30 Facts About Stephen Bywater

Stephen Michael Bywater was born on 7 June 1981 and is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Stephen Bywater has made appearances for thirteen clubs, most notably for Derby County, where he made over 150 appearances and won the 2007 Championship play-off final and for West Ham United, where he spent eight seasons, made over 60 appearances and won the 2005 Championship play-off final.

Stephen Bywater graduated through the youth set-up and featured in West Ham's 1999 FA Youth Cup winning team along with Joe Cole and Michael Carrick.

Stephen Bywater spent the next two seasons learning from former Manchester United, Luton Town, Aston Villa and Coventry City goalkeeper Les Sealey and sitting in the pecking order behind Craig Forrest, Bernard Lama and Shaka Hislop.

Stephen Bywater joined Cardiff City on a one-month loan at the end of March 2002 but made no appearance there.

Stephen Bywater soon had to share the role of the club's primary keeper with Jimmy Walker who was brought in from Walsall in June 2004 to provide competition for Bywater.

An injury to Carroll however led to Stephen Bywater being recalled from Coventry in October 2005.

Stephen Bywater took me to training every day, coached me and advised me on life.

Stephen Bywater's form was good enough that he held the number 1 position for the rest of the season and he signed a new 3-year contract with Derby on 13 January 2009.

Stephen Bywater made his 100th appearance for the club away to Blackpool on 8 August 2009, keeping a clean sheet.

Stephen Bywater is fully fit and approaching the peak of his career.

Stephen Bywater has a good temperament, which is probably a factor of his age.

Stephen Bywater works hard in training and, like all goalkeepers, he is a bit daft.

Stephen Bywater returned to the first team in November 2011, which coincided with a dreadful run of form which saw Derby drop from 4th to 18th in 3 months.

On 4 March 2011, Stephen Bywater joined Cardiff City on loan until the end of the season.

On 20 September 2011, Stephen Bywater joined Sheffield Wednesday on loan for 3 months due to an injury picked up by first choice 'keeper Nicky Weaver.

Stephen Bywater's loan spell proved to be very successful, with Wednesday losing just 1 of his 12 games and keeping six clean sheets, moving boss Gary Megson to state his intention to make Stephen Bywater's move permanent, with Derby manager Nigel Clough confirming talks with Wednesday over a potential transfer.

On 30 December 2011, it was reported that Stephen Bywater was to join Wednesday on a permanent transfer when the January transfer window opened.

Stephen Bywater played in all the remaining games of the season, keeping 14 clean sheets in 34 appearances.

Stephen Bywater then entered contract talks with the club, with a new one-year contract signed on 27 June 2012, upon signing this new contract Stephen Bywater praised manager David Jones and called Wednesday "the biggest club out of the Premiership and that is a fact".

In June 2013 Stephen Bywater signed a two-year contract with Millwall, becoming manager, Steve Lomas' first signing for the club.

Stephen Bywater was released by Millwall on 14 January 2015 when his contract with them was cancelled.

Stephen Bywater had not appeared for Millwall since February 2014.

In January 2015 Stephen Bywater signed a six-month contract with League One side Doncaster Rovers.

Stephen Bywater joined Burton Albion on 13 January 2016, as backup to Jon McLaughlin.

Stephen Bywater was released at the end of the season and then announced his retirement.

Stephen Bywater made his England U19 debut during 1999 and rotated in the role with both Paul Robinson and Chris Kirkland.

Stephen Bywater later progressed to the U21 team with the same group of players though by that time both Kirkland and Robinson had become established league players.

Stephen Bywater has been involved in several controversies over the years.

In September 2010, Stephen Bywater stirred more controversy with regards to a provocative art installation in his garden in Sutton on the Hill, Derbyshire.