Stephen Dennis Kember was born on 8 December 1948 and is an English former footballer who played in the centre of midfield during his career, before going into management.
18 Facts About Steve Kember
1.
2.
Steve Kember has a long affiliation with Crystal Palace, where he is currently the chief scout.
3.
In 1963, Steve Kember joined Crystal Palace, as an apprentice, and in 1965, on his 17th birthday, he was rewarded with a professional contract.
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That season, Steve Kember was one of only three players who played in every game.
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At Chelsea, Steve Kember quickly stamped his authority on a place in the starting line-up, playing most of the West-London club's games, that season.
6.
Relegation led to a sell-off of players, and Steve Kember moved back to the top-flight with Leicester City.
7.
Venables' signing of Steve Kember was intended to be as a squad player, but his experience added so much to the side that he quickly became a regular in the first XI.
8.
Venables then decided that Steve Kember was not good enough for the First Division, so he moved on again, this time to Canadian side, the Vancouver Whitecaps.
9.
Steve Kember had a largely un-noteworthy couple of seasons in Canada, and in the summer of 1981 he returned to Palace again, this time as a coach for the Youth setup.
10.
Steve Kember had a relatively successful period, taking the club on an FA Cup run to the Sixth Round, and achieving Second Division survival with a game to spare.
11.
Steve Kember said of the matter that he was "away on holiday at the time" and thus wasn't even notified of his dismissal.
12.
Steve Kember stayed in that role until April 2001, when, with Palace facing relegation to the third tier, manager Alan Smith was sacked by new chairman Simon Jordan, and Kember was made caretaker for the remaining two games of the season.
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However, Steve Kember made changes to the side, and after a last-gasp win at Stockport County, Palace survived.
14.
Steve Bruce took over, and Kember was made his assistant.
15.
Bruce's tenure only lasted a couple of months, and, after Steve Kember was again made caretaker, Trevor Francis took over.
16.
Francis was unpopular with the fans in his 14 months with the club, and was eventually sacked in February 2003, with Steve Kember again being made caretaker, this time alone.
17.
Jordan saw this as the final straw, and Steve Kember was sacked, clearly revoking Jordan's "job for life" pledge.
18.
Steve Kember coached at Cumnor House School in Purley, and later coached football and cricket at Whitgift School, South London, alongside scouting for Fulham initially, and then returning to Crystal Palace as Chief Scout after the departure of Jordan.