Name Steve Arnold 2005–2007 Norwich City Weight 84 kg | 2005 Arsenal Height 1.96 m 2004–2005 Boreham Wood Role Footballer | |
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Full name Steven John William Arnold Date of birth (1989-08-22) 22 August 1989 (age 26) Number 13 (Forest Green Rovers F.C.) | ||
Place of birth Welham Green, England Current team Forest Green Rovers F.C. | ||
Steve arnold footballer born 1951 top 7 facts
Steven John William Arnold (born 22 August 1989) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Gillingham.
Contents
- Steve arnold footballer born 1951 top 7 facts
- Early career
- Wycombe Wanderers
- Stevenage
- Forest Green Rovers
- Dover Athletic
- Gillingham
- Honours
- Career statistics
- References
Arnold signed as an academy scholar at Norwich City's centre of excellence in 2005, following short spells at Boreham Wood and Arsenal respectively. He signed his first professional deal at Norwich in 2007, but ultimately made no first-team appearances for the club. He was released by Norwich in May 2008, and subsequently signed for Grays Athletic. He spent the 2008–09 season at Grays, before leaving in June 2009. Arnold then joined Conference South side Eastleigh, spending the first half of the 2009–10 season with the club, before signing for Wycombe Wanderers in January 2010. During his time at Wycombe, he was loaned out to Conference National team Hayes & Yeading United, and played regularly for the club during the 2011–12 campaign. He was released by Wycombe in May 2012, having made no first-team appearances. Shortly after, he signed for League One side Stevenage on a free transfer.
Early career
Following brief spells at Boreham Wood and Arsenal, Arnold joined Norwich City's centre of excellence in the summer of 2005. He signed as an academy scholar after impressing in a trial match against Rushden & Diamonds' youth side. Following a number of strong performances for the U18 team, Arnold trained with the first-team squad and was as an unused substitute in Norwich's 4–2 League Cup victory over Rotherham United in September 2006. After impressing for both the club's youth and reserve side during the 2006–07 campaign, Arnold signed his first professional deal on 11 May 2007, a one-year contract with the option of a further year. Despite appearing on the substitute's bench eleven times during the 2007–08 season, Arnold ultimately made no first-team appearances for the club and was released in May 2008. Norwich manager Glenn Roeder stated Arnold's departure had a lot to do with the emerging talent of fellow goalkeepers Declan Rudd and Jed Steer.
A month after his release from Norwich, in June 2008, Arnold signed for Conference National side Grays Athletic on a one-year contract. He made his debut for the club on the opening day of the 2008–09 season, a 3–1 defeat away to Weymouth. Arnold started in the club's first three games of the season, but did not appear again until December 2008, keeping the first clean sheet of his career in a 1–0 away victory against Ebbsfleet United. He went on to make 18 appearances during the season as Grays finished just above the relegation places. He left the club when his contract expired in June 2009. Arnold spent a week on trial with Brentford in October 2009, playing 45 minutes in a reserve match against Queens Park Rangers. No move materialised at Brentford, and Arnold subsequently joined Conference South side Eastleigh on non-contract terms a month later. Both of Eastleigh's goalkeepers were missing through injury, and as a result, Arnold deputised in a 2–1 away victory at Dorchester Town on 10 November 2009. He made five appearances during his brief spell with the club.
Wycombe Wanderers
Arnold joined Wycombe Wanderers on a six-month contract in January 2010, following a successful two-week trial. Although he made no first-team appearances during the second half of the 2009–10 season, he did appear as an unused substitute on five separate occasions. In May 2010, it was announced that Arnold had signed a one-year contract extension with the club. Arnold featured regularly for the club's reserve side throughout the 2010–11 season, but, again, failed to make any first-team appearances. Despite this, he signed another one-year contract extension in May 2011.
In August 2011, Arnold was loaned out to Conference National club Hayes & Yeading United on a one-month loan deal to gain match experience. He made his debut in a 3–1 home victory over Alfreton Town on 13 August 2011, saving two first-half penalties during the match. His month at Hayes & Yeading was described as "hugely successful", having played in all six games during the loan agreement, as well as saving a further two penalties. His loan was subsequently extended until the end of the 2011–12 campaign, and Arnold was ever present for Hayes & Yeading during the first three months of his loan spell. However, he suffered a fractured metatarsal in Hayes' 3–3 draw against Stockport County on 5 November 2011, and, as a result of the injury, he had to return to his parent club to undergo surgery on his foot. He returned to Hayes & Yeading two months later, and played in their 1–0 away win against Bath City on 21 February 2012 – assisting Michael Thalassitis' goal with his long clearance. Arnold made 31 appearances for the club during the season. At the end of the season, he was voted as the Supporters' Player of the Year. On his return to Wycombe, he was released when his contract expired on 9 May 2012.
Stevenage
Shortly after leaving Wycombe, Arnold signed for League One side Stevenage on a free transfer. Stevenage manager Gary Smith stated that goalkeeping coach Gary Phillips had recommended him to sign Arnold, with Phillips working with the player during his time at Grays Athletic. Arnold made his debut for the club in a 3–2 defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge in a Football League Trophy tie on 4 September 2012. He earned the first league start of his Stevenage career in a 2–1 away victory over Notts County at Meadow Lane on 2 October, before keeping his first clean sheet of the season four days later in a 1–0 home win against Scunthorpe United. In March 2013, Arnold signed a two-year contract extension, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2015. He made 32 appearances in all competitions during his first season with the club.
On 17 May 2014, Arnold was released by Stevenage.
Forest Green Rovers
On 6 June 2014, he joined Forest Green Rovers. He made his debut for the club on 21 February 2015, keeping a clean sheet in a 3–0 win over AFC Telford United. He followed that performance with a second clean sheet in his next match three days later on 24 February 2015 in a 0–0 draw at the Racecourse Ground against Wrexham. At the end of the 2014–15 season he helped Forest Green to the Conference National play-offs only to be denied a place in the play-off final after a semi-final defeat against Bristol Rovers.
His first appearance of the 2015–16 season came in the 2–1 FA Cup victory over Football League side AFC Wimbledon on 7 November 2015. He helped Forest Green to the 2015-16 National League play-off final on 15 May 2016 at Wembley Stadium, only to be denied promotion to the Football League following a 3–1 loss against Grimsby Town. The next day on 16 May 2016 it was confirmed he had been offered a new contract by the club. However, on 3 June 2016 the club announced they have released him.
Dover Athletic
After appearing in a pre-season friendly against Leyton Orient on 16 July 2016, it was announced that Arnold had joined Dover Athletic. He made his debut for Dover on the opening day of the 2016–17 season, keeping a clean sheet in a 0–0 away draw against Wrexham.
Gillingham
On 17 August 2017, Arnold signed for Gillingham on a one year deal after his release from Dover at the end of the 2016-17 season.