Editing Jon Stead (section)

==Club career==
===Huddersfield Town===
Stead began his career with home town club Huddersfield Town where he came through the club's academy. He made his league debut for [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]], as a nineteen-year-old against [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]] on 10 August 2002 coming as a 69th-minute substitute in the 2–0 loss on the opening day of the season. In total Stead made 42 league appearances scoring six goals in the 2002–03 season.<ref name="courant"/>

He scored four goals in three games at the start of the [[2003–04 in English football|2003–04 season]], igniting interest from larger clubs. Two goals came in Town's opening game of the 2003–04 season in their 2–2 draw at home to [[Cambridge United F.C.|Cambridge United]]. Stead went on to score two goals in a game on three further occasions for the Terriers during the first part of the 2003–04 season, with his other braces coming against [[Northampton Town F.C.|Northampton Town]] on 13 September in a 3–0 home win, in a dramatic 3–3 away draw at [[Mansfield Town F.C.|Mansfield Town]] on 22 November and then again in a 3–1 home win over [[Doncaster Rovers F.C.|Doncaster Rovers]] on 3 January 2004.

He scored 18 goals for Huddersfield in 2003–04, with 16 of them coming in the league, before moving to [[Premier League]] side [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]] in the January transfer window. His last game for Huddersfield came in their 2–0 win over [[Boston United F.C.|Boston United]] on 17 January 2004.<ref name="courant"/>

Stead returned to collect his Play-offs Winners' Medal with Huddersfield Town while he was playing for Blackburn Rovers. He appeared on the pitch celebrating the team he supported as a boy and his hometown club's win. After this he said, "I've moved on, but I know I won't find a friendlier place than this club".

===Blackburn Rovers===
In February 2004 he moved to [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]] for over £1 million and signed a four-and-a-half-year contract.<ref>{{ Cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/blackburn_rovers/3444447.stm | title=Blackburn Sign Stead | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2 February 2004}}</ref> Stead marked his debut by scoring the only goal in a match against [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]].<ref>{{ Cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/3468127.stm | title=Premiership clockwatch | publisher=BBC Sport | date=7 February 2004 }}</ref> He went on to score six goals, including vital winners against Fulham, Manchester United and Everton as Blackburn avoided relegation from the Premiership.

However, the goals for Blackburn dried up the following season and with manager [[Mark Hughes]] signing additional forwards including [[Wales national football team|Welsh international]] [[Craig Bellamy]], Stead was transferred on 13 June 2005 to Sunderland in a deal worth £1.8 million.<ref>{{ Cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/4089430.stm | title=Sunderland snap up striker Stead | publisher=BBC Sport | date= 13 June 2005 }}</ref>

===Sunderland===
During his time at [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] Stead scored two goals, the first of which was on 1 April 2006 against [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] at [[Goodison Park]] in a 2–2 draw,<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/4842426.stm
|title=Everton 2–2 Sunderland
|publisher=[[BBC]]
|date=1 April 2006 |access-date=24 October 2009}}</ref> breaking his duck of 11 months without a goal. He scored his second Sunderland goal in the 3–1 defeat to [[Southend United F.C.|Southend United]] at [[Roots Hall]] on 19 August 2006.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/4786437.stm
|title=Southend 3–1 Sunderland
|publisher=[[BBC]]
|date=19 August 2006 |access-date=24 October 2009}}</ref>

On 13 October 2006, he completed a loan move to [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]]<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/6044644.stm Stead makes loan switch to Derby], BBC Sport, 13 October 2006</ref> and after failing to find the back of the net in his first 6 games, he finally broke his Derby duck with the first goal in a 2–1 win away at [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] on 11 November. He followed that goal with the opener in a 2–0 win at [[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]] to make it two in eight appearances and then again went on to bag Derby's first in the 1–0 home win against [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]]. He was nominated for Powerade Player of the Month as a result of his form at Derby in November.

===Sheffield United===
Stead was signed by [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]] from Sunderland for a fee of £750,000, potentially rising to £1.2 million, on a three-and-a-half-year deal on 11 January 2007.<ref name="Blades sign Stead from Sunderland">{{cite news| title = Blades sign Stead from Sunderland| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_utd/6247957.stm| publisher = BBC Sport| date = 11 January 2007| access-date = 22 April 2007}}</ref>

On 13 January 2007, Stead played his first Premier League game with Sheffield United against [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Tactical Formation|work=Football-Lineups.com
|url=http://www.football-lineups.com/wiki/_match3157.php | access-date=20 January 2007 }}</ref> and scored his first goal for the Blades a few weeks later, in his third game, against [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]].<ref name="blades goal">{{cite news| title = Sheff Utd 2–0 Fulham| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6309093.stm| publisher = BBC Sport| date = 30 January 2007| access-date = 1 September 2008}}</ref> He would go on to score again for the Blades in the next match against his former club [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]] where Stead's muted celebration further endeared him to the Rovers fans, who remained grateful for the considerable contribution he had made during the relegation scrap in 2004.

He scored a respectable five goals in total that season, the final of which came on the last day of the season against [[Wigan Athletic F.C.|Wigan Athletic]] on 12 May, but his goal wasn't enough to prevent United from being relegated.<ref name="relegation">{{cite news| title = Sheff Utd 1–2 Wigan| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6627849.stm| publisher = BBC Sport| date = 14 May 2007| access-date = 1 September 2008}}</ref>

Stead found first team starts harder to come by the following season as he fell behind [[James Beattie (footballer)|James Beattie]] and [[Billy Sharp]] in the pecking order but still managed to make over thirty appearances and score six goals. During the subsequent transfer window Stead signed on loan for [[EFL Championship|Championship]] rivals [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] with a view to a permanent move.<ref name="Ipswich Loan">{{cite news| title = Stead signs for Ipswich on loan| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/ipswich_town/7592359.stm| publisher = BBC Sport| date = 1 September 2008| access-date = 1 September 2008}}</ref>

===Ipswich Town===
Stead made his move to [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich]] permanent on 15 September 2008 after playing just one game on loan for a fee believed to be around £600,000. In that loan game he scored a 20-yard goal, which he described as "the best goal of his career to date". On 25 April 2009, Stead was the last ever senior player to score at [[Ninian Park]] after a 3–0 win.

On 15 February 2010, Stead joined [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] on loan until the end of the season with a view to a permanent move.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/coventry_city/8516887.stm|title=Coventry City sign Ipswich Town striker Jon Stead |publisher=BBC Sport|date=15 February 2010|access-date=15 February 2010}}</ref> He made 10 appearances for the Sky Blues scoring twice before returning to Ipswich at the end of the season. He has scored in every year of his career to date, notching at least 2 goals for each of the clubs he has played for.

Stead was linked with a move to [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]] in 2010.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Browne |first1=Gavin |title=Blackpool 2010 revisited: Ian Holloway can't wait to work with new arrival |url=https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sport/nostalgia/blackpool-2010-revisited-ian-holloway-cant-wait-work-new-arrival-2937102 |access-date=8 September 2020 |work=Blackpool Gazette |date=10 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Stead's Blackpool Move Breaks Down |url=https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/16827/steads-blackpool-move-breaks-down/page:2/ |access-date=8 September 2020 |work=TWTD |date=30 July 2010}}</ref>

===Bristol City===
Stead joined [[Bristol City F.C.|Bristol City]] on a three-year contract on 22 August 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bristol_city/8935226.stm|title=Bristol City sign Ipswich Town striker Jon Stead |publisher=BBC Sport|date=22 August 2010|access-date=22 August 2010}}</ref> He made his debut in the 2–0 loss at previous club [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]]. Stead scored his first goal for Bristol City when he netted in a 3–1 defeat against Portsmouth on 28 September 2010.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/9031763.stm|title=Portsmouth 3&nbsp;– 1 Bristol City|publisher=BBC Sport|date=28 September 2010}}</ref>

On 8 May 2013, Stead was released by City, in hopes of making a move up north to involve his kids spending time with their grandparents.

===Return to Huddersfield Town===
On 24 June 2013, Stead agreed a return to home town club [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]] on a two-year deal becoming the team's first signing ahead of the 2013–14 season.<ref>{{cite news|title=HUDDERSFIELD TOWN SIGN JON STEAD|url=http://www.htafc.com/news/article/first-team-news-town-sign-stead-878430.aspx|newspaper=HTAFC.com|date=24 June 2013}}</ref> He made his 2nd début for the club as a substitute in the 2–1 win over [[Bradford City A.F.C.|Bradford City]] in the [[Football League Cup]] on 6 August, followed by his league début on 24 August in the 5–1 win over [[AFC Bournemouth]]. He scored his first goal for the club in the 3–2 win over [[West Yorkshire derby|local rivals]] [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]] on 26 October 2013.

====Oldham Athletic (loan)====
On 31 January 2014, Stead joined [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]] on an initial one-month loan.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Experienced striker joins Latics |url=http://www.oldhamathletic.co.uk/news/article/20140131-jon-stead-1332316.aspx |work=Oldham Athletic AFC |date=31 January 2014}}</ref>

====Bradford City (loan)====
On 27 March 2014, Stead joined [[EFL League One|League One]] side [[Bradford City A.F.C.|Bradford City]] on loan until the end of the [[2013–14 Football League One|2013–14]] season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stead joins City |url=http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/news/article/stead-joins-city-1449808.aspx |work=Bradford City AFC |date=27 March 2014 |access-date=27 March 2014 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304102831/http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk//news/article/stead-joins-city-1449808.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> He made his debut two days later in a 1–0 win away to [[Leyton Orient F.C.|Leyton Orient]].<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26694144 "Leyton Orient 0–1 Bradford City"] BBC Sport. 29 March 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2014.</ref> Although he returned to Huddersfield at the end of the season, he rejoined Bradford City on loan on 17 October 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29661771 |title=Bradford City sign Jon Stead and Andy Halliday on loan |publisher=BBC Sport |date=17 October 2014 |access-date=15 February 2015}}</ref> He scored four goals in fifteen games in his second loan spell, and briefly returned to Huddersfield in January before Bradford took him on loan for the rest of the 2014–15 season on 8 January.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30730346 |title=Jon Stead: Bradford City re-sign Huddersfield Town striker |publisher=BBC Sport |date=8 January 2015 |access-date=15 February 2015}}</ref> On 24 January 2015 Stead scored one goal and set up a further two in a [[Chelsea F.C. 2–4 Bradford City A.F.C. (2015)|much deserved 4–2 win]] away at Chelsea in the FA Cup.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30860394|title=Chelsea 2-4 Bradford City|date=27 January 2018|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30971123 |title=FA Cup: Chelsea loss to Bradford is 'biggest shock of all time' |publisher=BBC Sport |date=25 January 2015 |access-date=15 February 2015}}</ref> In the next round of the FA Cup, Stead scored again; this time in a 2–0 win over his old club Sunderland.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/fa-cup/11413904/Bradford-City-2-Sunderland-0-FA-Cup-match-report.html |title=Bradford City 2 Sunderland 0: League One side beat Premier League opposition again to reach quarters |work=The Telegraph |date=15 February 2015 |access-date=15 February 2015 |first=Mark |last=Ogden}}</ref>

===Notts County===
On 2 July 2015 Stead signed for Notts County.
He signed a new contract with Notts County at the end of the 2017–18 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44216750|title=Notts County: Shola Ameobi and Alan Smith leave League Two club|date=22 May 2018|access-date=24 May 2018|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref>

He was released by Notts County at the end of the 2018–19 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48312832|title=Notts County: Jon Stead and David Vaughan among 12 released|date=17 May 2019|access-date=20 May 2019|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref>

===Harrogate Town===
On 11 June 2019, Stead joined [[Harrogate Town A.F.C.|Harrogate Town]] of the [[National League (division)|National League]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.harrogatetownafc.com/news-media/striker-stead-signs-for-town/|title=Striker Stead signs for Town|date=11 June 2019|access-date=1 July 2019|publisher=Harrogate Town|archive-date=14 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614192013/https://www.harrogatetownafc.com/news-media/striker-stead-signs-for-town/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He made his debut for Harrogate in a 2–2 draw with [[Solihull Moors F.C.|Solihull Moors]] on 3 August. On 7 September, Stead scored a brace in a 2–4 defeat to [[Torquay United F.C.|Torquay United]], in a match in which he was later sent-off. He helped Harrogate win promotion from the National League through the play-offs during his first season at the club, beating his former club Notts County in the final.<ref name = sb1920/>

On 8 May 2021 – after the final game of the 2020–21 League Two season – Stead announced, on his Twitter account, that he was retiring from professional football having made a total of 704 first-team appearances scoring 165 goals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mobile.twitter.com/JonSteadSA/status/1391070032705228801|title=Jon Stead Twitter Feed|access-date=8 May 2021|publisher=Twitter}}</ref>