Full name Stephen James White Name Steve White Years Team Role Football player | 1976–1977 Mangotsfield United Height 1.80 m 1977–1979 Bristol Rovers | |
Date of birth (1959-01-02) 2 January 1959 (age 57) Place of birth Chipping Sodbury, England | ||
Steve White (born 2 January 1959 in Chipping Sodbury) is a retired professional football forward and manager. His son, Joe White, currently plays for Bristol Rovers, having signed his first professional contract in the summer of 2008.
Playing career
White career spanned over 500 appearances for nine league clubs, including Bristol Rovers, Luton Town, Swindon Town and Cardiff City. He helped Swindon in several promotion campaigns and played a crucial role in the 1993 play-off victory over Leicester City at Wembley Stadium when he came off the bench to win a penalty. Steve is still held in great affection at the County Ground. His time at the club was notable for frequently straying offside, pulling his shorts up towards his nipples and invariably scoring lots of goals. He was a very awkward player to play against for opposition centre halves. The esteem for Steve was demonstrated when he returned to Swindon with Hereford for a cup tie. His goal for the visitors was cheered equally heartily by home fans as away. Steve came second in the BBC Football Focus Swindon Cult Heroes poll behind Don Rogers [1]
In August 1994 he signed for Hereford United and quickly became a fan's favourite ("Chalky" White) at Edgar Street by scoring 44 goals in 76 league appearances. 1995–96 was arguably his best playing season when his prolific strike rate propelled Hereford from 19th to 6th in two months. His 29 league goals made him top goalscorer in the top four English divisions. After failing to gain promotion via the play-offs, he left Hereford and signed for Cardiff City. Whilst at Cardiff he played 6 games on Loan at Cwmbran Town scoring 4 goals in the time he was there.
He was initially in the frame for Bath City's managerial post but instead joined as player assistant to Paul Bodin in June 1998. He scored 12 times in his first season at Twerton Park showing even at 40 years of age he had lost little of his skill in front of goal. White reduced his appearances during the next two years to an occasional outing and left the club in February 2001 in an attempt to return to the professional game in a coaching capacity.
He became director of football at Southampton's academy, and became manager of Chippenham Town in November 2003. He resigned in June 2005 after applying for the vacant managerial post at Bath City.