Bert Stephens Explained

Bert Stephens
Fullname:	Herbert James Stephens
Birth Date:	13 May 1909
Birth Place:	Chatham, England
Death Place:	Thanet, England
Position:	Outside forward
Years1:	–1931
Clubs1:	Ealing Association
Years2:	1931–1935
Clubs2:	Brentford
Caps2:	6
Goals2:	1
Years3:	1935–1948
Clubs3:	Brighton & Hove Albion
Caps3:	180
Goals3:	86

Herbert James Stephens (13 May 1909 – September 1987) was an English professional footballer, best remembered for his time as an outside forward in the Football League with Brighton & Hove Albion. At the time of his retirement in 1948, Stephens was Brighton's second-highest goalscorer.

Career

Brentford

An outside forward, Stephens began his career at amateur club Ealing Association and joined Third Division South club Brentford in February 1931.^[1] He made just six appearances for the club and scored one goal, before his departure at the end of the 1934–35 season.^[2] Stephens spent much of his time with the club in the reserve team, with whom he won two London Combination titles and the 1934–35 London Challenge Cup.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Stephens joined Third Division South club Brighton & Hove Albion in June 1935. He was Brighton's top scorer in the 1936–37 season, with 26 goals in all competitions and again in 1938–39, with 17 goals.^[3] After competitive football was suspended in 1939 due to the outbreak of the Second World War, Stephens remained with the Gulls. He retired in 1948, after scoring 86 goals in 180 league games and at the time he was Brighton's second-highest goalscorer. Including his tally in wartime matches, Stephens scored 174 goals for the Gulls.^[4]

Personal life

A Kent native, Stephens was born in Chatham and died in Thanet.^[5]

Career statistics

Club! rowspan="2"

Season	League			FA Cup		Total
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Brentford	1931–32	Third Division South	2	0	0	0	2	0
	1932–33		4	1	0	0	4	1
Career total			6	1	0	0	6	1

Honours

Brentford Reserves

• London Combination (2): 1931–32, 1932–33^[6]
• London Challenge Cup (1): 1934–35

Notes and References

1. Book: Haynes, Graham . Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006 . Coumbe . Frank . Yore Publications . 2006 . 978-0955294914 . Harefield . 154.
2. Book: 100 Years Of Brentford . Brentford FC . 1989 . 0951526200 . White . Eric . 371–372.
3. Carder & Harris, Albion A–Z, p. 338.
4. Web site: Club Records . 16 June 2015 . seagulls.co.uk.
5. Book: Carder, Tim . Albion A–Z: A Who's Who of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. . Harris . Roger . Goldstone Books . 1997 . 0-9521337-1-7 . Hove . 231 . amp.
6. Web site: Club presented with medals . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180213021733/http://world.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~1075469,00.html . 13 February 2018 . 12 February 2018 . brentfordfc.co.uk.