Steve Phillips

From Gasopedia - Bristol Rovers Wiki

1 Steve Phillips
Nationality:
Rovers apps (gls)1:
Date of birth:	6 May 1978
Place of birth:	Bath
Height:	6 ft 1 in
Position:	Goalkeeper
Date joined:	20 July 2006
Joined from:	Bristol City
1 League appearances and goals only.

After spending ten years at Bristol City, Phillips moved across the city on a free transfer in the summer of 2006. Since then he has firmly established himself as the first-choice keeper at the Mem, keeping Scott Shearer out of the team until Shearer left the club during the 2006-07 season.

After Shearer's departure Steve became the only senior goalie at the club, with Mike Green yet to make an appearance in the first team and coach Steve Book registered as a player for emergencies only.

Steve won the Rovers player of the year award in his first season with the club, as well as the League Two player of the month award for November 2006 and the Puma Golden Gloves award for the 2006-07 season, for keeping more clean sheets than any other keeper in the division.

Contents 1 Career 1.1 Record against Rovers 1.2 Testimonial 2 Charity work

[edit] Career

Steve began his career with Paulton Rovers, before being signed up to play in the Football League by Bristol City. He remained with City for ten years, earning a testimonial match between Bristol City legends and Bristol Rovers legends. He moved to Rovers on a free transfer in the summer of 2006 and immediately cemented himself into the first team, where he was an ever present in his first two seasons with the club.

At the start of the 2009-10 campaign however he found himself out of favour at the club and was dropped from the first team, being replaced between the sticks by on-loan Newcastle United 'keeper Fraser Forster. He traveled to Turkey during this period in an effort to earn a contract with Superleague side Ankaraspor, but was unsuccessful in this endeavor and he returned to the Rovers bench a few days later. Following Forster's departure from the club, another loanee was brought in, Mikkel Andersen, who was also favoured over Phillips. Since it now appeared Steve had no future with Rovers he was sent out on loan, firstly to Shrewsbury Town for two months, and then to Crewe Alexandra.

Season	Club	League
		Apps	Goals
1996-97	Bristol City	0	0
1997-98	Bristol City	0	0
1997-98	→Paulton Rovers (loan)	?	?
1997-98	→Worcester City (loan)	?	?
1998-99	Bristol City	15	0
1999-00	Bristol City	21	0
2000-01	Bristol City	42	0
2001-02	Bristol City	22	0
2002-03	Bristol City	46	0
2003-04	Bristol City	46	0
2004-05	Bristol City	46	0
2005-06	Bristol City	19	0
2006-07	Bristol Rovers	44	0
2007-08	Bristol Rovers	46	0
2008-09	Bristol Rovers	46	0
2009-10	→Shrewsbury Town (loan)	11	0

[edit] Record against Rovers

Date	Club	Venue	Result	Notes
17 October 1999	Bristol City	Ashton Gate	0–0
22 December 2000	Bristol City	Ashton Gate	3–2 to City
3 April 2001	Bristol City	Memorial Stadium	1–1
9 January 2002	Bristol City	Ashton Gate	3–0 to City

[edit] Testimonial

Bristol City granted Steve a testimonial match, which was played on Tuesday 25 April 2006 at the Hand Stadium in Clevedon. The game saw Rovers legends beat City legends 2-1, thanks to a David Mehew goal and an OG by former Rovers caretaker-manager Russell Osman, who was playing for City. The Robins' goal was scored by Jacki Dziekanowski. This game was the last Steve played for Bristol City, and he ended up joining Rovers just a couple of months after the game.

[edit] Charity work

Steve regularly helps to raise funds for charitable causes, including SANDS, the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society, and Jamie Cooper, a Gashead soldier who was injured on duty in Iraq. Steve has run the Bristol Half Marathon, as well as auctioning off his own memorabilia and hosting a quiz night.

During the 2008-09 season, Steve is raising money for St Peter's Hospice.