Jamie Stevenson (Scottish footballer)

James Stevenson (born 13 July 1984, Glasgow) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Kelty Hearts.

Jamie Stevenson
Personal information
Full name James Stevenson
Date of birth (1984-07-13) 13 July 1984
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Kelty Hearts
Youth career
 –2001 Aberdeen
2001–2002 Alloa Athletic
2002 Mallorca (trial)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2003 Alloa Athletic 2 (0)
2003–2004 Mallorca B 8 (0)
2004–2006 Alloa Athletic 79 (13)
2006–2009 Greenock Morton 58 (10)
2008 → Alloa Athletic (loan) 16 (2)
2009 → East Stirlingshire (loan) 15 (4)
2009–2010 East Stirlingshire 49 (15)
2010–2012 Airdrie United 58 (7)
2012–2014 Cowdenbeath 53 (10)
2014–2020 Peterhead 173 (19)
2020– Kelty Hearts
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:45, 5 September 2020 (UTC)

After spending a year in Spain with the reserve team of Real Mallorca as a teenager, he spent all of his career in the lower divisions of Scottish football, playing for various clubs including Alloa Athletic (three spells), Greenock Morton, East Stirlingshire, Airdrie United, Cowdenbeath and Peterhead.

Career

Early years and Mallorca

Stevenson began his career with Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen. He was released because they believed he was too small to make the grade in professional football. From there he dropped down the leagues and joined Alloa Athletic while training to become a mechanic.

It was after just two first team appearances with the club that Stevenson's life was turned upside down. In what has been described as a 'Roy of the Rovers' moment he was spotted playing a game of football with his uncle on the Spanish island of Majorca.[1] A scout from Spanish La Liga side Real Mallorca approached Stevenson and offered him a trial.[1] Stevenson made such an impression in this trial that he was offered a 3-year contract.

Stevenson only lasted just over a year at the Son Moix stadium; in his time in Spain he did not make a first team appearance but was a regular in the B side, for whom he scored a goal on his debut.[2] Real Mallorca were keen to hold on to Stevenson and part of his release stated that he could only return to his former club Alloa, which he did in February 2004.[2]

Return to Scotland

In season 2005–06 he was a star man for Alloa Athletic almost single-handedly keeping them in the Second Division via the end of season 2nd Division/3rd Division playoffs. His form alerted several larger clubs but to many people's surprise he chose to sign a pre-contract agreement with Greenock Morton, a club who were in the same division as Alloa. Morton agreed to pay Alloa a nominal sum believed to be in the region of £16,000.[3]

In July 2008, he moved to Alloa Athletic for a third spell after joining the second division club on loan from Morton.[4] On Hogmanay 2008 his loan spell expired, so he returned to Morton with only six-months to earn himself a new contract at the club.

In the January 2009 transfer window, Stevenson rejoined Jim McInally at his new club East Stirlingshire on loan until the end of the season. It was announced that Stevenson would be released after the end of the 2008–09 season, this was confirmed by Davie Irons on the 8 May in the Greenock Telegraph.[5]

On 9 July 2009, Stevenson signed permanently for the Shire.[6] He was released at the end of the 2009–10 season but re-signed on a one-month short term contract at the start of the following season. There was talk of Stevenson joining up with ex-Morton defender Ryan Harding again on the Mediterranean island of Malta to play for league champions Birkirkara[7] – this however did not materialise.

On 16 September 2010, he signed on a contract with Airdrie United until the end of the season.[8] Following the expiry of his contract at Airdrie United he went on trial at SPL club Inverness Caledonian Thistle however he remained unsigned and returned to Airdrie in August 2011.

In June 2012, Stevenson signed for Cowdenbeath to play in the First Division.[9] After two seasons with Cowdenbeath, he signed for Peterhead.[10]

Kelty Hearts announced the signing of Stevenson on 5 September 2020.[11]

Honours
Greenock Morton
2006–07

References
  1. Alloa youth given Real chance, BBC Sport, 27 November 2002.
  2. "Alloa to Spain and back again". The Scotsman. 14 February 2004. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  3. "Morton snap-up Alloa's Stevenson". BBC Sport. 23 April 2006. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
  4. "Stevenson returns to Alloa again". BBC Sport. 20 July 2008.
  5. "Irons: We don't want to finish with a whimper". Greenock Telegraph. 8 May 2009. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
  6. "JAMIE STEVENSON SIGNS". eaststirlingfc.co.uk. 9 July 2009. Archived from the original on 11 July 2009. Retrieved 9 July 2009.
  7. "Jamie Stevenson prepares to swap East Stirlingshire for Malta". Falkirk Herald. 2 September 2010. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. "Blue Brazil Online | Cowden | The Beath". Cowdenbeath FC. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  10. Peterhead sign Stevenson, spfl.co.uk; accessed 8 June 2017.
  11. "We would like to welcome versatile midfielder Jamie Stevenson who joins the club from League 1 side Peterhead". Twitter. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
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