Name: Gary Andrew Stevens
Nickname: "Grease"
Country:
EnglandClub: Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Number: 6 | 5 | 2
Position: *CB, SB, DMF
Side: RF/RS
Age: 20-21 years (30/03/1962)
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 76 kg
Attack: 67
Defence: 82
Balance: 84
Stamina: 83
Top Speed: 78
Acceleration: 79
Response: 84
Agility: 76
Dribble Accuracy: 75
Dribble Speed: 75
Short Pass Accuracy: 75
Short Pass Speed: 75
Long Pass Accuracy: 76
Long Pass Speed: 76
Shot Accuracy: 63
Shot Power: 81
Shot Technique: 62
Free Kick Accuracy: 64
Curling: 63
Header: 84
Jump: 84
Technique: 78
Aggression: 70
Mentality: 82
Goalkeeper Skills: 50
Team Work: 80
Injury Tolerance: B
Condition: 6
Weak Foot Accuracy: 5
Weak Foot Frequency: 5
Consistency: 6
Growth type: Early/Peak
CARDS:
P16 - Extra Attacker (optional)
S07 - Man Marking
S08 - Slide Tackle
S09 - Covering
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Marking - Sliding - Covering
Attack/Defence Awareness Card: Defence Minded
INFO:
A versatile defender who could also play in midfield, Gary Stevens was one of the most talented and unlucky English players in the 1980s. He was primarily a central defender, but his sharp tackling, vision and pace meant he could also operate at full back and in midfield, and so he became a useful utility man. Gary was a strong defender with a good aerial abilities. Very technical, great at calming the ball and getting out of pressing situations, confident in posession. Not too agile, but excellent in ball recovery and with great defensive positioning, anticipation and 1on1 defence. Although it is mentioned that he is a composed, classy defender with an excellent range of passing, in his Brighton years he wasn't as much offensive nor did he display that kind of range of passing (very flat long balls), what surely was the case in his Tottenham years. He would be indeed the one on the ball and he did join the attack from the back, but was surely more dangerous when playing in the midfield.
Gary started his career as a youngster at Ipswich Town, but was released by then manger Bobby Robson. However, Alan Mullery, the manager at Brighton & Hove Albion, snapped him up and Gary made his Seagulls debut in a division one game versus Ipswich in September 1979, following an injury to Mark Lawrenson. In the 1982-83 season Gary was Albion's Player of the Year and man of the match in first game of the FA Cup final against Manchester United (2-2), scoring Albion's late equalizer. Unfortunately, Brighton went on to lose the replay 4-0. After that disappointment Brighton were then relegated in 1983 and Gary moved to Spurs for £300,000 that summer. He went on to play for Spurs 147 times (6 goals) and in his game there he played in Spurs' 1984 UEFA Cup winning team, wearing #10 & scoring one of the penalties. He was also in the side that suffered an unlikely 3–2 defeat to Coventry City in the 1987 FA Cup Final.
His performances for Tottenham led to Bobby Robson giving him his senior England debut against Finland in October 1984 - the first of seven full caps. And Gary was also a member of England's 1986 World Cup finals squad and made two substitute appearances. In Tottenham, there was a move to full back and he settled in the new position, before moving up to midfield in Glenn Hoddle's absence. Whichever role he was asked to play, Stevens read the game well and was willing to get stuck into the tackle. Not blessed with the greatest speed, Gary always showed good stamina, a product of the days of long-distance running when a schoolboy.
However Gary's playing career for Spurs was cut short in November 1986 after he suffered a serious knee injury in a tackle from Wimbledon's Vinnie Jones. He moved from Spurs to Portsmouth in Jan 1990 but has never fully recovered and ended his career in 1992.
Spoiler: show