Steve Finnan

Football player infobox
playername= Steve Finnan


fullname = Stephen John Finnan
nickname = Steve/Finny
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1976|4|24|df=y
cityofbirth = Limerick
countryofbirth = Ireland
height = height|ft=6|in=0
currentclub = Espanyol
clubnumber = 15
position = Right Back
youthyears = 19xx–1993
youthclubs = Wimbledon
years = 1993–1995
1995–1996
1996
1996–1998
1998–2003
2003–2008
2008–
clubs = Welling United
Birmingham City
→ Notts County (loan)
Notts County
Fulham
Liverpool
Espanyol
caps(goals) = 041 00(1)
015 00(1)
017 00(2)
080 00(5)
173 00(6)
145 00(1)
002 00(0)
nationalyears = 2000–
nationalteam = Republic of Ireland
nationalcaps(goals) = 052 00(2)
pcupdate = 21:58, 12 May 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 21:58, 9 September 2008 (UTC)

Stephen John Finnan (born 24 April 1976) is an Irish international football player who currently plays for Espanyol at right back. [cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12875_4082310,00.html |title=Finnan seals Spanish switch |work=Skysports.com|date=1 September 2008|accessdate=1 September|accessyear=2008] He is the only player to have played in the World Cup, Champions League, UEFA Cup, all four levels of English League football, the English Conference and La Liga. [Clive Tydsley 7th September 2008 ]

Club career

Early career

Finnan was born in the Janesboro area of Limerick City, and moved to Chelmsford, England at a young age. He began his career playing in Wimbledon's youth team,cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N158919080221-1444.htm|title=WHAT'S IN A NAME: STEVE FINNAN|publisher=Liverpoolfc.tv|date=2008-02-21|accessdate=2008-02-21] but joined non-league Welling United after being released at 16. He turned professional with Birmingham City in 1995, but, after only a handful of appearances, he was soon on his way to Notts County, initially on loan, then permanently. There he established himself in the first team and attracted a considerable amount of interest from higher division teams.Fact|date=July 2008

Fulham

After some strong showings for County in 1997–98, Fulham paid £600,000 for his services in November 1998. He became an instant regular at Craven Cottage and a fans' favourite.Fact|date=July 2008With Fulham he won the old Second Division championship in 1999 and then the First Division in 2001.

Finnan had an impressive first season in the Premiership, helping Fulham qualify for the UEFA Intertoto Cup and being voted into the 2001–02 PFA team of the year by his fellow professionals. Fulham then went on to win the Intertoto Cup, giving Finnan his first taste of European football.

Liverpool

In the summer of 2003 Finnan found himself courted by many of England's top clubs and eventually joined Liverpool for a fee of £3.5m. The incumbent right back, Jamie Carragher, greeted his arrival with the warning "If Steve gets ahead of me in the team then I'll just have to find out where he lives and I'll send the boys round." [ [http://www.carling.com/football/liverpool-football-club/jamie-carragher.html Jamie Carragher - Liverpool Football Club Player Profile from Carling Football ] ] Finnan's first season at Anfield was disrupted by a succession of injuries. However, the campaign ended on a high as Liverpool clinched fourth place and a UEFA Champions League qualifying spot.

During the 2004–05 season with Liverpool, he established himself as the first choice right back and a firm fans' favourite.Fact|date=July 2008 This successful season saw him play in the Carling Cup final which Liverpool lost 3–2 to Chelsea. Finnan also started in the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final against A.C. Milan, which the team went on to win. Unfortunately he picked up an injury and was substituted at half time.He had a highly successful 2005–2006 season in which he was a star performer for Liverpool and was consistent throughout the season.Fact|date=July 2008At the end of the season Liverpool won the FA Cup and Finnan added another medal to his collection.

Finnan played for Liverpool as first choice right back for the 2006–07 season despite heavy competition from newly arrived team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa.The season was a very successful one for him as he was very consistent throughout the season and many fans considered him to be one of their top performers as evident through the high amounts of vote he collected in a poll in the official Liverpool website.Fact|date=July 2008He participated in the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final and was substituted after 88 minutes for Arbeloa. Liverpool went on to lose the game 2–1. In July 2007, Finnan agreed a new three-year contract to remain with Liverpool. [cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/archivedirs/mediawatch/2007/jul/MW11615070723-1151.htm |title=FINNAN AGREES NEW LIVERPOOL DEAL |work=Article on Liverpoolfc.tv|date=23 July 2007|accessdate=July 23|accessyear=2007]

In August 2007, Finnan was involved in a controversial penalty decision in which Chelsea's Florent Malouda dived to the ground. Although no Chelsea player appealed, referee Rob Styles awarded a penalty because he thought Finnan had fouled Malouda. Video replays later showed that there was no illegal contact between the players, and Styles was suspended from refereeing for a week, as well as issuing an apology to Liverpool. [cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/08/20/sfgliv120.xml |title=Penalty ignites Benitez feud with Mourinho |publisher=The Daily Telegraph |author=Tim Rich |date=2007-08-20 |accessdate=2008-05-20] [cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2007/08/21/sfnfro121.xml |title=Rob Styles humiliated for penalty blunder |publisher=The Daily Telegraph |author=Oliver Brown |date=2007-08-21 |accessdate=2008-05-20] The final score was Liverpool 1–1 Chelsea when Frank Lampard converted the penalty to equalise Fernando Torres' 16th-minute goal.

Finnan made it into the top 100 Liverpool appearances of all time when he came on as substitute in the 4–0 victory over Toulouse on 28 August 2007.Fact|date=July 2008

It was claimed by Sky Sports that Finnan's goal for Liverpool made him the only player to have scored in the five highest divisions of English football, although it was later demonstrated that it was actually a distinction he shared with Jimmy Willis. [cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2007/11/08/goal-king-jimmy-willis-in-a-league-of-his-own-100252-20080346/ |title=Goal king Jimmy Willis in a league of his own! |work=Liverpool Echo|date=8 November 2007|accessdate=May 12|accessyear=2008]

After the arrival of fullback Philipp Degen at the club from Borussia Dortmund, Finnan was linked with a move away from Anfield as part of a cash plus player deal which would see Gareth Barry moving to Liverpool. [cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/finnan-move-clinches-barry-liverpool-deal-1430538.html/ |title=Finnan move clinches Barry Liverpool deal |work=Irish Independent|date=10 July 2008|accessdate=July 11|accessyear=2008]

Espanyol

On transfer deadline day, 1 September 2008, Finnan joined Spanish side Espanyol signing a 2 year deal for an undisclosed fee. [Cite web
url = http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12875_4082310,00.html
title = Finnan seals Spanish switch managed 2 games before he sustaining injury]

International career

A Republic of Ireland Under-21 international, Finnan stepped up to the senior side in 2000 against Greece, filling in for the injured Stephen Carr. Although he was raised in England, Finnan is very proud of his Irish nationality and he has alluded to this fact in many interviews.Fact|date=July 2008

He cemented his place in the Irish starting XI towards the end of qualification for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, supplying the cross for Jason McAteer to score the only goal in the crucial 1–0 home win against the Netherlands in September 2001. He appeared in all four of Ireland's games in South Korea and Japan, but injury disrupted his participation in the unsuccessful attempt to reach the Euro 2004 finals. He was a regular choice in the 2006 World Cup qualification games.

Finnan announced his retirement from international football on 22 January 2008 after making 50 appearances for the Republic of Ireland. cite web|url=http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N158532080122-1406.htm|title=FINNAN ANNOUNCES INTERNATIONAL RETIREMENT|publisher=Liverpoolfc.tv|date=2008-01-22|accessdate=2008-01-22] He returned to the fold, however, in August 2008, after the appointment of Giovanni Trapattoni to the manager's role caused him to change his mind.

tatistics

*Correct as of 8 February 2008

Career honours

Notts County
*Football League Third Division
**Winner (1): 1997–98

Fulham
*Football League Second Division
**Winner (1): 1998–99
*Football League First Division
**Winner (1): 2000–01
*UEFA Intertoto Cup
**Winner (1): 2002

Liverpool
*FA Cup
**Winner (1): 2006
*FA Community Shield
**Winner (1): 2006
*"'Football League Cup
**Runner-up (1): 2005
*FIFA Club World Cup
**Runner-up (1): 2005
*UEFA Champions League
**Winner (1): 2004–05
**Runner-up (1): 2006–07
*UEFA Super Cup
**Winner (1): 2005

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=2516|name=Steve Finnan's
* [http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/team/squad/finnan Profile at liverpoolfc.tv]
* [http://www.thisisanfield.com/players/finnan Thisisanfield.com player profile]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/shared/bsp/hi/football/statistics/players/f/finnan_17130.stm Profile at BBCSport]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4090868.stm Reds Star Finnan Arrested]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4330328.stm Finnan avoids prosecution]
* [http://www.lfchistory.net/player_profile.asp?player_id=493 LFChistory.net player profile]

Persondata
NAME= Finnan, Stephen John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Finnan, Steve
SHORT DESCRIPTION= footballer
DATE OF BIRTH= 1976-4-24
PLACE OF BIRTH= Limerick , Republic of Ireland
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=