Stephen Melton (born 3 October 1978) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder.
He played as a professional in the Football League from 1996 until 2006, featuring for Nottingham Forest, Stoke City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Hull City and Boston United. At Non-League level he has represented Tamworth and King's Lynn before re-joining Boston United and then moving on to Lincoln United, Lincoln Moorlands Railway and Grantham Town.
Career
Born in Lincoln,[1] Melton started his career back in 1996 as a trainee with Nottingham Forest.[citation needed] He made his debut for Forest in the Premier League on the last day of the 1998-99 season against Leicester City.[3] Melton only appeared for Forest on three occasions in the league before moving on to Stoke City in February 2000.[citation needed] At Stoke, he made seven appearances in 1999–2000 and was an unused substitute in the 2000 Football League Trophy Final.[4] He joined Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer of 2000.[5] Melton managed to find his way into the starting eleven and played 46 league games in which he scored three goals.[1] In November 2002, he joined Hull City after spending time on loan with the club.[citation needed] Although he never scored in a competitive game for Hull City, he was the first player to score at their Kingston Communications Stadium in a friendly against Sunderland to commemorate the stadium's opening on 18 December 2002.[citation needed]
Melton joined Boston United in March 2004 on a contract until summer 2005.[6] During his time with The Pilgrims, Melton was sent out on loan to Conference National side Tamworth. He was released by Boston United in summer 2006.[7] Melton joined King's Lynn in 2006.[citation needed] He re-signed for Boston United in September 2008,[8] but was released at the end of the season.[9] Melton went on trial with Retford United in July 2009, but subsequently joined Lincoln United alongside former King's Lynn and Boston United teammate Matt O'Halloran.[citation needed] In February 2011 he signed with Lincoln Moorlands Railway.[citation needed] He joined Grantham Town in the summer.[citation needed]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other[A] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Nottingham Forest | 1998–99 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1999–2000 | First Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Stoke City | 1999–2000 | Second Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2000–01 | Third Division | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 1 |
| 2001–02 | Second Division | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 2 | |
| 2002–03 | First Division | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| Hull City | 2002–03 | Third Division | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | Third Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| Boston United | 2003–04 | Third Division | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| 2004–05 | League Two | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2005–06 | League Two | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Tamworth | 2005–06 | Conference Premier | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| Career Total | 128 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 148 | 5 | ||
- A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Football League play-offs, and Football League Trophy.
Honours
Stoke City
References
- ^ a b c "Steve Melton". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- ^ "Steve Melton | Football Stats | No Club | Age 42 | 1996-2010 | Soccer Base". soccerbase.com. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- ^ "Big Ron signs off in style". BBC. 16 May 1999. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ "Looking Back Down 'Wembley Way'". Stoke City F.C. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ "Nationwide summer signings". The Guardian. 12 August 2000. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- ^ "Boston sign four players". BBC. 19 March 2004. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- ^ "Boston retain five and lose five". BBC. 16 May 2006. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- ^ "Second spell at Boston for Melton". BBC. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- ^ "Boston axe 13 in summer clear out". BBC. 27 May 2009. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- ^ Steve Melton at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
- ^ Sidaway, Jon (7 December 2017). "Stoke City FC - Looking Back Down 'Wembley Way'". Stoke City FC. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
External links
- Steve Melton at Soccerbase
