Stephen Bywater

At 43 years old, Stephen Bywater has this physical status:

Stephen Michael Bywater (born 7 June 1981) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Burton Albion. He has made appearances for thirteen clubs, most notably for Derby County, where he made over 150 appearances and won the 2007 Championship play-off Final and for West Ham United, where he spent eight seasons, made over 60 appearances and won the 2005 Championship play-off Final.

He is also a former England Under-21 international.

Bywater has worn the number 43 shirt in memory of his mentor and coach, Les Sealey, who died aged 43 in 2001.

He believes Sealey is guiding his way in football.

Personal life

Bywater has reiterated on several occasions his intention to move into mixed martial arts and cage fighting when his playing career ends, saying "I have told my agent that one day I am going to take it up! He laughs at me – but I'm serious."

He has also been involved in several controversies. In an October 2007 interview with Clare Tomlinson on Sky Sports' Goals on Sunday programme he spelt out the word "cunt" whilst live on air as part of an anecdote.

In September 2010, Bywater stirred more controversy with regards to a provocative art installation in his garden in Sutton on the Hill, Derbyshire. The installation – a horse box with mattresses and a sex doll strapped to it with graffiti sprayed on the side – brought complaints from neighbours, who described the piece as "very ugly" and an "eyesore". Bywater, who claimed that art was his latest hobby and the installation was his "masterpiece", issued a statement via Derby County stating "I would like to apologise to any supporters and local residents in Derbyshire who have been offended. It was and is still my view that my actions were made as a private citizen and in no way linked to Derby County Football Club. However, now it has been brought into the public domain, I acknowledge that this does not reflect well on me as a professional or the Club in general. I apologise again if my actions have in anyway damaged my reputation or the reputation of the Club." He eventually auctioned the piece, announcing the eBay sale via his Twitter page, saying all the proceeds would be donated to the Teen Pride charity.

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Club career

Born in Oldham, Greater Manchester, Bywater began attending the Blue Coat School, Oldham, as a young boy, Rochdale's August 1997 arrival. In a Football League Trophy match against Carlisle United, Rochdale lost 6–1. Harry Redknapp took him as a 16-year-old by February 1998 for £250,000, but it has since increased to £1.75 million depending on results and achievements. He came from youth and spent time with Joe Cole and Michael Carrick in West Ham's 1999 FA Youth Cup champion team.

He spent the next two seasons learning from former Manchester United, Luton Town, Aston Villa, and Coventry City goalkeeper Les Sealey, as well as Craig Forrest, Bernard Lama and Shaka Hislop. With first team opportunities limited, Bywater joined Wycombe Wanderers on loan in September 1999, making two appearances, and then moved to Hull City on loan in November 1999, making four appearances. Shaka Hislop's broken leg made his debut against Bradford City in February 2000, when Bradford scored four times but West Ham beat West Ham 5-4. Bywater appeared in the final three games of the 1999–00 season against Arsenal, Sunderland, and Leeds United, making a single appearance against Bradford in February 2001.

In July 2001, the Wolves signed Bywater on loan to end a goalkeeping scare, but the following month, he returned to West Ham for the first game of the season against Portsmouth on a loan. With the signing of David James in July 2001 and the ongoing retainment of Shaka Hislop as the club's international service began in August 2001, he did not make a single appearance for West Ham in the 2001–02 season nor in the 2002–03 season. At the end of March 2002, he joined Cardiff City on a one-month loan, but made no appearance there.

Bywater, a regular starter in the first team after being relegated in 2002-03 and David James transferred to Manchester City in January 2004, making 23 appearances, when West Ham defeated Crystal Palace 1–0 in the First Division play-off final. In June 2004, he signed a three-year deal extension, saying, "I am very delighted to have signed on for another three years at West Ham." Last year we were very poor, and I am positive that we will return from the season with a squad that can contend for promotion for the second time. I've invested a lot in my career, and the boss showed a lot of faith in me last season. I am determined to repay everyone at the club by assisting the team in returning the team back to the Premiership.

With Jimmy Walker, who was brought in from Walsall in June 2004, the club's primary keeper, was soon obliged to offer Bywater competition. In the 2004–05 season for West Ham, they were promoted to the Premiership and appeared in the play-off final at the Millennium Stadium, beating Preston North End as a late substitute.

Roy Carroll's signing in June 2005 and Shaka Hislop's re-signing on a one-year deal in July 2005 have limited Bywater's first-team opportunities, and he joined Coventry City in August 2005 on loan until the end of the year, where he made 14 appearances. However, Bywater was recalled from Coventry in October 2005 due to a minor injury to Carroll. In the remainder of the 2005–06 season against West Bromwich Albion, he made one appearance for West Ham.

Bywater started in August 2006 with a first emergency loan agreement for two weeks and then signed a three-year contract two weeks later for a fee of £225,000. "Les looked after me the majority of the time" during the 2006-07 season as a tribute to his mentor and former goalkeeping coach Les Sealey, who died at the age of 43 in 2001. He took me to training every day, coached me, and advised me on life. I know he is watching me and that he wants me to do well, so that was for him." In the 2006–07 season, Bywater made 43 appearances in the league and cup, where they defeated West Bromwich Albion 1–0 to earn a spot in the Premier League.

In June 2007, Bywater reaffirmed his desire to play for England and his aspirations to be spotted in the 2007–08 season, saying, "I grew up with a few of the lads, such as Paul Robinson, Rob Green, and Chris Kirkland, and they are fine, but I don't think they are exceptional." I do believe if I play well and have a fruitful season, I will be in contention. I am positive but not cocky." Bywater joined Ipswich Town on loan for the remainder of the season after a first half of the season saw Derby County rooted to the bottom of the Premier League. "Ipswich Town's manager, Jim Magilton, referred to him as a "young, passionate keeper who knows what is needed to win promotion from this division." In February 2008, he made his Ipswich Town debut against Sheffield Wednesday in February 2008 and made 17 appearances in the remainder of the 2007–08 season as the Ipswich team finished behind the play-off places. Bywater was almost back to the Premier League after Derby's relegation at the end of the 2007/08 season, with a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur. However, Bywater remained with the Rams after the contract fell through, and Bywater regained his place in the team after Carroll was sent off against Norwich City. His form was good enough that he remained the top-one for the remainder of the season, and he resigned with Derby on January 13, 2009. He made his 100th appearance for the club against Blackpool on August 8, 2009, keeping a clean sheet. Manager Nigel Clough lauded Bywater's results in the two games in December 2009, after he had two consecutive clean sheets: "Stephen has been exemplary." He is 100% fit and approaching the peak of his career. He has a positive mood, which is undoubtedly a result of his age. He works hard in preparation and, like all goalkeepers, he's a little daft." Bywater was suspended out for two games, bringing an end to a streak of 71 consecutive appearances in the Derby goal after a fallout to Reading in March 2010. As Derby drew 0–0 at Sheffield on Wednesday, he returned and put in the Championship Team of the Week. Bywater, who won with a 1–1 draw with Crystal Palace, sat out the last two games of the season to rest a strained rib joint. In a 2–0 loss at Hull City, he returned to the first team in the 2010–11 season for his 150th appearance for the club. Bywater played every minute of Derby's first 11 games of the season, keeping two clean sheets, until a wrist injury while training during the October international break ruled him out for a month. He rejoined the first team in November 2011, a dreadful run of form that saw Derby's decline from 4th to 18th in a matter of three months. In a 1–0 loss to Hull City on February 22, 2011, Bywater sustained an injury, keeping him out for many weeks.

Bywater joined Cardiff City on loan until the end of the season on March 4, 2011. In a 2–0 loss to Ipswich Town the following day, he made his debut the following day. Bywater returned to Derby after Cardiff's playoff semi final loss to Reading, in which a Bywater mistake cost Cardiff a crucial goal. When he was not given a squad number ahead of the 2011–12 season, his future at the Rams was put into question, and this was confirmed when Derby's goalkeeping coach Martin Taylor said, "He's not in the team at all." Stephen hasn't been disciplined to work, but he doesn't appear in our schemes. He just needs to play games and get into the store window at his age." Bywaters' employment was terminated by mutual consent on December 31, 2011.

Bywater joined Sheffield Wednesday on loan for three months after suffering a minor injury picked up by first choice 'keeper Nicky Weaver.' Bywater's loan spell was very fruitful, with Wednesday losing just 1 of his 12 games and maintaining six clean sheets, as moving boss Gary Megson announced on Wednesday that he would talk to Bywater permanently over a potential transfer. Bywater was expected to join Bywater on a permanent basis on Wednesday, according to the press on December 30, 2011. Bywater officially signed a permanent transfer on Wednesday, extending his service until the 2011–2012 season. He was initially second choice behind Nicky Weaver in a 3–1 victory over Scunthorpe United on January 24, 2012. Bywater appeared in all remaining games of the season, accumulating 14 clean sheets in 34 appearances. By coming runners up in League One, Wednesday secured promotion to the Championship, barely finishing ahead of local rivals Sheffield United.

Bywater's new one-year deal with the club, signed on June 27, 2012. This is the most important club in the Premiership, according to Bywater. Arron Jameson, Chris Kirkland, and Nicky Weaver were among Bywater's goalkeeping contests for the 2012–13 season.

Bywater agreed to a two-year deal with Millwall in June 2013, becoming boss Steve Lomas' first signing for the club. In a 2–1 home victory over AFC Wimbledon on August 6, he made his Millwall debut in the first round of the League Cup. Bywater was playing in Millwall's next three league games, against Ipswich Town, Huddersfield Town, and Sheffield Wednesday, and finally losing in the second round of the League Cup by a 2–1 loss to Nottingham Forest. David Forde, the Millwall's regular goalkeeper, has taken over the goalkeeper role until January 2014. In a 1–0 home victory over Ipswich Town on January 18, 2014, Bywater replaced Forde at halftime in a match that saw new Millwall boss Ian Holloway's first game as a manager of the club.

He joined Gillingham on loan until 3 January as an emergency reserve for the injured Stuart Nelson. Bywater was released by Millwall on January 14, 2015, shortly after their deal with them was ended. He hadn't played for Millwall since February 2014.

Bywater signed a six-month deal with Doncaster Rovers in January 2015. On January 17, he made his first appearance for Doncaster against Barnsley, a 1–0 victory. He was released by the club at the end of the 2014–15 season.

Bywater signed with the Kerala Blasters, an Indian Super League team, in August 2015.

Bywater came from Burton Albion as a back-up to Jon McLaughlin on January 13, 2016. The Brewers made the decision to keep McLaughlin and Bywater as the first choice in 44 league games in 2017-18, but Burton was barred from the Championship at the end of the season. Following relegation, Bywater returned to backup status behind loan keeper Bradley Collins and Kieran O'Hara in the 2019-20 season. Bywater, the third choice following Ben Garratt's signing in October 2019, has dropped to third place, with no longer receiving a paycheck and attending training despite being able to assist in an emergency. He was released at the end of the season and then announced his retirement.

International career

Bywater made his England U19 debut in 1999 and has remained in the role with both Paul Robinson and Chris Kirkland. He then advanced to the U21 team with the same crew, but by that time, Kirkland and Robinson had become established league players. With both a fractured thumb and later a fractured wrist, he was limited in his growth and limited his chances. He made six appearances for the U21 team.

After Derby's promotion to the Premier League in 2006-07, Bywater was expected to be called up for the England squad, but he wasn't chosen.

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