Stuart Lovell

{{ infobox football biography

| name = Stuart Lovell

| image =

| fullname = Stuart Andrew Lovell{{Hugman|11972|accessdate=19 February 2017}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|1|9|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Sydney, Australia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}

| position = Striker; Midfielder

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Reading

| years1 = 1990–1998 | caps1 = 227 | goals1 = 58 | clubs1 = Reading

| years2 = 1998–2001 | caps2 = 88 | goals2 = 17 | clubs2 = Hibernian

| years3 = 2001–2005 | caps3 = 87 | goals3 = 6 | clubs3 = Livingston

| years4 = 2005–2006 | caps4 = 38 | goals4 = 1 | clubs4 = Queen of the South

| totalcaps = 440

| totalgoals = 82

| nationalyears1 = 2000 | nationalteam1 = Australia

| nationalcaps1 = 2 | nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

Stuart Andrew Lovell (born 9 January 1972 in Sydney, Australia) is an Australian professional footballer, who played as a striker early in his career, before reverting to a midfield role later in his career.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/1045791.stm |title=Lovell indulges in title horseplay |publisher=BBC Sport |date=28 November 2000 |access-date=11 August 2010}}

Playing career

Lovell was born in Sydney, Australia{{Cite web |last=getreading |date=2006-03-27 |title=Lovell: These lads took a monkey off my back |url=https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/lovell-lads-took-monkey-back-4262264 |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=BerkshireLive |language=en}} and spent his childhood in Reading, Berkshire.{{Cite web|url=https://thetilehurstend.sbnation.com/2016/3/28/11318182/stuart-lovell-interview-tilehurst-end-podcast-reading-fc-elm-park|title=TTE Pod: Stuart Lovell Interview|date=28 March 2016|website=The Tilehurst End}} He joined the local professional team and was part of the Reading team that narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League in the 1994–95 season. He had a penalty kick saved in the playoff final against Bolton Wanderers when Reading were leading 2–0; they eventually lost 4–3 after extra time.

After damaging a cruciate ligament in 1997 and almost having his career ended as a result, Lovell moved to Scottish club Hibernian in 1998, ultimately prolonging his career by nearly a decade.

Hibs were in the First Division at the time and he was part of the team who won promotion back to the Scottish Premier League by winning the First Division. He was capped twice by Australia and was a Hibs first team regular as they finished a creditable third in the SPL and reached the 2000-01 Scottish Cup Final.

In the summer of 2001, Lovell surprisingly left Hibs to sign for SPL newcomers Livingston, who he helped to finish third in their first season in the SPL. He subsequently skippered the club to their only major trophy to date, the Scottish League Cup in 2004. Livingston defeated Hibs 2–0 in the final.{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Aidan |date=27 February 2021 |title=Stuart Lovell on Hibs cup heartache, Livingston Hampden glory, doing the running for Latapy and Sauzee and his new charity role |work=The Scotsman |url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/stuart-lovell-on-hibs-cup-heartache-livingston-hampden-glory-doing-the-running-for-latapy-and-sauzee-and-his-new-charity-role-3149035 |access-date=12 June 2023}}

Lovell retired after a 15-month spell with Dumfries club Queen of the South, where he also had a spell as caretaker manager.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/q/queen_of_the_south/4395342.stm |title=Lovell takes over as Scott leaves |publisher=BBC Sport |date=1 November 2005}}

Post-playing career

Lovell has since done media work, appearing on Setanta Sports and Sky Sports,{{Cite web |last=Fort |first=Hugh |date=2015-06-14 |title=Reading FC: Where are the 1995 play-off final side now? |url=http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/reading-fc-1995-play-off-final-9438368 |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=BerkshireLive |language=en}} and writing a column for the Edinburgh Evening News.{{cite news |last=Lovell |first=Stuart |url=http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/Euro-treats-all-round-as.4188267.jp |title=Euro treats all round as tournament off to a flier |work=Edinburgh Evening News |date=16 June 2008}} He also commentates for Hibs TV{{Cite web |title=How To Watch: Hearts (A) |url=https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/article/how-to-watch-hearts-a-2 |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=Hibernian FC |language=en-US}} and has served as a representative of PFA Scotland.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13739346.stm|title=Stirling Albion cash for trial scheme criticised|publisher=BBC Sport|date=11 June 2011|access-date=11 June 2011}}

As of 2022, Lovell is a Network Programme Manager for Street Soccer.{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Alasdair |date=2022-04-02 |title=Former Hibs star Stuart Lovell gets Fifers on to the pitch in free coaching programme |url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/fife/3161795/former-hibs-stuart-lovell-fifers-football/ |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=The Courier |language=en-GB}}{{cite news |last=Bryan |first=Matt |date=6 November 2022 |title=Ex pro launches free footy sessions in Lanarkshire alongside recovery group |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/lanarkshire/ex-pro-launches-free-football-28399395 |website=Daily Record |language=en}}

Career statistics

=Club=

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|National Cup !colspan="2"\|League Cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{cite web\|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=4614&season_id=135\|title=Stuart Lovell\|website=Soccerbase\|access-date=8 June 2020}}
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="9"\|Reading \|1990–91 \|Third Division \|30	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	32	2
1991–92 \|Third Division \|24	4	4	2	0	0	0	0	2	0	30	6
1992–93 \|Second Division \|22	8	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	26	8
1993–94 \|Second Division \|45	20	2	0	4	2	0	0	3	0	54	22
1994–95 \|First Division \|30	11	1	0	4	1	0	0	6	4	41	16
1995–96 \|First Division \|35	7	2	0	3	2	0	0	0	0	40	9
1996–97 \|First Division \|26	5	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	28	5
1997–98 \|First Division \|15	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	18	1
colspan=2\|Reading total	227	58	16	2	13	5	0	0	13	4	269	69
rowspan=4\|Hibernian \|1998–99 \|Scottish First Division \|31	11	2	0	3	1	0	0	0	0	36	12
1999–2000 \|Scottish Premier League \|26	1	5	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	32	2
2000–01 \|Scottish Premier League \|31	5	3	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	36	5
colspan=2\|Hibernian total	88	17	10	1	6	1	0	0	0	0	104	19
rowspan=5\|Livingston \|2001–02 \|Scottish Premier League \|27	3	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	28	4
2002–03 \|Scottish Premier League \|15	1	1	0	0	0	2	1	0	0	18	2
2003–04 \|Scottish Premier League \|25	1	5	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	34	1
2004–05 \|Scottish Premier League \|20	1	1	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	24	1
colspan=2\|Livingston total	87	6	7	0	8	1	2	1	0	0	104	8
rowspan=3\|Queen of the South \|2004–05 \|Scottish First Division \|12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	0
2005–06 \|Scottish First Division \|26	1	2	0	1	0	0	0	1	1	30	2
colspan=2\|QoS total	38	1	2	0	1	0	0	0	1	1	42	2
colspan=3\|Career total	440	82	35	3	28	7	2	1	14	5	519	98

Honours

=Club=

Reading

Football League Second Division: 1993–94

Hibernian

Scottish Football League First Division: 1998–99

Livingston

Scottish League Cup: 2003–04{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/3502960.stm | title=Livingston lift CIS Cup | publisher=BBC Sport | date=14 March 2004 | access-date=30 September 2011}}

References

{{cite book| last=Jeffrey | first=Jim | title=The Men Who Made Hibernian F.C. since 1946 | publisher=Tempus Publishing Ltd | year=2005 | isbn=0-7524-3091-2}}