Full name Stephen Robert Purches Name Stephen Purches Career start 1998 Playing position Role Footballer Position Defender | Years Team Height 1.80 m Current team A.F.C. Bournemouth Weight 76 kg | |
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Date of birth (1980-01-14) 14 January 1980 (age 35) Number 19 (A.F.C. Bournemouth / Defender) | ||
Stephen purches retires former and current players pay tribute to purches in testimonial video
Stephen Robert Purches (born 14 January 1980 in Ilford, England) is an English retired footballer who played mostly for Bournemouth over two spells. He also made over 100 appearances for Leyton Orient. When he retired from football he became the development coach then progressing to first team coach in 2017 at Bournemouth.
Contents
- Stephen purches retires former and current players pay tribute to purches in testimonial video
- Stephen purches interview
- Club career
- References
Stephen purches interview
Club career
Purches is a defender who can play at centre back, midfield or full back on either side. He was previously a trainee at West Ham United but left in 2000 after failing to make a single appearance for the first team. He joined Bournemouth where he spent seven years and missed only three league games in his time at the club.
In summer 2007, he rejected a new contract at Bournemouth and left on a free transfer to join Leyton Orient. Purches watched his first football matches at Orient and described his move as being "like coming home". He was also handed the team captaincy when he arrived. After 132 games in all competitions, he was released by manager Russell Slade on 9 May 2010. On 7 June 2010, Purches re-signed for Bournemouth. On 18 February 2012, Purches broke his leg playing in a match against Rochdale.
On 19 May 2014, he formally retired from playing football due to injury, but will continue to work as part of Bournemouth's coaching staff.