Robert Stevenson (born 10 May 1869) was a Scottish

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 lea ...

, a versatile full and half back who could also play at centre forward. He was the first captain of Thames Ironworks, who were later reformed as

West Ham United West Ham United Football Club is a professional Association football, football club based in Stratford, London, Stratford, East London, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English f ...

Career

Born in

Barrhead Barrhead (, ) is a town in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, southwest of Glasgow city centre on the edge of the Gleniffer Braes. At the 2011 census its population was 17,268. History Barrhead was formed when a series of small textile-produ ...

, Scotland, Stevenson first played for Third Lanark in 1892–93, before joining Woolwich Arsenal in May 1894. He spent a single season with the Gunners, playing at half-back for the first seven Second Division matches of the 1894–95 season. Stevenson also briefly captained the club. In March 1895, Stevenson was allowed to join up with

Old Castle Swifts Old Castle Swifts Football Club, the first professional football (soccer), football club in Essex, was formed by Scotland, Scottish shipowner Donald Currie in September 1892 as Castle Swifts Football Club. The club's first home ground, located ...

, but they soon folded and he returned to Scotland. On his return to England, Stevenson was called up to play for the newly established Thames Ironworks team for the 1895–96 season. His return to Hermit Road saw him instantly installed as their first ever club captain and went on to play for the Irons for a season and a half, covering full-back and

centre-forward In the sport of association football, a forward (attacker or striker) is an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position which primarily plays further up the pitch than Midfielder, midfielders and Defender (association football), d ...

roles as well as his usual position of half-back. The first season saw Stevenson score at least 8 goals in 20 games and gain a winner's medal in the

West Ham Charity Cup The West Ham Charity Cup was an annual amateur Association football, football tournament which was contested by teams from West Ham and the surrounding area, an area of Essex that is now part of London. Only players that lived locally were eligibl ...

. In February 1897, after 16 appearances and 5 goals in the Irons' second campaign of 1896–97, Stevenson left the club. He once again returned to Scotland and joined

Arthurlie Arthurlie is an area of the town of Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, Scotland. History of Arthurlie The lands of Arthurlie were held in medieval times by the Stewart family, a branch of the noble Stewarts of Darnley. Later the lands became the prop ...

References

External links

Robert Stevenson
at ''westhamstats.info'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Stevenson, Robert 1869 births Year of death missing Footballers from Barrhead Scottish men's footballers Men's association football wing halves Third Lanark A.C. players Arsenal F.C. players Old Castle Swifts F.C. players Thames Ironworks F.C. players Arthurlie F.C. players Scottish Football League players English Football League players