Michael Gary Stevens (born in Barrow-in-Furness, England, 27 March 1963) was an English footballer who shot to fame in the great Everton side of the 1980s. Barrow-in-Furness is a town in Cumbria, England. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (87th in leap years). ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Everton Football Club is located in the city Liverpool in Merseyside, England. ...

A hard-tackling right full back, Stevens advanced through Everton's youth ranks as manager Howard Kendall steadily built a new young side to rival their great foes Liverpool, who were winning trophies and dominating the English game while Everton had been without a domestic honour since 1970. Howard Kendall was born in Ryton-on-Tyne on May 22, 1946. ... Liverpool Football Club is a football club based in Liverpool, in the north west of England. ...

Stevens made his Everton debut in 1982 and settled into the senior game quickly as Kendall's otherwise ageing side struggled to make an impact on their rivals and on the top flight in general. However, with a few astute signings and one or two more graduates from the ranks, Everton reached the FA Cup final in 1984, having already lost to their great rivals in the League Cup final earlier in the season. Note: for the full results of all FA Cup finals, see FA Cup Final The FA Cup - this is the fourth trophy, in use since 1992, and identical in design to the third trophy introduced in 1911. ... The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup, is an English football competition. ...

Stevens played his part in Everton's opening goal at Wembley against Watford - his pace enabling him to reach a loose ball from a half-cleared cross first and set up Graeme Sharp for a clinical finish. Everton won 2-0. Wembley Stadium is a football stadium located in Wembley, London. ... Watford Football Club are an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. ... Graeme Sharp was born in Glasgow on 16 October 1960. ...

The following year, Stevens was an integral part of the Everton team which chased a treble of League championship, FA Cup and European Cup Winners Cup. The title was clinched but Everton were beaten by 10-man Manchester United in the FA Cup final. However, a glorious and eventful run in Europe ended in triumph for Everton and Stevens when the Cup Winners Cup was clinched, thanks to a 3-1 win over Rapid Vienna. The only downside of such a successful season was that the Heysel Stadium disaster and subsequent disqualification of all English clubs from European competition meant that Everton were disallowed from trying their luck in the European Cup the following year. From 1889 until 1992, this was the highest division overall of organized football in England. ... The Cup Winners Cup was a football club competition between the winners of the European domestic cup competitions. ... Manchester United Football Club are a world-famous English football club, based at Old Trafford stadium in Trafford, Greater Manchester. ... The Sportklub Rapid Wien or SK Rapid Wien is one of the two large football teams in Vienna. ... The Heysel Stadium disaster occurred due to football hooliganism in which a retaining wall of the Heysel Stadium in Brussels collapsed on May 29, 1985 during a football match between Liverpool F.C. from England and Juventus FC from Italy. ... The UEFA Champions League (which used to be named and is often still called the European Cup) is an annual club football competition organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for the most successful football clubs in Europe. ...

To cap a fine year for Stevens, he was given his debut for England by Bobby Robson in June 1985, and he quickly established himself as first choice right back for both club and country. First international Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Largest win Ireland 0 - 13 England (Belfast, Ireland; 18 February 1882) Worst defeat Hungary 7 - 1 England (Budapest, Hungary; 23 May 1954) World Cup Appearances 12 (First in 1950) Best result Winners, 1966 European Championship Appearances 7 (First in... Sir Robert William Robson CBE, born February 18, 1933, usually known as Sir Bobby Robson, is a football manager and former football player. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Stevens was again a regular as Everton aimed to defend their League title in 1986, but a rejuvenated Liverpool overhauled them. The two also met in the FA Cup final - the first ever all-Merseyside affair - and Liverpool won that game 3-1 to clinch only the third modern-day "double". Stevens shouldered some of the blame - he played a loose pass which was intercepted by Liverpool's Ronnie Whelan and led to an equaliser for the men in red, who went on to win 3-1. 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Arms of the former Merseyside Metropolitan County Council Merseyside is a county, located in the North West of England. ... The Double is a term in football, meaning to win a countrys top division and its main cup competition in the same season. ... Ronald Andrew Whelan (born 25 September 1961 in Dublin) was an Irish footballer who was an integral part of the dominant Liverpool side of the 1980s. ...

Stevens was named in the squad for the 1986 World Cup (along with the Tottenham Hotspur player Gary Stevens, causing a spot of confusion¹) and played in all of the games as England reached the quarter finals, where they were beaten controversially by Argentina, who went on to win the tournament. Stevens was not one of the players past whom Diego Maradona weaved on his way to his astonishing second goal of the game, though he was desperately trying to reach the ball at the near post as Maradona stroked it home. The 1986 Football World Cup was held in Mexico from May 31 to June 29. ... Tottenham Hotspur Football Club are an English football club, which play in the FA Premier League. ... Gary Andrew Stevens (born Hillingdon, Middlesex, 30 March 1962) is a former English footballer. ... Diego Armando Maradona (born October 30, 1960), is a former Argentine football player. ...

Back at Everton, Stevens again played frequently as the blue half of Merseyside regained the League championship in 1987, although he did incur the wrath of Liverpool fans when a tackle (acknowledged by all at the time as perfectly fair, though this didn't stop Liverpool folk pointing fingers) on left back Jim Beglin left the Liverpool player with a shattered leg from which he never fully recovered. 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... James Martin Beglin (born County Waterford, Republic of Ireland, July 29, 1963) was a talented full back with Liverpool F.C. during their historic double year of 1986 whose career was cruelly cut short by injury. ...

In the same year, England also qualified for the 1988 European Championships with Stevens in his familiar No.2 shirt. By now one or two critics had started to scorn him for supposedly poor positional play and ball distribution, but his coaches at club and international level kept resolute faith in him. Ruud Gullit lifts the trophy after winning the cup with the Netherlands The 1988 European Football Championship (Euro 88) final tournament was held in West Germany. ...

At club level, 1988 was not successful for Everton, although Stevens did score a famous goal to give Everton a 1-0 win over Liverpool in the League Cup, at a time when Liverpool were not losing any games at all. Everton were trophyless once again, but England had the European Championships in West Germany to look forward to.

Unfortunately, the competition was a disaster for both England and Stevens. After a shock defeat to the Republic of Ireland, England went into the tough second group game against the Netherlands needing to win. Stevens was, however, instrumental in the defeat which followed, losing the ball to Ruud Gullit down the flank, which led to the opening goal of a famous hat-trick by Marco Van Basten. Stevens' supporters pointed out how close he came to blocking Van Basten's shot when he'd been caught napping wide on the flank seconds earlier by Gullit, showing his speed and determination, but it was tough to accept as England wimped out of the tournament without a point. Ruud Gullit (born September 1, 1962) is a Dutch footballer coach and former player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. ... In sports, a hat-trick (more often rendered in North America as hat trick, without the hyphen) is associated with achieving something in a group of three. ... Marcel (Marco) van Basten (October 31, 1964 in Oog in Al, Utrecht) is a Dutch football manager, currently in charge of the Dutch national team. ...

After the competition, Everton accepted a bid of one and a quarter million pounds from Rangers F.C. for Stevens to move north of the border. He retained his England place, having seen off long-term rival Viv Anderson (who had held the slot for much of the period pre-1985), though had to contend with the emergence of Paul Parker of Queens Park Rangers as a serious rival for his place. ISO 4217 Code GBP User(s) United Kingdom Inflation 2. ... Rangers Football Club is a football club from Glasgow, Scotland, which plays in the Scottish Premier League. ... Motto: (Latin for No one provokes me with impunity)1 Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official language(s) English, Gaelic, Scots 2 Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister of the UK Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I... Vivian Anderson (born 29 August 1956) was the first black football player to represent England. ... Paul Parker (born West Ham, London, 4th April 1964) was a footballer with QPR and Manchester United who was a crucial player at the 1990 World Cup with England. ... Queens Park Rangers Football Club are an English football team, from Loftus Road, Shepherds Bush in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. ...

Rangers were in the midst of a revolution when Stevens joined, with manager Graeme Souness unashamedly buying non-Scottish players (including many Englishmen) to bolster his side. Stevens' first season ended with a Scottish Premier Division title. He would win five more, plus two Scottish Cups and three Scottish League Cups. The storming of the Bastille, 14 July 1789 during the French Revolution. ... Graeme James Souness (born Edinburgh, Scotland, 6 May 1953) was the captain of the all-conquering Liverpool F.C. football team of the early 1980s who later returned to the club as manager. ... The Scottish Premier League (SPL) is the top division within the current structure of football in Scotland. ... The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup, also known as The Scottish Cup, is the national cup knockout competition in Scottish football. ... The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League members. ...

When England qualified for the 1990 World Cup in Italy, Stevens was duly named in the squad though again a handful of critics had been scathing of his displays. However, he was in the side which faced the Republic of Ireland in the opening game. It ended 1-1 - not a disaster, but there were clear problems with the England personnel and tactics and Robson made changes for the next game. Stevens was replaced by Parker, who played so well (despite being more usually a central defender for QPR) that he kept his place up to and including England's dramatic semi-final exit on penalties against West Germany, the eventual winners. Stevens was recalled to play the host nation in the meaningless third place play-off, which England lost 2-1. The 1990 Football World Cup was designated by FIFA in 1984 to be held in Italy, making it the second country to host the event two times. ... Ricardo scores a decisive penalty in the quarterfinals of EURO 2004 Kicks from the penalty mark (commonly referred to as a penalty shootout) are sometimes used to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied result in a game of association football (soccer). ... First international Italy 6 - 2 France (Milan, Italy; 15 May 1910) Largest win Italy 9 - 0 USA (Brentford, England; 2 August 1948) Worst defeat Hungary 7 - 1 Italy (Budapest, Hungary; 6 April 1924) World Cup Appearances 16 (First in 1934) Best result Winners, 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006 European Championship Appearances...

Parker's emergence - plus that of Arsenal right back Lee Dixon - suggested that Stevens' international future was in doubt after the World Cup, especially as Robson had quit to return to club football, but he stuck around sporadically for the next two years, getting occasional starts and sub appearances under Graham Taylor. Arsenal Football Club (also known as Arsenal, The Arsenal or The Gunners) are an English professional football club based in north London. ... Lee Dixon (born March 12, 1964 in Manchester, England) was a footballer who formed part of the hugely-respected Arsenal defence for the entire 1990s and beyond. ... Graham Taylor OBE (born September 15, 1944, Worksop, Nottinghamshire) is a football manager and a former player. ...

England qualified for the 1992 European Championships but Stevens was left out of Taylor's initial squad in favour of Dixon. When Dixon got injured in the grace period prior to the deadline for squad confirmation, Stevens was recalled, but then he too suffered an injury and withdrew. England ended up taking part in the competition without a recognised right back, and exited in the group stage. Stevens had played his last game for his country. His international career ended with 46 appearances and no goals. The 1992 European Football Championship (Euro 92) final tournament was hosted by Sweden. ...

Stevens continued to play for an utterly dominant Rangers until 1994, then returned to Merseyside to see out his career with Tranmere Rovers in a 350,000 pound deal. 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... Tranmere Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at Prenton Park, Prenton, Birkenhead, Merseyside. ...

He retired in 1998 and became a coach at Chester City. Everton fans later named him as the right back in the club's all-time greatest XI in a poll on the club's website. The XI also featured six others from the mid-1980s era. 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... Chester City Football Club is an English football club from Chester, currently playing in Football League Two. ... A website (or Web site) is a collection of web pages, typically common to a particular domain name or subdomain on the World Wide Web on the Internet. ...

Footnotes

1. England supporters chanted "Two Gary Stevens! There's only two Gary Stevens!"