14 Facts About Steve Claridge

1.

Stephen Edward Claridge was born on 10 April 1966 and is an English football pundit, coach and former professional player.

2.

Steve Claridge was a pundit for BBC Sport football shows including Football Focus and The Football League Show, until 2014 when he became both manager and a director at newly formed Salisbury.

3.

From 1988 till 1996 Steve Claridge played for a number of Football League teams, before moving to Leicester City with whom he played in the Premier League and won the 1997 Football League Cup.

4.

Steve Claridge has played at all levels of English football and has appeared in 1000 professional or semi-professional football matches.

5.

Steve Claridge was born in Portsmouth and grew up in Titchfield, a village near Fareham, and attended Brookfield Community School in Sarisbury Green.

6.

Steve Claridge initially played for Fareham Town in the Southern League.

7.

Steve Claridge got into Football League side AFC Bournemouth, though Claridge again stepped down the leagues after just seven games for Bournemouth to sign for Weymouth.

8.

Steve Claridge moved with Cambridge up into the Second Division and stayed with the club for most of the next four years.

9.

In 1998 Steve Claridge joined hometown club Portsmouth on loan and, following a brief period at Wolverhampton Wanderers, signed for Portsmouth on a permanent basis.

10.

From 2000 this was as player-manager, though Steve Claridge's reign lasted for just 25 games before he was demoted.

11.

Steve Claridge spent two seasons with Millwall before returning to Weymouth as the club's new player-manager.

12.

The decision to dismiss Steve Claridge was taken by new chairman Theo Paphitis, who stated that "there was a very big chance we could get relegated" under his management.

13.

In September 2009, Steve Claridge came out of retirement to play unpaid for his former club, the Conference South side Weymouth, who were in severe financial difficulties.

14.

Steve Claridge already had nine points on his driving licence.