Steve Bould

1.1. Youth and Early Career

Born in Stoke-on-Trent, Bould joined his hometown club, Stoke City, as a schoolboy in 1978. He signed professional terms in November 1980, marking the beginning of his professional career. His debut came in September 1981, playing at right back in a 3-2 defeat against Middlesbrough. Initially, he found it challenging to secure a regular place in the team, leading to a loan spell at Torquay United in October 1982, where he played nine league games to gain valuable first-team experience.

2.1. Stoke City

After his loan spell, Bould gradually became a regular fixture in the Stoke City side. His career at the club took a significant turn when Mick Mills repositioned him to centre back to replace Paul Dyson. This proved to be a pivotal decision as Bould excelled in his new role, cementing his place as a first-team regular for the "Potters." However, a back injury requiring surgery limited his appearances in the 1986-87 season, a factor that arguably cost Stoke a play-off spot. By the end of the 1987-88 season, Bould was widely recognized as the premier defender in Division Two. Both Arsenal and Everton expressed interest in signing him. After deliberation, Bould chose to join Arsenal, with a tribunal setting his transfer fee at 390.00 K GBP, a figure considerably lower than what Stoke City had initially demanded.

2.2. Arsenal

Bould completed his move to Arsenal for 390.00 K GBP on 13 June 1988. He quickly became an integral part of Arsenal's renowned "famous back four" defensive unit, playing alongside Tony Adams, Nigel Winterburn, and his former Stoke teammate Lee Dixon. This defensive line was celebrated for its formidable strength and cohesion, often referred to as the "Iron Back Four."

During his eleven-year tenure at Highbury, Bould achieved significant success. He won the First Division title twice, in the 1988-89 and 1990-91 seasons. The 1988-89 title was famously secured in the last minute of the last game of the season with a dramatic 2-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield. Bould's consistent performances earned him the Arsenal Player of the Season award for the 1991-92 season.

On 15 August 1992, Bould made history by scoring Arsenal's first ever Premier League goal on the opening day of the season at Highbury, breaking the deadlock in the 28th minute of a match against Norwich City, which Arsenal ultimately lost 4-2. Despite his contributions, injuries plagued parts of his career. He was unfortunately sidelined and missed the FA Cup and League Cup finals in 1992-93, both of which Arsenal won. His place in the team for the FA Cup final replay was notably taken by Andy Linighan, who scored the winning goal.

Arsenal and Bould experienced a period without major silverware after winning the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1993-94. However, the arrival of French manager Arsène Wenger in October 1996 revitalized Bould's career. Despite speculation that his age might lead to his departure, Bould thrived under Wenger and became a vital member of the squad that famously won the double in 1997-98. In the decisive Premier League match against Everton, Bould provided a memorable chipped through-ball assist to Tony Adams, who scored the final goal in a 4-0 victory that clinched the title. Two weeks later, Arsenal secured the FA Cup to complete the double. His final season at Highbury, 1998-99, proved disappointing as Arsenal were narrowly beaten to the Premier League title by Manchester United and eliminated from the FA Cup semi-finals by their rivals after a dramatic replay.

2.3. Sunderland

By July 1999, age was becoming a factor for Bould, and he transferred to newly promoted Sunderland for a fee of 500.00 K GBP. Following the departure of captain Kevin Ball in December 1999, manager Peter Reid appointed Bould as the club captain. He played a key role in guiding Sunderland to a respectable seventh-place finish in the Premier League, just missing out on a UEFA Cup spot. Bould remained at the Stadium of Light until September 2000, when arthritis forced his retirement from professional football after playing only 21 Premier League games for Sunderland.

4.1. Arsenal Academy and Assistant Manager

Following his retirement, Bould began working towards obtaining his UEFA coaching badges. In June 2001, he returned to Arsenal to join the coaching staff of their youth teams. He notably served as the head coach for Arsenal's U18 Academy side, leading them to consecutive Premier Academy League titles in the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 seasons. Additionally, he guided the U18 team to victory in the FA Youth Cup in 2008-2009.

On 10 May 2012, Arsenal announced Bould's promotion to the role of first-team assistant manager, taking over from the long-serving and iconic Pat Rice, who retired at the end of the season. He held this position until 2019.

4.2. Subsequent Coaching and Managerial Roles

On 5 June 2019, as part of a major restructuring of Arsenal's coaching staff, Stephen Bould swapped roles with Freddie Ljungberg and became the head coach of the Arsenal U23 team. He continued in this capacity until May 2021, when he was relieved of his duties, marking the end of his over 30-year association with Arsenal Football Club as a player and coach.

In June 2022, Bould was appointed as the head coach of Lommel S.K. in Belgium. However, his tenure at Lommel was short-lived, as he resigned on 14 January 2025. His departure followed a challenging period for the club, which had only managed to secure one point in their previous five games.

5.1. Club Honours

Arsenal

• Football League First Division: 1988-89, 1990-91
• Premier League: 1997-98
• FA Cup: 1992-93, 1997-98
• FA Charity Shield: 1998
• European Cup Winners' Cup: 1993-94

5.2. Individual Honours

• Arsenal Player of the Season: 1991-92

6.1. Club Statistics

6.2. International Statistics

6.3. Managerial Statistics