Steve Palmer
Encyclopedia
Stephen Leonard Palmer is an English
former footballer who played for Ipswich Town
, Watford
and Queens Park Rangers. He played either as centre-half or a central midfielder.
Palmer attended Cambridge University and is the only professional footballer of the modern era to be educated at the university, obtaining a degree in software engineering. Whilst studying he played for Cambridge University A.F.C.. In April 1987 he played a singular first-class cricket
match for a Cambridge University
side also containing future England captain Mike Atherton
. Facing Lancashire
, Palmer dismissed former England player Graeme Fowler
lbw
for 49. He went on to score 18 with the bat, before being bowled by Paul Allott
.
He turned professional with Ipswich Town
in 1989 and spent six years at the club before making a £135,000 move to Watford
. Palmer established himself as a first team regular during another near six year spell at Vicarage Road
and his departure on a free transfer in July 2001 caused some consternation amongst the club's supporters. Whilst at the club he broke the record for wearing every numbered shirt from 1 to 14 in the 1997–98 season. Placed in goal for the kick-off of the season's final home match versus A.F.C. Bournemouth
, he swapped shirts with goalkeeper Alec Chamberlain
early in the game. He completed the set by wearing Jason Lee
's number 9 shirt in the final match away at Fulham
- in which Watford won the Division 2 title. Watford secured back-to-back promotion the following season, with Palmer voted Player of the Season.
Palmer signed for Queens Park Rangers
in July 2001 and made his debut in August of that year in a 1–0 win against Stoke City
. He was captain and ever present in what was QPR's first season in the third tier since 1966–67. In total Palmer made 95 league appearances for QPR, scoring 5 goals.
After leaving QPR in 2004 Palmer signed for Milton Keynes Dons
, playing for the club for two seasons, scoring once against Blackpool. He retired from football in October 2005 and took up a position as Tottenham Hotspur
's Academy Performance Manager a month later.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former footballer who played for Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
, Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
and Queens Park Rangers. He played either as centre-half or a central midfielder.
Palmer attended Cambridge University and is the only professional footballer of the modern era to be educated at the university, obtaining a degree in software engineering. Whilst studying he played for Cambridge University A.F.C.. In April 1987 he played a singular first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
match for a Cambridge University
Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
side also containing future England captain Mike Atherton
Mike Atherton
Michael Andrew Atherton OBE is a broadcaster, journalist and retired England international cricketer. A right-handed opening batsman for Lancashire and England,and occasional leg-break bowler, he achieved the captaincy of England at the age of 25 and led the side in a record 54 Test matches...
. Facing Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
, Palmer dismissed former England player Graeme Fowler
Graeme Fowler
Graeme "Foxy" Fowler is a former English professional cricketer, who played for Lancashire, England, and later for Durham...
lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
for 49. He went on to score 18 with the bat, before being bowled by Paul Allott
Paul Allott
Paul John Walter Allott is a former English cricketer who played county cricket for Lancashire, Minor Counties cricket for Staffordshire and first-class cricket in New Zealand for Wellington, as well as thirteen Test match appearances and thirteen One Day International appearances for England.He...
.
He turned professional with Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
in 1989 and spent six years at the club before making a £135,000 move to Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
. Palmer established himself as a first team regular during another near six year spell at Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road, a stadium in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, is the home of the football club Watford and their tenants, the Saracens rugby union club. An all-seater stadium, its current capacity is 17,477.-History:...
and his departure on a free transfer in July 2001 caused some consternation amongst the club's supporters. Whilst at the club he broke the record for wearing every numbered shirt from 1 to 14 in the 1997–98 season. Placed in goal for the kick-off of the season's final home match versus A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
, he swapped shirts with goalkeeper Alec Chamberlain
Alec Chamberlain
Alec Francis Roy Chamberlain is a former English goalkeeper currently employed by Watford as the club's goalkeeping coach. He made 788 league appearances during his 25-year playing career, the final 11 years and 247 appearances of which were with Watford.-Career:Chamberlain started his career at...
early in the game. He completed the set by wearing Jason Lee
Jason Lee (footballer)
Jason Lee is an English footballer who plays as a forward for Boston United. He is currently also the club's joint manager.He has previously played in the Premier League for Nottingham Forest...
's number 9 shirt in the final match away at Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
- in which Watford won the Division 2 title. Watford secured back-to-back promotion the following season, with Palmer voted Player of the Season.
Palmer signed for Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
in July 2001 and made his debut in August of that year in a 1–0 win against Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
. He was captain and ever present in what was QPR's first season in the third tier since 1966–67. In total Palmer made 95 league appearances for QPR, scoring 5 goals.
After leaving QPR in 2004 Palmer signed for Milton Keynes Dons
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
, playing for the club for two seasons, scoring once against Blackpool. He retired from football in October 2005 and took up a position as Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
's Academy Performance Manager a month later.