11 interesting facts about Jon Stead

Joe Jones · November 27, 2017

FIRST FOOTBALL MEMORY

I was going on trial for Huddersfield Schools and I didn't have any kit. My stepdad brought me an old England shirt when he turned up to take me to the trials. It was the old sky blue, Umbro shirt.

BEST PLAYER I'VE PLAYED WITH

Tugay at Blackburn. He was fantastic, a real character but an amazing player as well. That was towards the end of his career - he was probably even better in his prime. Walking into a training session with Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Tugay and all these sorts of players was a bit of an eye-opener!

TOUGHEST OPPONENT

Jamie Carragher. He wasn't the biggest but he commanded the players around him. Whenever you think you've managed to find some space he would always turn up.

FAVOURITE FOOTBALLING MOMENT

Scoring the winner for Blackburn against Manchester United is still the highlight. The Chelsea Cup game (with Bradford) was special but if I had to pick one it would be this. I had just jumped from the old Division Three into the Premier League. It was at Ewood, 80-odd minutes and Paul Gallagher just slipped me in and I scored. It was a massive three points to keep us in the Premier League.

SPORTING HERO

Growing up it was always Ian Wright. He was the striker I watched as a boy. He has got to be up there but David Beckham is the ultimate sporting icon.

TOUGHEST AWAY GROUND

The most difficult away game I've had was at Highbury in 2004. We never touched the ball. Arsenal were incredible that day. It was a tight pitch but they made it seem massive.

THE FIRST ALBUM I BOUGHT

It was probably something like NSYNC, before the youth-team days!

KARAOKE SONG

On the karaoke it's a bit of Dirty Diana by Michael Jackson, but it gets tiring. There's a lot of shouting in it. It takes it out of you towards the end.

BEST-DRESSED TEAM-MATE

Jorge Grant seems to have a new bit of gear on every day and he's always tweeting about hats he's getting. But it's a standard trackie or jeans and a T-shirt for me.

DREAM DINNER-PARTY GUESTS

Michael Jackson, David Beckham and Marilyn Monroe.

IF I WASN'T A FOOTBALLER

I would be an architect. I loved graphics at school and that is definitely something I'd have gone into.