Steve Adams (footballer, born 1980)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Steve Adams

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Stephen Marc Adams{{Cite book |editor-first=Barry J. |editor-last=Hugman |title=The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2002–03 |year=2002 |publisher=Harpenden: Queen Anne Press |isbn=978-1-85291-648-0 |page=13}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|09|25|df=y}}

| birth_place = Plymouth, England

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=0}}

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Plymouth Argyle

| years1 = 1999–2005

| clubs1 = Plymouth Argyle

| caps1 = 157

| goals1 = 7

| years2 = 2005–2007

| clubs2 = Sheffield Wednesday

| caps2 = 21

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2007–2008

| clubs3 = Swindon Town

| caps3 = 2

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2008–2010

| clubs4 = Torquay United

| caps4 = 17

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2009

| clubs5 = → Forest Green Rovers (loan)

| caps5 = 6

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2009–2010

| clubs6 = → Truro City (loan)

| caps6 =

| goals6 =

| years7 = 2010–2011

| clubs7 = Truro City

| caps7 =

| goals7 =

}}

Stephen Marc Adams (born 25 September 1980) is an English former footballer.

Club career

Adams began his career as a trainee with Plymouth Argyle, his hometown team, turning professional in August 1998. His first team debut came on 8 December 1998 when he was a second-half substitute (for Mike Heathcote) as Plymouth lost 2–0 away to Brentford in the first round of the Football League Trophy. He had to wait until 6 May 2000 for his league debut, playing in the 2–2 draw away to Mansfield Town. He was an ever-present member of the Argyle side that won the Third Division Championship in 2001–2002 and was rewarded with a new two-year contract at the end of the season.{{cite news |title=Plymouth sign duo | publisher=BBC Sport | date= 7 March 2002 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/plymouth_argyle/1860765.stm| access-date=27 November 2008}}

He was also a vital member of the Argyle sides that won the Division Two title in 2003–2004.{{cite news | title = Plymouth clinch title | publisher =BBC Sport | date =15 April 2002 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1929087.stm | access-date =25 February 2008 }}{{cite news | title = Plymouth up as champions | publisher =BBC Sport | date =24 April 2004 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/3652151.stm| access-date =25 February 2008 }}

He went on to make 176 appearances, scoring seven goals for Argyle before moving to Sheffield Wednesday, managed by former Plymouth manager Paul Sturrock, in March 2005 for an undisclosed fee. He signed a deal that would keep him at Hillsborough till 2007.{{cite news | title = Wednesday raid Argyle for Adams | publisher =BBC Sport | date =9 March 2005 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_wed/4332155.stm | access-date =25 February 2008 }} His 2005–2006 season was hampered by an Achilles injury problem and Adams managed to make only eight appearances. Despite his injuries, former manager Sturrock rated him as one of his very best players. He was released by Sturrock's successor, Brian Laws, in May 2007.{{cite news | title = Owls offer new deals to quartet | publisher =BBC Sport | date =10 May 2007 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_wed/6644287.stm | access-date =25 February 2008 }} Adams had made 21 appearances in all competitions for Sheffield Wednesday.

Adams joined up with Sturrock again, signing for Swindon Town in August 2007 after a successful trial.{{cite news | title = Swindon tie up Adams and Arrieta | publisher =BBC Sport | date =6 August 2007 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/swindon_town/6932109.stm | access-date =25 February 2008 }} In January 2008, Adams was offered a new short-term contract with Swindon until the end of the season but turned it down when Torquay United offered him a better contract. He had made six appearances in all competitions for Swindon.

Adams joined Conference National side Torquay United along with fellow Swindon Town midfielder Kaid Mohamed in January 2008.{{cite news | title = Torquay complete triple signing | publisher =BBC Sport | date =27 January 2008 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/7209653.stm | access-date =25 February 2008 }} He made his debut on 28 January 2008 in the 1–0 win at home to Histon and made 15 starts in all competitions, as Torquay made both the play-off semi-final and the FA Trophy final.

Since then, he failed to cement a starting place at Plainmoor and made just two starts in all competitions the following season.

Adams signed for Forest Green Rovers on loan in August 2009 making six league appearances in a one-month loan spell.{{Cite web| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/f/forest_green_rovers/8207338.stm |title=Forest Green snap up Torquay duo |publisher=BBC Sport |date=18 August 2009}}

In October 2009 Adams signed a 3-month loan deal with Truro City. This was extended on 16 January 2010 to the end of the season.{{cite news | title = Truro delight as Gulls' duo stay| publisher =Western Morning News| date =16 January 2010 | url =http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Thompson-delighted-Gulls-duo-stay-Truro/story-11479648-detail/story.html| access-date =9 August 2015 }}

He was released by Torquay on 15 May 2010 along with six other players.{{cite news | title = Seven players released by Torquay United| publisher =BBC Sport| date =14 May 2010 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/8682741.stm| access-date =15 May 2010 }}

Career statistics

Football League and Football Conference only. Source:{{Cite web|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=15645|title=Steve Adams | Football Stats | No Club | Age 43 | 1998-2010 | Soccer Base|website=www.soccerbase.com}}

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !rowspan="2"\|Division !colspan="2"\|League !colspan="2"\|FA Cup !colspan="2"\|League Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Plymouth Argyle	1998–99	Division Three	0	0	0	0	0	0	1Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy	0	1	0
Plymouth Argyle	1999–2000	Division Three	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Plymouth Argyle	2000–01	Division Three	17	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	19	0
Plymouth Argyle	2001–02	Division Three	46	2	4	0	1	0	1	0	52	2
Plymouth Argyle	2002–03	Division Two	37	2	4	0	1	0	2	0	44	2
Plymouth Argyle	2003–04	Division Two	36	2	0	0	1	0	1	0	38	2
Plymouth Argyle	2004–05	Championship	20	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	21	1
colspan="3"\|Total !157	7	9	0	4	0	6	0	176	7
Sheffield Wednesday	2004–05	League One	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	0
Sheffield Wednesday	2005–06	Championship	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
Sheffield Wednesday	2006–07	Championship	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
colspan="3"\|Total !21	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	21	0
Swindon Town	2007–08	League One	2	0	1	0	1	0	2	0	6	0
colspan="3"\|Total !2	0	1	0	1	0	2	0	6	0
Torquay United	2007–08	Conference Premier	14	0	0	0	0	0	2Appearance(s) in FA Trophy	0	16	0
Torquay United	2008–09	Conference Premier	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	4	0
Torquay United	2009–10	League Two	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
colspan="3"\|Total !17	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	20	0
→ Forest Green Rovers (loan)	2009–10	Conference Premier	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
colspan="3"\|Career total !203	7	10	0	5	0	11	0	229	7