fc.com/stephen-wearne-signs/ |access-date=24 March 2023 |website=Gateshead FC |language=en}} Wearne scored his first Gateshead goal against Scunthorpe United in a 2–0 win on 7 April 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://gateshead-fc.com/matches/gateshead-vs-scunthorpe-united/|title=Gateshead 2-0 Scunthorpe United|website=Gateshead FC}} On 27 May 2023, signed a two-year contract with Gateshead.{{Cite web|url=https://gateshead-fc.com/stephen-wearne-signs-contract-extension/|title=Stephen Wearne signs contract extension|first=Jack|last=McGraghan|date=May 27, 2023|website=Gateshead FC}} He was awarded the National League Player of the Month award for November 2023 having scored five goals in four matches.{{cite web|url=https://www.thenationalleague.org.uk/its-a-wearne-and-widdrington-show-as-awards-are-di-79475|title=It's A Wearne And Widdrington Show As Awards Are Dished Out!|website=www.thenationalleague.org.uk|date=13 December 2023|access-date=15 December 2023}}

=Milton Keynes Dons=

On 6 January 2024, Wearne returned to the EFL with a permanent transfer to League Two club Milton Keynes Dons, signing for an undisclosed fee and reuniting with former Gateshead head coach Mike Williamson.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67902182 |title=Stephen Wearne: MK Dons sign Gateshead midfielder |publisher=BBC |date=6 January 2024 |access-date=6 January 2024}} Having joined the club with a slight injury, Wearne made his debut on 27 January 2024 as a 76th-minute substitute. He went on to make an assist just twelve minutes later for the winning goal in a 2–1 home win over Gillingham.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68039527 |title=Milton Keynes Dons 2-1 Gillingham |publisher=BBC |date=27 January 2024 |access-date=27 January 2024 }}

=Carlisle United=

On 13th January 2025, Wearne once again returned to a club under the management of Mike Williamson, who had previously managed Wearne at both Gateshead and MK Dons, joining Carlisle United for an undisclosed fee.

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|FA Cup !colspan="2"\|EFL Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="3"\|Gateshead \|2022–23{{soccerbase season\|123203\|2022\|access-date=23 July 2024}} \|National League \|11	1	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	0	0	11	1
2023–24{{soccerbase season\|123203\|2023\|access-date=23 July 2024}} \|National League \|23	11	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	0	0	24	11
colspan="2"\|Total !34	12	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	0	0	35	12
rowspan="3"\|Milton Keynes Dons \|2023–24 \|League Two \|17	4	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	2Appearance(s) in 2023–24 League Two play-offs	0	19	4
2024–25 \|League Two \|11	0	1	0	1	0	1{{efn\|name=FLT\|Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy}}	1	14	1
colspan="2"\|Total !28	4	1	0	1	0	3	1	33	5
rowspan="1"\|Carlisle United \|2024–25 \|League Two \|17	1	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	colspan=2\|—	17	1
colspan="3"\|Career total !51	16	1	0	0	0	2	0	54	16