Steve Lovell (Welsh footballer)

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For the English footballer of the same name who has played for clubs including Dundee and Aberdeen, see Steve Lovell

Steve Lovell
Personal information
Full name Stephen John Lovell
Date of birth (1960-07-16) 16 July 1960 (age 63)
Place of birth Swansea, Wales
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Herne Bay (manager)
Youth career
1977–1980 Crystal Palace
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1980–1983 Crystal Palace[2] 74 (3)
1979 → Memphis Rogues (loan) 18 (0)
1979 → Stockport County (loan)[4] 12 (0)
1983–1987 Millwall[5] 146 (43)
1987 → Swansea City (loan)[6] 2 (1)
1987–1992 Gillingham[7] 233 (94)
1992 → AFC Bournemouth (loan)[8] 3 (0)
1992–1993 Sittingbourne
1993–1994 Braintree Town
1994 Barnet[9] 1 (0)
1994 St Albans City
1994–1995 Hastings Town
1995–1996 Sittingbourne
1996–1997 Gravesend & Northfleet
1997 Weymouth
1997–1999 Tonbridge Angels
1999–2000 Deal Town
2000–2001 Ashford Town (Kent) 16 (3)
2001 Sittingbourne
International career
1981–1986 Wales[3] 6 (1)
Managerial career
1995–1996 Sittingbourne
1996–1997 Gravesend & Northfleet
2003–2004 Hastings United[10]
2005–2007[11] Sittingbourne
2007–2010 Ashford Town (Kent)
2014–2015 Gillingham (co-caretaker)[12]
2016–2017 Bromley (assistant manager)
2017–2019 Gillingham
2021 Welling United
2022 Gillingham (caretaker)
2022–2023 Ramsgate
2023– Herne Bay
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Stephen Lovell (born 16 July 1960) is a Welsh former professional footballer and manager. He is currently manager of Herne Bay.

He played professionally for Crystal Palace, Stockport County, Millwall, Swansea City, Gillingham and AFC Bournemouth and made over 450 Football League appearances. He was capped six times by Wales.

Playing career[edit]

Born in Swansea, Wales, Lovell began his career as an apprentice with Crystal Palace in 1977, winning the FA Youth Cup with the South London side in 1977 and 1978,[13] before making his league debut in a 2–0 defeat away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on 30 August 1980.[14] Playing at the time as a right-back or a midfielder,[15][16] he managed 74 Football League appearances in six years at Selhurst Park, during which he also had spells on loan at Stockport County and with Memphis Rogues of the North American Soccer League.[17][18] In 1983, he moved to Millwall, making his debut in a 5–1 defeat loss away to Huddersfield Town on 12 February 1983.[19] Millwall manager George Graham played Lovell as a striker during an injury crisis and he went on to score 13 goals in 11 matches and remained a striker for the remainder of his career.[20]

In 1986 Lovell was injured whilst playing for Wales and was unable to regain a place in the Millwall team and, after a short loan spell with his hometown club Swansea City, was sold to Gillingham for £20,000.[20] During his time with the Kent club he played over 200 matches and scored nearly 100 goals, finishing as the club's leading scorer in four consecutive seasons[21] and equalling a club record by scoring in seven consecutive matches in 1990.[20] Lovell featured in the club's 1987 Third Division play-off run in which the Gills defeated then Second Division side Sunderland over two legs before losing to Swindon Town over two legs and a replay in the final.[22] This was the first season in which play-offs were used to determine promotion & relegation in English league football. He scored four goals in Gillingham's 8–1 defeat of Southend United in 1987 but failed to find the net at all when the team won 10–0 against Chesterfield the following Saturday.

After a brief loan spell with AFC Bournemouth in 1992, Lovell dropped into non-league football, where he played for nine different clubs in nine years, including three separate spells with Sittingbourne.[23] In 2000, he played for Deal Town when they defeated Chippenham Town 1–0 in the last FA Vase final at the original Wembley stadium.[24]

International career[edit]

Lovell was first called up to the Wales national side ahead of a World Cup qualifier against the Soviet Union in November 1981, making his debut as a 86th minute substitute for Joey Jones in a 3–0 loss.[25] Then Wales manager Mike England commented in February 1981 that he had attempted to call Lovell up previously but that it had been refused by Crystal Palace.[26] Lovell scored his only goal for his country in a 4–2 away loss in a friendly to Norway in June 1985.[27] His last appearance for Wales ended early through injury, with Lovell substituted just 8 minutes into a 3–0 friendly win in Vancouver against Canada in May 1986.[28]

Managerial career[edit]

Lovell's first managerial job came at Sittingbourne, where he was player-manager from February 1995 until September 1996, during which he led the team to the Southern League Southern Division championship.[29] He then moved on to Gravesend & Northfleet where he was manager for a year.[20]

After a spell as Football in the Community Officer for Gillingham (which overlapped the end of his playing career) Lovell returned to management with Hastings United in 2003 but left the club in 2004 after a drop in form.[10] In 2005, he returned for a second spell managing Sittingbourne,[11] a post he held until October 2007,[30] when he left to take over at Ashford Town,[31] where he remained until the club's demise in August 2010.[32]

In December 2014 he was appointed co-caretaker manager of Gillingham alongside Andy Hessenthaler, Darren Hare and Mark Patterson following the sacking of Peter Taylor. The "Gang of Four", as they came to be known, remained in charge of the club until Justin Edinburgh was appointed as manager in February 2015. Lovell remained at the club in the role of first team coach.[33] In May 2016 it was announced that he had left the club.[34]

In June 2016, he was appointed as assistant manager of National League side Bromley, where he would work alongside former Gillingham teammate Neil Smith.[35]

Lovell returned to Gillingham as a coach in January 2017 under Adrian Pennock.[36] When Pennock was sacked in September 2017, Lovell continued as coach under the temporary managership of Peter Taylor, and became caretaker manager on 12 October when Taylor left the club.[37] After four wins in his seven matches as caretaker, Lovell was confirmed in the position with a contract until the end of that season.[38] Lovell was named the League One Manager of the Month award for January 2018, having led Gillingham to four league wins in four games in that period.[39] His contract was further extended, to the end of the 2019–20 season, in April 2018.[40]

In January 2019 Lovell led Gillingham to victory over Premier League side Cardiff City in the 3rd round of the FA Cup, earning a 4th round draw against his home town club Swansea City, who eventually knocked the Gills out of the tournament.[41]

With two matches remaining in the season, and the team effectively safe from relegation in 13th place, Lovell was sacked from the role in April 2019, with a year of his contract remaining.[42]

Lovell was appointed as Director of Football at National League side Ebbsfleet United in January 2020, but left the role after just 9 months.[43][44]

On 13 January 2021, Lovell was appointed as manager of National League South side Welling United.[45] Following the early curtailment of the season shortly after his appointment, Lovell continued with the club into the following season however on 20 September 2021, Lovell was announced to have resigned from his position.[46]

In January 2022, he became caretaker manager again at Gillingham after the dismissal of Steve Evans.[47] On 31 January 2022, following the appointment of Neil Harris, Lovell again departed the club.[48] In April 2022 he was appointed as manager of Isthmian League South East Division Ramsgate.[49] Lovell departed the club on 30 January 2023 with Ramsgate sitting in second place in the division.[50]

In May 2023, he was appointed manager of recently relegated Isthmian League South East Division club Herne Bay on a two-year deal.[51]

Personal life[edit]

Lovell's father Alan was also a footballer, although he only managed a single professional appearance for Stockport County.[4][20] Lovell's son Mark also became a footballer, turning professional with his father's old club Gillingham in 2001. He also made only one professional appearance before dropping into non-league football.[7]

Managerial statistics[edit]

As of 18 October 2022
Team From To Record
G W D L Win %
Ashford Town (Kent) 1 November 2007 31 May 2010 126 42 33 51 033.33
Gillingham (joint caretaker*) 31 December 2014 7 February 2015 8 3 2 3 037.50
Gillingham 12 October 2017 26 April 2019 92 32 26 34 034.78
Welling United 13 January 2021 21 September 2021 9 2 2 5 022.22
Ramsgate 4 April 2022 Present 13 8 2 3 061.54
Total 248 87 65 96 035.08

Lovell's first spell in management at Gillingham was as part of a team of four joint caretaker managers, along with Andy Hessenthaler, Darren Hare, and Mark Patterson.

Honours[edit]

As a player[edit]

Crystal Palace

Deal Town

Individual

  • Gillingham Player of the Season: 1987–88[52]

As a manager[edit]

Sittingbourne

As an individual[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 174. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  2. ^ Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database
  3. ^ Bateson, Bill; Albert Sewell (1992). News of the World Football Annual 1992/93. Harper Collins. p. 209. ISBN 0-85543-188-1.
  4. ^ a b Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database
  5. ^ Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database
  6. ^ Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database
  7. ^ a b Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database
  8. ^ Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database
  9. ^ Tony Thornton, The Club That Wouldn't die, Tiger 1994
  10. ^ a b "Home - Hastings United Football Club". www.hastingsunited.com.
  11. ^ a b Official Sittingbourne F.C. website Archived 8 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ Cawdell, Luke (5 January 2015). "Gillingham are being led by a team of coaches, consisting of Steve Lovell, Andy Hessenthaler, Darren Hare and Mark Patterson". Kent Online. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  13. ^ a b Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel (1990). Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. Breedon Books. p. 72. ISBN 0907969542.
  14. ^ Williamson, Trevor (1 September 1980). "Palace fall to Gray". The Daily Telegraph. p. 25. Retrieved 3 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Hart, Michael (28 August 1980). "Elwiss can go, say Palace". Evening Standard. p. 35. Retrieved 3 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Mays, Ken (29 October 1980). "Allen and Hilaire dropped". The Daily Telegraph. p. 30. Retrieved 3 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Haney, Greg (30 November 1978). "Rogues Reach Agreement For Lovell". The Commercial Appeal. p. 54. Retrieved 3 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Nightmare for young Geoff". Evening Sentinel. 1 December 1979. p. 8. Retrieved 3 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Peter's horrors". The Sunday People. 13 February 1983. p. 38. Retrieved 3 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ a b c d e Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. p. 204. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.
  21. ^ Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. p. 348. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.
  22. ^ Foster, Richard (2017). The Agony & The Ecstasy: A Comprehensive History of the Football League Play-Offs. Ockley Books.
  23. ^ "Steve J. LOVELL - League appearances. - Crystal Palace FC". Sporting Heroes. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  24. ^ a b Green, Mike (9 May 2020). "Lovell proud of Deal Town win". Kent Sports News. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  25. ^ Burgess, Charles (19 November 1981). "Wales wait and hope". The Guardian. p. 22. Retrieved 3 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Palace man's debut". Cambridge Evening News. 24 February 1981. p. 2. Retrieved 3 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Soccer in brief". The Guardian. 6 June 1985. p. 28. Retrieved 3 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "Wales whips sluggish Canadians". Times Colonist. 20 May 1986. p. 12. Retrieved 3 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ a b Sittingbourne at the Football Club History Database
  30. ^ Sittingbourne F.C. website
  31. ^ Kent Messenger online: Shock as Lovell takes over as Ashford boss
  32. ^ "Ashford Town website".
  33. ^ "Edinburgh appointed Gillingham manager". Kent Sports News. 7 February 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  34. ^ "Gillingham have parted company with coach Steve Lovell". Kent Online. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  35. ^ "Steve Lovell: Former Gillingham coach appointed as Bromley assistant manager". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  36. ^ "Ady Pennock: Gillingham appoint new head coach to replace Justin Edinburgh". BBC Sport. 4 January 2017.
  37. ^ "Gillingham caretaker boss and director of football Peter Taylor has left the club". Kent Online. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  38. ^ "Gillingham appoint Steve Lovell as manager". Kent Online. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  39. ^ a b "Lovell lands monthly award". Kent Online. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  40. ^ "Steve Lovell: Gillingham manager signs new contract until 2020". BBC Sport. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  41. ^ "FA Cup: Swansea City 4 Gillingham 1 - match report". Kent Online. 26 January 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  42. ^ "Steve Lovell: Gillingham sack manager after 18 months in charge". BBC Sport. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  43. ^ "Lovell joins the Fleet as director of football". Ebbsfleet United Football Club | Official Website of the Fleet. 1 January 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  44. ^ "Club Update: September". Ebbsfleet United Football Club | Official Website of the Fleet. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  45. ^ "Lovell takes Wings manager post". Welling United FC. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  46. ^ "CLUB STATEMENT: Steve Lovell & Tristan Lewis". www.wellingunited.com. 20 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  47. ^ "club-update---10.01.22". Gillingham FC. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  48. ^ "Gills appoint Neil Harris as first-team manager". www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. 31 January 2022.
  49. ^ Bruce, Andrew (4 April 2022). "Lovell appointed Ramsgate manager". Kent Sports News. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  50. ^ @RamsgateFC (30 January 2023). "The club can confirm that we have parted company with manager Steve Lovell. We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Steve and his assistant Mark for their hard work during their time with us" (Tweet). Retrieved 30 January 2023 – via Twitter.
  51. ^ @HerneBayFC (13 May 2023). "Herne Bay FC are delighted to announce the appointment of Steve Lovell as the new first-team manager. Steve has signed a 2-year contract and will be assisted by Mark Lovell. Welcome to The Bay! 💙 There will be more from Steve and our Chairman in the coming days! #WeAreTheBay" (Tweet). Retrieved 17 May 2023 – via Twitter.
  52. ^ "CHOOSE YOUR GREATEST STRIKER". www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
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