Stephen Dawson

Stephen John Dawson (born 4 December 1985) is an Irish former professional footballer.

He primarily played as a central midfielder, although he was also deployed in defensive midfield.

He was noted for his aggressive and highly competitive style of play.

At international level, Dawson represented the Republic of Ireland national football team at Under-21 level on two occasions.

Dawson was born on 4 December 1985, in Dublin, Ireland.

He started his career as a trainee at Leicester City, having joined from the Dublin schoolboy team Portmarnock AFC.

Before that, he spent 7 years with St Malachys FC and although he became a regular in the reserve side, he did not graduate to the first-team.

Dawson began his career with Leicester City before moving to Mansfield Town in 2005, where he made 131 appearances in all competitions.

He subsequently rejected an offer for a new contract on reduced terms in May 2005.

Dawson joined Mansfield Town in the summer of 2005, signing a two–year contract.

After suffering a sore thigh and shortly recovered in the pre–season, Dawson scored on his debut against Stockport County in the opening game of the season on 6 August 2005.

Since making his debut, he established himself in the first team regular at Mansfield Town, playing in midfield positions.

Despite suffering from a groin strain, he finished his first season at Mansfield Town, making the total of 45 appearances and scoring once.

In the 2006–07 season, Dawson continued to remain in the first team regular for the side and was very fortunate to avoid a red card in a 2–1 win over MK Dons on 8 August 2006 after he "was first booked just before the break for a foul and then appeared to be shown a second a minute from time after lengthy protests over referee Kevin Wright's decision not to award him a penalty. But Dawson was not automatically red-carded and was substituted a minute later."

After suffering injuries on three occasions throughout 2006, After returning to the first team in January, Dawson then scored his first goal of the season on 16 January 2007, in a 3–2 loss against Accrington Stanley.

Despite suffering another injury later in the season, Dawson, nevertheless, made the total of 37 appearances and scoring once in all competitions.

Ahead of the 2007–08 season, Dawson signed a new one-year contract on 10 August 2007 and his handful of first team appearances resulted him being praised for his work rate by Manager Bill Dearden.

Under Dearden, Dawson played in the 4–3–3 formation, where he was in the midfield position.

He then scored his first Mansfield Town goal of the season, in a 3–1 loss against Chesterfield on 15 September 2007.

Despite suffering the setbacks during the season, At the end of the 2007–08 season, which saw them relegated from Dawson made the total of 49 appearances and scoring two times in all competitions.

After Mansfield Town were relegated to the Football Conference at the end of the 2007–08 season, he was out of contract, but rejected it.

By the time Dawson's Mansfield Town career came to an end, he had made over 125 appearances in all competitions for Mansfield Town.

While at the club, Dawson was considered "tough tackling midfielder" and "a constant performer for Stags in the centre of the park."

His second goal of the season came on 16 February 2008, in a 2–1 win over Darlington.

Shortly after rejecting a new contract at Mansfield Town, Dawson joined Bury on a two-year contract on 30 June 2008.

Upon joining Bury, Dawson said he would improve as a player and hope to score more goals on a regular basis.

Dawson made his Bury debut on 9 August 2008 on the opening day of the season with a 1–0 win over Brentford at Gigg Lane.

Since making his debut for the side, Dawson quickly established himself in the first team, partnering with Brian Barry-Murphy in central midfield.

He then scored his first goal for Bury on 18 October 2008 in a 3–1 win at Dagenham & Redbridge.

After being suspended against Darlington in the Football League Trophy campaign for picking up his fifth yellow card this season, Dawson returned to the first team and it wasn't until on 6 December 2008 when he scored again, in a 1–1 draw against Macclesfield Town.

However, in a 1–0 defeat against Brentford on 28 February 2009, Dawson was sent–off for a second bookable offence.

Up until his sending off, Dawson started every match for the side since the start of the season.

Despite being suspended for the second time this season, the club was unsuccessful to reach promotion to League One.

Nevertheless, Dawson was awarded 4 awards: Bury Times Player of the Year, Disabled Supporters Player of the Season, Billy Ayre Memorial Official Website Player of the Season, and Forever Bury Player of the Season.

Manager Knill praised Dawson's role this season at Bury.

In his first season at Bury, Dawson made the total of 47 appearances and scoring 2 times in all competitions.

In the 2009–10 season, Manager Knill expected Dawson to emulate and improve on his second season at Bury.

However, in a 1–0 loss against Cheltenham Town on 12 September 2009, Dawson was at fault when he gave away the ball, leading opposition player Barry Hayles, who scored the winning and only goal for the side.

He later played for Bury, Leyton Orient, Barnsley, Rochdale and Scunthorpe United before returning to Bury in May 2017.

After an injury hit second spell with the club, he finished his career in non-league football with Hereford and Radcliffe.