Wikipedia

Ben Stephens (footballer)

Ben Stephens (born 9 August 1997) is an English footballer who plays for Southern League Premier Division Central club Harborough Town, as a forward.

Ben Stephens
Personal information
Full name Ben Stephens[1]
Date of birth (1997-08-09) 9 August 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Leicester, England[2]
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Harborough Town
Youth career
Leicester City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2016 Oadby Town
2016–2017 Kettering Town 29 (3)
2017–2018 Stratford Town 62 (22)
2018–2020 Macclesfield Town 45 (4)
2020 Macclesfield Town 0 (0)
2020–2021 Kettering Town 8 (1)
2021 Stratford Town 0 (0)
2021–2022 Barwell 33 (24)
2022–2024 King's Lynn Town 74 (15)
2024– Harborough Town 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:00, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

Career

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Early career

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Stephens played youth football for Leicester City,[3] and in non-league football with Oadby Town and Kettering Town.[4]

Stratford Town

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Stephens signed for Kettering's Southern League Premier Division rivals Stratford Town in November 2016, and made his debut for the club on 22 November 2016, in a league match at home to Slough Town, appearing as a substitute in a 2–1 defeat.[5]

He scored his first goal for Stratford Town on 3 December 2016, in a league match away at Banbury United, with the club losing 2–1.[6]

During his time at the club, Stephens trialled with a number of league clubs, including Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Birmingham City.[3][7]

Macclesfield Town

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In May 2018 he spent time with the V9 Academy,[7] before turning professional in June 2018 after signing for Macclesfield Town.[8]

Ben made his EFL League Two debut for Macclesfield Town on 12 October 2018, in an away fixture against Tranmere Rovers, coming on as 86th minute substitute for Tyrone Marsh. Tranmere won the game 1–0.[9] Stephens scored his first goal in the EFL League Two on 3 November 2018, in a 4–1 defeat at home to Bury.[10]

Stephens was released by Macclesfield at the end of the 2019–20 season.[11] He re-signed for the club on 15 September 2020.[12] A day later he was released by the club following their winding up at the High Court.[13][14]

Kettering Town

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He returned to Kettering Town in October 2020.[15][16]

Stratford Town

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Stephens made his return to Stratford Town on 23 July 2021.[17]

Barwell

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Stephens signed for Southern League Premier Central rivals Barwell in August 2021.[18] He made his debut for Barwell on 14 August 2021, in an away fixture against Lowestoft Town, scoring 2 goals in a 3–0 victory.[19]

Stephens finished the season making 33 appearances in the Southern League Premier Central, and scoring 24 goals, which actually made the player the top goalscorer in the league for the 2021–22 season.[20]

King's Lynn Town

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Following Stephens' impressive 2021–22 season, he made the step up to join National League North club King's Lynn Town in July 2022 following a successful trial.[21]

Harborough Town

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On 9 July 2024, Stephens signed for newly promoted Southern League Premier Central side Harborough Town.[22]

Career statistics

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As of match played 23 April 2022
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Kettering Town 2015–16[23] Southern League Premier Division 20 3 0 0 — 2[a] 0 22 3
2016–17[23] 9 0 0 0 — 2[b][c] 0 11 0
Total 29 3 0 0 0 0 4 0 33 3
Stratford Town 2016–17[24] Southern League Premier Division 23 2 0 0 — 2[d][e] 0 25 2
2017–18[25] 39 20 3 1 — 4[f][g][h] 1[i] 46 22
Total 62 22 3 1 0 0 6 1 71 24
Macclesfield Town 2018–19[26] EFL League Two 22 1 1 1 0 0 2[j] 1 25 3
2019–20[27] 23 3 0 0 1 0 3[k] 0 27 3
Total 45 4 1 0 1 0 5 1 52 6
Macclesfield Town 2020–21 National League 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
Kettering Town 2020–21 National League North 8 1 0 0 — 3[l] 0 11 1
Stratford Town 2021–22[23] Southern League Premier Division Central 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
Barwell 33 24 1 0 — 0 0 34 24
Career total 177 54 5 2 1 0 18 2 201 58
  1. ^ Two appearances in Northamptonshire Senior Cup
  2. ^ One appearance in Northamptonshire Senior Cup
  3. ^ One appearance in FA Trophy
  4. ^ One appearance in Birmingham Senior Cup
  5. ^ One appearance in Southern League Cup
  6. ^ One appearance in Birmingham Senior Cup
  7. ^ One appearance in Southern League Cup
  8. ^ Two appearances in FA Trophy
  9. ^ One goal in Southern League Cup
  10. ^ Appearances in the EFL Trophy.
  11. ^ Appearances in the EFL Trophy.
  12. ^ Appearances in the FA Trophy.

References

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  1. ^ "Club list of registered players as at 18th May 2019" (PDF). English Football League. 18 May 2019. p. 82. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Soccerway". Soccerway. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b Stuart Watson (25 January 2018). "Town set to take prolific pony-tailed non-league striker with 'special feet' on trial". East Anglia Daily Times. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  4. ^ "Profile". Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  5. ^ "Stratford Town 1–2 Slough Town". Pitchero.com. 22 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  6. ^ "Banbury United 2–1 Stratford Town". Pitchero.com. 3 December 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  7. ^ a b Martin King (7 May 2018). "Town striker Ben Stephens selected for Jamie Vardy's V9 Academy". Stratford-upon-Avon Herald. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  8. ^ "Macclesfield sign Cheltenham's Grimes & Stratford's Stephens". BBC Sport. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  9. ^ "Tranmere Rovers 1-0 Macclesfield Town". BBC Sport. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  10. ^ "Macclesfield Town 1-4 Bury". BBC Sport. 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  11. ^ "Silkmen Announce Retained And Released Lists". www.mtfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 June 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  12. ^ "Ben Stephens Returns To The Moss Rose". www.mtfc.co.uk.
  13. ^ "Macclesfield Town wound up in High Court over debts exceeding £500,000". Sky Sports.
  14. ^ Powell, Dave (29 September 2020). "Macclesfield Town expelled from National League after club wound up". CheshireLive.
  15. ^ "Kettering Town swoop for new signings as season gets the green light" – via www.northantstelegraph.co.uk.
  16. ^ "ANOTHER NEW SIGNING – BREAKING NEWS | Kettering Town Football Club". www.ketteringtownfc.com.
  17. ^ "BEN IS BACK AS A BARD!". StratfordTownFC.co.uk. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  18. ^ "Hadland Works Late to Bring In New Signings". Southern-Football-League.co.uk. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Lowestoft Town 0–3 Barwell". Pitchero.com. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  20. ^ "Top Scorers: Southern League Premier Central – 2021/2022". Southern-Football-League.co.uk. 23 April 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  21. ^ "STEPHENS SIGNS AFTER SUCCESSFUL TRIAL". www.kltown.co.uk. 15 July 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  22. ^ "Ben Stephens leaves King's Lynn Town for Harborough". www.edp24.co.uk. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  23. ^ a b c "Player profiles: Ben Stephens". Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  24. ^ "Ben Stephens". Pitchero.com. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  25. ^ "Ben Stephens". Pitchero.com. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  26. ^ "Games played by Ben Stephens in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  27. ^ "Games played by Ben Stephens in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
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