Steve Sidwell

Steven James Sidwell (born 14 December 1982) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Sidwell was a product of the Arsenal academy, and after winning two FA Youth Cups, he had constructive loan spells at Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion, but never broke into the Arsenal first team.

He joined Arsenal at the age of 9 and was a part of the youth team that won the FA Youth Cup in 2000 and 2001.

One of his teammates during these years was James Harper, who he would go on to play with at Reading.

Sidwell spent the 2001–02 season on loan at Brentford where he played 35 times scoring four goals as Brentford lost 2–0 to Stoke City in the play-off final.

After originally having been sent on loan to Beveren, but not being able to obtain a first team place in preseason, he began the 2002–03 season on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion for whom he scored five goals in 12 appearances.

Sidwell played 15 times in 2002–03 as Reading reached the play-offs where they lost out to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

He came to prominence in the Championship with Reading after a January 2003 move to the Royals and spent 4 1⁄2 years with the club, helping them to earn promotion to the Premier League for the first time ever in 2005–06.

In January 2003 Brighton and Stoke City both had bids for Sidwell rejected by Arsenal but an offer from Reading was accepted.

Sidwell moved to Reading for an undisclosed fee on a 4 1⁄2-year deal in January 2003.

He made his debut for Reading on 29 January 2003 in a 3–1 defeat against Leicester City.

In his next match on 11 February 2003 he scored twice in a 5–2 victory over Burnley.

Sidwell made a good start to the 2003–04 season, scoring in the first three matches.

Reading failed to make the play-offs in 2003–04 finishing in ninth position with Sidwell playing in 48 matches scoring nine goals.

Sidwell was sent-off for the first time in his career on 27 March 2004 for two-bookable offences against Coventry City.

Sidwell signed a new three-year contract with Reading in July 2004.

In the 2004–05 season Sidwell played 47 times, scoring five goals as Reading again miss out on a play-off spot finishing in 7th position.

During the season FourFourTwo Magazine voted him the best player outside the Premier League and he was later named in the PFA Team of the Year.

The 2005–06 season saw Reading finally gain promotion to the Premier League and they did so in emphatic style finishing 1st with 106 points.

Sidwell played in 40 matches scoring ten goals and his performances again earned him a place in the PFA Team of the Year.

In the summer of 2006, Sidwell rejected a contract extension, which was set to expire at the end of the 2006–07 season.

Reading resisted the chance to cash in on Sidwell and he scored on the opening day of the season, a 3–2 victory over Middlesbrough.

In total Sidwell played 37 times in 2006–07 scoring four goals as Reading finished in 8th position narrowly missing out on a UEFA Cup spot.

At the end of the season Reading manager Steve Coppell confirmed that Sidwell had agreed to join another club.

He joined Chelsea on a free transfer for the 2007–08 season, however opportunities were limited at Stamford Bridge, as he competed with players such as Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Claude Makélélé, and Michael Essien for playing time in central midfield.

On 10 February 2007, Sidwell scored both goals in a 2–0 win over Aston Villa.

Over the course of the season, he was linked with a number of high-profile clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea as Reading enjoyed a successful season in the Premier League.

Sidwell joined Chelsea on 1 July 2007 on a free transfer from Reading, and was given squad number 9 for the 2007–08 season.

In his first interview after joining Chelsea, Sidwell stated that he had not come to Chelsea to 'make up the numbers', and that he believed training and playing alongside top players like Michael Essien and Frank Lampard would only help him improve.

After playing in the club's pre-season tour of the United States, Sidwell then played in the 2007 FA Community Shield where Chelsea lost on penalties to Manchester United.

His league debut for Chelsea came on 12 August 2007 in a 3–2 victory against Birmingham City when he replaced Florent Malouda in the 83rd minute.

He scored his only goal for the club on 26 September 2007, in a 4–0 win away to Hull City in the third round of the Football League Cup.

Sidwell struggled to establish himself in Chelsea's first team under José Mourinho and made a total of 25 appearances in 2007–08.

At the end of the season, Sidwell became linked to several Premier League clubs, including Everton, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough.

He moved to Aston Villa in July 2008 for a fee of £5 million.

In his 2 1⁄2-year stay at Villa Park he played 64 times, scoring four goals.

Sidwell then spent 3 1⁄2 years at Fulham, making 115 appearances scoring 17 goals.

His time at Craven Cottage ended after the club was relegated from the Premier League in 2013–14, and he subsequently joined Stoke City in June 2014 on a free transfer.

He made only 13 Premier League appearances for the club, and finished his career with a two year spell at Brighton & Hove Albion, initially on loan, retiring in 2018.

Sidwell was born in Wandsworth, London.