Steve Bould

The defender who scored Arsenal's first Premier League goal and anchored their historic 1997–98 Double.

Stephen Andrew Bould is an English football coach and former professional defender born on 16 November 1962. He began his career at hometown club Stoke City in 1978, turning professional in November 1980 before moving to Arsenal in June 1988 for £390,000. At Highbury, he formed a formidable back line with Tony Adams, Nigel Winterburn, and Lee Dixon, winning the First Division title twice (1988–89, 1990–91) and the Premier League in 1997–98. After leaving Arsenal in 1999, he finished his playing career at Sunderland before transitioning into coaching roles within the Arsenal Academy.

Quick Facts

Full name: Stephen Andrew Bould
Born: 16 November 1962
Birthplace: Stoke-on-Trent, England
Position: Centre back
Current club: Queens Park Rangers (first team coach)
Total caps: 500
Total goals: 11

Lore & Background

He arrived in 1988 and immediately integrated into the famous back four, winning two First Division titles. A pivotal moment occurred on 15 August 1992 when he scored Arsenal's first-ever Premier League goal against Norwich City, though the Gunners lost the match 4–2. His career faced a significant low in 1992–93 when injury ruled him out of the FA Cup and League Cup finals; Andy Linighan took his place and scored the winner in the FA Cup final replay. However, Bould experienced a revival under Arsène Wenger, becoming crucial to the 1997–98 Double-winning squad. He famously set up Tony Adams with a chipped throughball for the decisive goal in the 4–0 victory over Everton that secured the league title.

Reader's Guide

He started as a right back at Stoke City in September 1981 but was switched to centre back by Mick Mills, a move that proved shrewd as he excelled in the new role. At Arsenal, he balanced aggressive man-marking with intelligent reading of the game, often serving as the second choice behind Martin Keown under Wenger yet remaining vital for major trophies. His international career was surprisingly brief; despite forming part of one of the most secure defences of the era, he only earned two caps for England at age 31 in friendlies against Greece and Norway during the 1993–94 season. After retiring due to arthritis in September 2000 following a stint at Sunderland where he captained the side, he returned to Arsenal as a youth coach, leading the U18s to three Premier Academy League titles.

Did You Know?

Bould was appointed club captain at Sunderland after the departure of Kevin Ball in December 1999.
His transfer to Arsenal from Stoke City was settled by a tribunal for £390,000, which was considered small compared to Stoke's demands.