Dean Constantine Sturridge (born 26 July 1973) is an English former professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...
and football commentator for
beIN Sports
beIN Sports ( ) is a global network of sports channels owned and operated by the Qatari media group beIN. It has played a major role in the increased commercialization of Qatari sports. Its chairman is Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and its CEO is Yousef O ...
.
As a player, he was a
striker who notably played in the
Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
for
Derby County
Derby County Football Club () is a professional association football club based in Derby, Derbyshire, England. In 2022, it was announced that DCFC was acquired by Clowes Developments (UK) Ltd, a Derbyshire-based property group.
Founded in 1884 ...
,
Leicester City
Leicester ( ) is a city, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city lies on the River Soar and close to the eastern end of the National ...
and
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club (), commonly known as Wolves, is a professional football club based in Wolverhampton, England, which compete in the . The club has played at Molineux Stadium since moving from Dudley Road in 1889. The club's ...
. He also played in the
Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...
for
Torquay United
Torquay United Football Club is a professional football club based in Torquay, Devon, England. The team currently compete in the , the fifth tier of English football. They have played their home matches at Plainmoor since 1921 and are nicknamed ...
,
Sheffield United
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional football club in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . They are nicknamed "the Blades" due to Sheffield's history of cutlery production. The team have played home games at ...
and
Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers Football Club, commonly abbreviated to QPR, is a professional football club based in Shepherd's Bush, West London, England, which compete in the . After a nomadic early existence, they have played home matches at Loftus Ro ...
. He retired in 2007 following a short spell with non-league side
Kidderminster Harriers
Kidderminster Harriers Football Club is a professional association football club based in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England. The team compete in the National League North, at the sixth tier of the English football league system. Formed in ...
.
Sturridge never played international football, but was called up to the
Jamaica national team squad for
World Cup 1998
The 1998 FIFA World Cup was the 16th FIFA World Cup, the football world championship for men's national teams. The finals tournament was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. The country was chosen as the host nation by FIFA for th ...
, however he rejected the call and the chance to represent the nation. Since retiring he was worked in the media and has previously worked for
BBC Radio Derby
BBC Radio Derby is the BBC's local radio station serving the county of Derbyshire.
It broadcasts on FM, AM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios on St Helens Street in Derby.
According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audien ...
.
Playing career
Derby County
Sturridge began his career as a trainee at
Derby County
Derby County Football Club () is a professional association football club based in Derby, Derbyshire, England. In 2022, it was announced that DCFC was acquired by Clowes Developments (UK) Ltd, a Derbyshire-based property group.
Founded in 1884 ...
, and worked his way through the ranks to make his first team debut on 11 January 1992 in a 1–0 defeat at
Southend United
Southend United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. As of the 2022–23 season, the team competes in the National League, the fifth tier of English football. Southend are known as ...
.
He gained more first team action over the next years, particularly at lowly
Torquay United
Torquay United Football Club is a professional football club based in Torquay, Devon, England. The team currently compete in the , the fifth tier of English football. They have played their home matches at Plainmoor since 1921 and are nicknamed ...
during a loan spell in the 1994–95 season, where he gained many admirers for his performances. He then returned to score 20 goals that fired Derby to the
Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
. His first year in the top flight was also successful, scoring 11 league goals, including one of the goals of the season against
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
, and the club's very first in the Premier League when they drew 3–3 at home to
Leeds United
Leeds United Football Club is a professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire in England. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of England's football league system, and plays its home matches at Elland Road S ...
in an opening day thriller at the
Baseball Ground
The Baseball Ground (sometimes referred to as the BBG) was a stadium in Derby, England. It was first used for baseball as the home of Derby Baseball Club from 1890 until 1898 and then for football as the home of Derby County from 1895 until 19 ...
(from which they relocated to the new
Pride Park Stadium
Pride Park Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in Derby, England, that is the home ground of English Football League club Derby County. With a capacity of 33,597, it is the 16th-largest football ground in England and the 20th-largest stad ...
12 months later). Leeds had been 2–0 up when Sturridge found the net for the Rams in the 77th minute, before
Paul Simpson pulled them level a minute later.
Lee Bowyer
Lee David Bowyer (; born 3 January 1977) is an English football manager and former professional player.
As a player, he was a midfielder who featured for Charlton Athletic, Leeds United, West Ham United (two spells), Newcastle United, Birming ...
sent Leeds back ahead in the 85th minute, before Sturridge scored again in the 87th minute to rescue the game for his team.
He played five seasons in the Premier League for the club, and is their record goalscorer in the Premier League era (32 Premier League goals). After nearly a decade with the Rams, he left for local rivals
Leicester City
Leicester ( ) is a city, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city lies on the River Soar and close to the eastern end of the National ...
in January 2001 for £375,000.
Leicester City
Sturridge's time at Leicester was far less successful than at Derby, as consistent injury problems and a change of manager saw his place under threat. He scored 7 goals during 25 appearances in total before being loaned to
First Division Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club (), commonly known as Wolves, is a professional football club based in Wolverhampton, England, which compete in the . The club has played at Molineux Stadium since moving from Dudley Road in 1889. The club's ...
in November 2001, just 10 months after his arrival at
Filbert Street
Filbert Street was a football stadium in Leicester, England, which served as the home of Leicester City F.C. from 1891 until 2002. Although officially titled the City Business Stadium in the early 1990s, it remained known almost exclusively by ...
.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
His time at Wolves started brightly as he netted four times in his opening two games. This convinced the club to make the loan permanent after the initial month and he signed for £350,000 on Christmas Eve 2001.
His goalscoring form continued throughout the season, and he finished as the club's leading goalscorer with 21 goals in total, which took them to the play-offs. The following season saw him notch another 11 which again helped the team achieve a play-off finish, where they won promotion to the
Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
after a 3–0 final win over
Sheffield United
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional football club in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . They are nicknamed "the Blades" due to Sheffield's history of cutlery production. The team have played home games at ...
.
The striker didn't enjoy much of the team's top flight season as a combination of injuries and new arrivals sidelined him for all but 5 games, and he was loaned out to
Sheffield United
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional football club in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . They are nicknamed "the Blades" due to Sheffield's history of cutlery production. The team have played home games at ...
.
He was unable to put his injury problems behind him though and never regained a regular starting place for Wolves again. He moved on to
Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers Football Club, commonly abbreviated to QPR, is a professional football club based in Shepherd's Bush, West London, England, which compete in the . After a nomadic early existence, they have played home matches at Loftus Ro ...
on a free transfer in March 2005.
Queens Park Rangers
At Queens Park Rangers his injury problems continued and he was only able to appear in 11 matches for the team, and never scored for them. In December 2005, it was announced that he would be leaving the club.
Kidderminster Harriers
On 26 June 2006, Sturridge joined
Kidderminster Harriers
Kidderminster Harriers Football Club is a professional association football club based in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England. The team compete in the National League North, at the sixth tier of the English football league system. Formed in ...
on a one-year deal along with former
Tamworth goalkeeper
In many team sports which involve scoring goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or intercepting o ...
Scott Bevan
Scott Anthony Bevan (born 19 September 1979) is a former professional footballer currently employed as the under-23s goalkeeping coach at Birmingham City.
Career Playing career
Bevan started his football career with Southampton as an associate ...
, possibly becoming the biggest name player the club have ever signed.
Sturridge's time at
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a large market and historic minster town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, south-west of Birmingham and north of Worcester. Located north of the River Stour and east of the River Severn, in the 2011 census, it had ...
didn't work out well, despite initially earning praise from his new manager
Mark Yates over his positive attitude. He featured in six matches without finding the net, before suffering an
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon or heel cord, also known as the calcaneal tendon, is a tendon at the back of the lower leg, and is the thickest in the human body. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles to the calcaneus (h ...
injury which ended his season prematurely.
He was not offered a new contract at the end of season.
International career
In 1998,
René Simões attempted to call up Sturridge for international duty with the
Jamaica national team for the
1998 World Cup but the offer was rejected.
Media career
In 1998, Sturridge appeared in season one of the fictional football drama
Dream Team
Dream Team may refer to:
Sport
Basketball
* Dream Team, the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team in Barcelona
* Dream Team II, the 1994 U.S. men's national basketball team at the FIBA World Championship
* Dream Team III, the 1996 ...
on
Sky One
Sky One was a British pay television channel operated and owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). Originally launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, it was Europe's first satellite and non-terrestrial channel. From 31 July 1989, ...
(as himself) as a
Harchester United player and was valued as a £5 million player.
Sturridge was acting as match summariser for
BBC Radio Derby
BBC Radio Derby is the BBC's local radio station serving the county of Derbyshire.
It broadcasts on FM, AM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios on St Helens Street in Derby.
According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audien ...
, following the sudden departure of
Ted McMinn
Kevin Clifton "Ted" McMinn (born 28 September 1962) is a Scottish former association footballer who played as a winger. His nickname is ''The Tin Man''.
Playing career
Early years
Born in Castle Douglas and raised in nearby Dumfries, McMinn ...
after the first match of the
2007–08 season. In this role he co-commentates, alongside
Ross Fletcher Ross Fletcher is an English sports presenter and commentator known for his work with BBC Radio and Seattle Sounders FC. He is currently a host for Root Sports Northwest coverage of Seattle Kraken ice hockey games.
Career
BBC
Fletcher had a passio ...
, on all games played by his old club, Derby County. However, on the last game of the season, he revealed that he would not be returning to this role for the
2008–09 season as he wanted to focus on his coaching work.
Personal life
His brother,
Simon
Simon may refer to:
People
* Simon (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Simon
* Simon (surname), including a list of people with the surname Simon
* Eugène Simon, French naturalist and the genus ...
, was also a professional footballer, most notably playing for
Birmingham City
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. Since 2011, the first te ...
and
Stoke City
Stoke City Football Club is a professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, which competes in the . Founded as Stoke Ramblers in 1863, it changed its name to Stoke in 1878 and then to Stoke City in 1925 after Stoke ...
. He is the uncle of
Daniel Sturridge
Daniel Andre Sturridge (; born 1 September 1989) is an English professional footballer who last played as a striker. As well as representing England, he has played in the Premier League for Manchester City, Chelsea, Bolton Wanderers, Liverpool ...
, a striker who last played for
Perth Glory
Perth Glory Football Club is an Australian professional soccer club based in Perth, Western Australia. It competes in the country's premier men's competition, A-League Men, under licence from Australian Professional Leagues.
Founded in 19 ...
and has played for the
England national team
Honours
Individual
*
PFA Fans' Player of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Fans' Player of the Year (often called the PFA Fans' Player of the Year, or simply the Fans' Player of the Year) award is given to footballers in the top four flights of English football, the Premier Leag ...
:
2001–02 First Division
*
PFA Team of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year (often called the PFA Team of the Year, or simply the Team of the Year) is an annual award given to a set of 55 footballers across the top four tiers of men's English football; the Premie ...
:
1995–96 First Division
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sturridge, Dean
Living people
1973 births
English footballers
English people of Jamaican descent
Association football forwards
Derby County F.C. players
Torquay United F.C. players
Leicester City F.C. players
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players
Sheffield United F.C. players
Queens Park Rangers F.C. players
Kidderminster Harriers F.C. players
Premier League players
Footballers from Birmingham, West Midlands
Dean
Dean may refer to:
People
* Dean (given name)
* Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin
* Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk
* Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean
Titles
* ...
Black British sportsmen