Steve Moran

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Steve Moran
Personal information
Full name Stephen James Moran
Date of birth (1961-01-10) 10 January 1961 (age 61)
Place of birth Croydon, England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1975–1979 Southampton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1979–1986 Southampton 180 (78)
1986 Leicester City 43 (14)
1986–1991 Reading 116 (30)
1991–1993 Exeter City 57 (27)
1993–1995 Hull City 17 (5)
Total 413 (154)
National team
1981–1984 England U21 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Stephen James Moran (born on 10 January 1961) is a former footballer who played as a striker for Southampton during the 1980s. Moran was one of the finest strikers that Southampton has possessed. He had a knack of scoring some crucial goals for the club and had a fine understanding with midfielders Steve Williams and David Armstrong.

Moran attended Prices School in Fareham and appeared regularly for his school team, where he was spotted by scouts. He signed for Southampton in August 1979[1] and made his debut as a substitute in a 4–1 home win against Manchester City in January 1980, scoring with his very first touch of the ball.[2]

In the 1980–81 season, Moran scored 18 goals in 30 starts in the league,[3] and in 1982 he was voted PFA Young Player of the Year.

Among the 99 goals[3] that Moran scored for the Saints were a hat-trick in an 8–2 victory over Coventry City at The Dell in April 1984, during the club's most successful ever league season, when they finished as runners-up to Liverpool.[4] In the same year, Moran scored an injury-time winner in the 4th Round of the FA Cup, away to arch rivals Portsmouth. David Armstrong crossed from the right and Moran arrived at the back post to volley left-footed past the Pompey 'keeper Alan Knight.

Moran made 228 senior appearances for Southampton,[3] including playing for them in the UEFA Cup. He was also capped twice for the England under-21 team. But he suffered from a recurring back injury and despite the promise of his early career, never represented England at senior level.

In 1986–87 he joined Leicester City for a transfer fee of £300,000,[1] although at the end of the season they were relegated to Football League Division Two. During the following season he moved to Reading and he went on to make 144 senior appearances for them. For the 1991–92 season he moved on to Exeter City and after 74 senior appearances he transferred to Hull City for 1993–94.[3]

Post-football career[]

Since retiring from football, Moran has worked for an internet company and as a lorry driver, currently working for David Watson Transport Ltd, based in Yorkshire.[5]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "LSSC Legends – Steve Moran". Retrieved 2 March 2009.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Football Heroes: Steve Moran".
  3. ^ a b c d "On Cloud Seven: Hull City Supporters' Fanzine Website". Archived from the original on 15 July 2011.
  4. ^ 1983–84 in English football
  5. ^ Struthers, Greg (19 February 2006). "Caught in Time: Southampton finish runners-up in the First Division, 1984". The Times. London. Retrieved 19 February 2006.
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