Mel Sterland
Encyclopedia
Melvyn "Mel" Sterland is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League
for Sheffield Wednesday
and Leeds United
and in the Scottish Football League Premier Division
for Rangers
, and was capped
once for England
.
and 4 equally successful years with Leeds United split by 4 months at Rangers
.
In 1988 Sterland won his only England
cap
in a friendly against Saudi Arabia
. Earlier in his career he had helped England win the 1984 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
, in which he scored a goal in the final against Spain. At the time of his England cap in 1988, he was the first Sheffield Wednesday player to be capped by England since the 1960s
.
An energetic, dynamic right back, Mel's powerful shooting earned him the nickname 'Zico' - after the Brazilian star - and his attacking prowess saw him strike 49 goals for Sheffield Wednesday, many from set-pieces. His surges down the right flank and deliveries into the box often created goals for his teammates and he was also known for his lengthy throw-ins. He signed for Sheffield Wednesday on leaving school in the summer of 1978 and played in the final two games of their 1978-79
Third Division
campaign, scoring on his second appearance.
The Owls were promoted to the Second Division a year later, but Sterland was still very much a fringe player, making just two league appearances. However, he emerged as a regular player in 1980-81
, when still only 19 years old, playing 22 league games and scoring once in the Second Division.
In 1981-82
, when the Owls emerged as promotion challengers but were eventually beaten out of the top three, Sterland was selected in the league on 27 occasions. He remained a regular player as the Owls continued to progress, reaching the FA Cup
semi-finals in 1983 and winning promotion to the First Division a year later after a 14-year exile. In 1985-86
he enjoyed arguably the finest season of his time at Sheffield Wednesday, if not his whole career, when he played 38 league games and scored eight goals for a side who finished fifth in the First Division but were denied UEFA Cup
action due to the ban on English clubs in European competitions following the Heysel disaster of May 1985.
By the time he was sold to Glasgow Rangers
for £800,000 in March 1989 Sterland had played 347 games for Sheffield Wednesday and scored 49 goals. His three goals in nine games helped a Rangers side managed by Graeme Souness
win their second Scottish league title in three seasons, and their 39th overall. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=43815
However, on 1 July 1989 Sterland returned to England when he linked up with his former Wednesday manager Howard Wilkinson
at Leeds United
as he built a side geared for promotion. Sterland became an immediate favourite with the Elland Road
fans as his five goals in 42 league games that season sealed Leeds the Second Division title and promotion back to the First Division after eight years away. He helped Leeds make an immediate impact on their return to the top flight as they finished fourth - though this was slightly soured by the fact that although the ban on English clubs in Europe had now been lifted, Leeds were unable to compete in the UEFA Cup
as English clubs were only being gradually phased back into the competition with just runners-up Liverpool
being admitted for the 1991-92 competition
.
Sterland was a key player in Leeds United's title triumph of the 1991-92 season
- the last of the Football League First Division
before the creation of the FA Premier League
as the top division of English football - as he scored six goals in 31 league games. Sterland played three games in the new Premier League before suffering an ankle injury in the autumn of 1992.
After failing to make an adequate recovery from the injury, he announced his retirement from playing in January 1994.
and after a spell playing for Denaby United
was appointed manager of Staylbridge Celtic
in December 1997. He also starred in the popular football film When Saturday Comes
, ironically playing the captain of Sheffield United
.
His autobiography Boozing, Betting & Brawling (Green Umbrella Publishing), was co-written with Sheffield-based journalist Nick Johnson and was published in August 2008. Howard Wilkinson
wrote the foreword.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
and Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
and in the Scottish Football League Premier Division
Scottish Football League Premier Division
The Scottish Football League Premier Division was, from 1975 until 1998, the top division of the Scottish Football League and the entire Scottish football league system...
for Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
, and was capped
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
once for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Playing career
Sterland's career is distinctly in two parts: 10 successful years with Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
and 4 equally successful years with Leeds United split by 4 months at Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
.
In 1988 Sterland won his only England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
in a friendly against Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia national football team
Saudi Arabia national football team is the national team of Saudi Arabia and is controlled by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation...
. Earlier in his career he had helped England win the 1984 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
1984 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 1984, which spanned two years , had 30 entrants. Albania, Iceland and Wales competed in the competition for the first time. England U-21s won the competition for the second time running....
, in which he scored a goal in the final against Spain. At the time of his England cap in 1988, he was the first Sheffield Wednesday player to be capped by England since the 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
.
An energetic, dynamic right back, Mel's powerful shooting earned him the nickname 'Zico' - after the Brazilian star - and his attacking prowess saw him strike 49 goals for Sheffield Wednesday, many from set-pieces. His surges down the right flank and deliveries into the box often created goals for his teammates and he was also known for his lengthy throw-ins. He signed for Sheffield Wednesday on leaving school in the summer of 1978 and played in the final two games of their 1978-79
1978-79 in English football
-FA Cup:Manchester United had seemingly pulled off a remarkable comeback against Arsenal in the 1979 FA Cup Final to make the score 2–2 after being two goals down, but a last-minute goal from Alan Sunderland saw Arsenal lift the trophy with a 3–2 scoreline...
Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
campaign, scoring on his second appearance.
The Owls were promoted to the Second Division a year later, but Sterland was still very much a fringe player, making just two league appearances. However, he emerged as a regular player in 1980-81
1980-81 in English football
The 1980–81 season was the 101st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The Football League introduced a three points for a win system in place of the two points for a win system which had operated since the league's formation in 1889...
, when still only 19 years old, playing 22 league games and scoring once in the Second Division.
In 1981-82
1981-82 in English football
The 1981–82 season was the 102nd season of competitive football in England.It was also the first season that the Three points for a win system was introduced.- First Division :Three points for a win was introduced for the first time in England...
, when the Owls emerged as promotion challengers but were eventually beaten out of the top three, Sterland was selected in the league on 27 occasions. He remained a regular player as the Owls continued to progress, reaching the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
semi-finals in 1983 and winning promotion to the First Division a year later after a 14-year exile. In 1985-86
1985-86 in English football
The 1985–86 season was the 106th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The championship crown went to Liverpool for the 16th time in their history at the end of their first season under the management of Kenny Dalglish, but they had to fight off some very stiff competition to...
he enjoyed arguably the finest season of his time at Sheffield Wednesday, if not his whole career, when he played 38 league games and scored eight goals for a side who finished fifth in the First Division but were denied UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
action due to the ban on English clubs in European competitions following the Heysel disaster of May 1985.
By the time he was sold to Glasgow Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
for £800,000 in March 1989 Sterland had played 347 games for Sheffield Wednesday and scored 49 goals. His three goals in nine games helped a Rangers side managed by Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
win their second Scottish league title in three seasons, and their 39th overall. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=43815
However, on 1 July 1989 Sterland returned to England when he linked up with his former Wednesday manager Howard Wilkinson
Howard Wilkinson
Howard Wilkinson is a former English football player and manager, and has recently stepped down as a Non-Executive Director at Sheffield Wednesday after formerly relinquishing the chairman role to Milan Mandaric...
at Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
as he built a side geared for promotion. Sterland became an immediate favourite with the Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
fans as his five goals in 42 league games that season sealed Leeds the Second Division title and promotion back to the First Division after eight years away. He helped Leeds make an immediate impact on their return to the top flight as they finished fourth - though this was slightly soured by the fact that although the ban on English clubs in Europe had now been lifted, Leeds were unable to compete in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
as English clubs were only being gradually phased back into the competition with just runners-up Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
being admitted for the 1991-92 competition
UEFA Cup 1991-92
The UEFA Cup 1991–92 was won by Ajax on away goals over Torino.Although this was the second season since the ban on English clubs in European competitions was lifted, only one English club was entered into the 1991–92 UEFA Cup...
.
Sterland was a key player in Leeds United's title triumph of the 1991-92 season
1991-92 in English football
- First Division :The last-ever league championship before the creation of the Premier League was won by Leeds United who overhauled Manchester United thanks to the efforts of, among others, Gordon Strachan, Lee Chapman, David Batty, Gary Speed and Gary McAllister...
- the last of the Football League First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
before the creation of the FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
as the top division of English football - as he scored six goals in 31 league games. Sterland played three games in the new Premier League before suffering an ankle injury in the autumn of 1992.
After failing to make an adequate recovery from the injury, he announced his retirement from playing in January 1994.
After retirement
He went on to be player/manager with non-league Boston UnitedBoston United F.C.
Boston United Football Club are an association football club based in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. They currently play in the Conference North. The club is known as 'the Pilgrims' in reference to the Pilgrim Fathers, who fled from Boston to the USA and founded Boston, Massachusetts. The club's...
and after a spell playing for Denaby United
Denaby United F.C.
Denaby United F.C. are an English football club that originally folded in 2002 following eviction from their ground by the Denaby & Cadeby Miners' Welfare, but have since re-appeared in the Doncaster and District Senior League Division One for the 2011-12 season...
was appointed manager of Staylbridge Celtic
Stalybridge Celtic F.C.
Stalybridge Celtic are an English full time professional football club from Stalybridge, Greater Manchester in North West England. The club, which plays its home matches at Bower Fold, is currently in the Conference North in the sixth tier of the English football league system...
in December 1997. He also starred in the popular football film When Saturday Comes
When Saturday Comes (film)
When Saturday Comes is a British film from 1996 starring Sean Bean and Emily Lloyd, directed by Maria Giese. It is about a factory worker who gets scouted, firstly by the well-known non-league side Hallam F.C. and then later by Sheffield United Football Club...
, ironically playing the captain of Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
.
His autobiography Boozing, Betting & Brawling (Green Umbrella Publishing), was co-written with Sheffield-based journalist Nick Johnson and was published in August 2008. Howard Wilkinson
Howard Wilkinson
Howard Wilkinson is a former English football player and manager, and has recently stepped down as a Non-Executive Director at Sheffield Wednesday after formerly relinquishing the chairman role to Milan Mandaric...
wrote the foreword.
External links
- Mel Sterland at Soccerbase