Ross Stewart (footballer, born 1996) explained

Ross Stewart
Full Name:Ross Cameron Stewart[1]
Birth Date:11 July 1996
Birth Place:Irvine, Scotland
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Southampton
Clubnumber:11
Youthclubs1:St Mirren
Youthclubs2:Celtic
Youthclubs3:Partick Thistle
Years1:2013–2015
Clubs1:Ardeer Thistle
Years2:2015–2016
Clubs2:Kilwinning Rangers
Years3:2016–2017
Clubs3:Albion Rovers
Caps3:25
Goals3:12
Years4:2017–2018
Clubs4:St Mirren
Caps4:10
Goals4:0
Years5:2017–2018
Clubs5:Alloa Athletic (loan)
Caps5:19
Goals5:7
Years6:2018–2021
Clubs6:Ross County
Caps6:63
Goals6:15
Years7:2021–2023
Clubs7:Sunderland
Caps7:70
Goals7:36
Years8:2023–
Clubs8:Southampton
Caps8:3
Goals8:0
Nationalyears1:2022–
Nationalteam1:Scotland
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Club-Update:14:06, 4 May 2024 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:23:11, 12 June 2022 (UTC)

Ross Cameron Stewart (born 11 July 1996) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Southampton and the Scotland national football team.

He began his career with Ardeer Thistle and Kilwinning Rangers before joining Albion Rovers in 2016. After one season, Stewart moved to St Mirren and went on loan to Alloa Athletic. In 2018, he joined Ross County, spending three seasons with the club before joining Sunderland in 2021 and helping them win promotion to the Championship. Stewart then signed for Southampton in 2023.

Club career

Junior League

After spells with the youth systems of professional clubs,[2] Stewart started his career in the Scottish Juniors with Ardeer Thistle and Kilwinning Rangers, before making the step-up to senior football with Albion Rovers in July 2016.[3] The part-time Coatbridge club were unable to pay the £1,500 transfer fee, with the funds instead provided by their supporters' club members and by Stewart's father.[4]

St Mirren

After just one season with Albion Rovers, Stewart signed for Scottish Championship club St Mirren on a two-year full-time contract (a goalkeeper with the same name also joined at the time).[5] Stewart scored on his debut for the Paisley club in a Scottish League Cup win versus Stranraer[6] but failed to break into the first-team and was loaned out to Scottish League One club Alloa Athletic in December 2017, for the remainder of the season.[7]

Ross County

On 10 August 2018, Stewart signed for Ross County.[8] He made his debut for the club in a 2–1 victory in the Scottish Challenge Cup against Heart of Midlothian Colts. Stewart scored his first goal for the club in the next round of the cup in a win against Montrose. He finished his first season at Ross County with 11 goals, three of them coming against County's Rivals Inverness Caledonian Thistle as Ross County were promoted to the Scottish Premiership.

Sunderland

On 31 January 2021, Stewart joined English side Sunderland for an undisclosed fee.[9] Stewart scored on his Sunderland debut after coming on as a substitute against Accrington Stanley in a 2–0 away win on 17 March 2021.[10] He was later given the nickname 'Loch Ness Drogba' by Sunderland supporters in reference to his Scottish heritage and comparisons with prolific former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba.[11]

On 21 May 2022, Stewart scored the second goal in the 2022 EFL League One play-off final as Sunderland defeated Wycombe Wanderers 2–0 to gain promotion back to the EFL Championship. He finished the season as the league's joint top goalscorer with 26 goals and was later voted the PFA Fans' Player of the Year for League One.

During a 1–1 draw with Fulham on 28 January 2023 in the FA Cup fourth round, he was forced off in the first half after suffering an achilles injury.[12] A week later, it was confirmed that Stewart would miss the remainder of the 2022–23 season.[13]

Southampton

On 1 September 2023, Stewart joined Southampton on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[14] He made his debut for the club on 11 November 2023 in a 2–1 victory against West Bromwich Albion, replacing Adam Armstrong in the 83rd minute.[15] During Southampton's 1–1 draw with Huddersfield Town on 25 November 2023, Stewart picked up an injury, with manager Russell Martin later confirming he was expected to be sidelined until late January.[16] [17] On 22 December 2023, it was confirmed that the injury to his hamstring would rule Stewart out for the rest of the season.[18] Stewart returned from injury in a 1–2 victory against Leeds United on the final day of the 2023–24 season, replacing Adam Armstrong in the 83rd minute.[19]

International career

Stewart received his first call-up to the senior Scotland squad in March 2022 whilst playing for Sunderland.[20] He made his international debut on 8 June 2022, appearing as a substitute in a Nations League game against Armenia.[21]

Career statistics

Club

Club!rowspan="2"
SeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Albion Rovers2016–17Scottish League One25122050103312
St Mirren2017–18Scottish Championship90104131172
2018–19Scottish Premiership10003141
Total100107231213
Alloa Athletic (loan)2017–18Scottish League One1970000432310
Ross County2018–19Scottish Championship2363200633211
2019–20Scottish Premiership21700542611
2020–21Scottish Premiership1920054246
Total631532108638228
Sunderland2020–21League One112000021133
2021–22League One46240040325326
2022–23Championship131021001511
2023–24Championship00000000
Total70362140538140
Southampton2023–24Championship30001040
2024–25Premier League00000000
Total3000001040
Career total18367832610201024493

International

Honours

Ross County

2018–19[22]

2018–19[23]

Sunderland

2020–21[24]

2022[25]

Southampton

2024[26]

Individual

2021–22 League One[27]

2021–22 EFL League One[28]

2021–22[29]

2021–22[30]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Club list of registered players: Sunderland . English Football League . 64 . 20 July 2021.
  2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60158844 Ross Stewart: Sunderland striker caps rise from juniors with Scotland call-up
  3. News: 18 July 2016 . Ross Stewart to sign for Rovers . albionroversfc.co.uk . 7 January 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160722231741/http://albionroversfc.co.uk/ross-stewart-to-sign-for-rovers/ . 22 July 2016.
  4. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/local-sport/ross-stewarts-kilwinning-rangers-albion-22762274.amp Ross Stewart's Kilwinning Rangers to Albion Rovers transfer paid by his dad to give him SPFL shot
  5. News: 26 May 2017 . St Mirren: Two Ross Stewarts sign for Buddies from Albion Rovers . BBC Sport . 7 January 2018.
  6. News: 15 July 2017 . Stranraer 1-4 St Mirren match report . BBC Sport . 8 January 2018.
  7. News: 21 December 2017 . Ross Stewart joins Alloa Athletic on loan . https://web.archive.org/web/20180811032602/https://www.stmirren.com/news/club/all-news/1414-ross-to-join-alloa-athletic-on-loan . 11 August 2018 . 8 January 2018 . stmirren.com.
  8. News: 10 August 2018 . Ross County confirm signing of St Mirren striker Ross Stewart . Press and Journal . 10 August 2018.
  9. Web site: Stewart departs Staggies . Ross County FC - Official Site . 31 January 2021.
  10. News: Accrington Stanley 0-2 Sunderland . BBC Sport . 17 March 2021 . 18 March 2021.
  11. News: Ross Stewart discusses his 'Loch Ness Drogba' nickname . Wilson . Scott . 30 August 2021 . . 30 May 2022 .
  12. Web site: 28 January 2023 . Ross Stewart: Sunderland striker's Achilles injury 'bad', says Tony Mowbray . 1 December 2023 . BBC Sport.
  13. Web site: 2 February 2023 . Ross Stewart: Sunderland striker out for season after Achilles injury . 1 December 2023 . BBC Sport.
  14. Web site: 1 September 2023 . Saints swoop for Sunderland striker Stewart . 2 September 2023 . Southampton FC.
  15. Web site: 11 November 2023 . Southampton 2–1 West Bromwich Albion . 11 November 2023 . BBC Sport.
  16. Web site: 1 December 2023 . Stewart and Kamaldeen set for spell on the sidelines . 1 December 2023 . Southampton FC.
  17. Web site: House . Alfie . 1 December 2023 . Southampton's Stewart and Kamaldeen sidelined until the New Year . 1 December 2023 . Southern Daily Echo.
  18. News: Stewart unlikely to feature again this season . 23 December 2023 . Southampton FC . 22 December 2023.
  19. Web site: 4 May 2024 . Stewart return delights Martin . 7 May 2024 . Southampton FC.
  20. News: Scotland: Sunderland striker Ross Stewart, Hearts defender Craig Halkett & St Johnstone keeper Zander Clark called up . 21 March 2022 . BBC Sport . 21 March 2022.
  21. News: Ross Stewart says Scotland debut has settled him into national team setup . Andy . Skinner . Press & Journal . 9 June 2022 . 10 June 2022.
  22. Web site: 26 April 2019 . Ross County Secure title and promotion . 26 April 2019 . BBC Sport.
  23. Web site: 23 March 2019 . Ross County lifted the Challenge Cup for a third time . 23 March 2019 . BBC Sport.
  24. News: Sunderland 1–0 Tranmere Rovers . Brent . Pilnick . BBC Sport . 14 March 2021 . 22 March 2021.
  25. News: Sunderland 2–0 Wycombe . Chris . Paddy . BBC Sport . 21 May 2022 . 21 May 2022.
  26. News: Leeds United 0–1 Southampton: Line-ups . BBC Sport . 26 May 2024 . 26 May 2024.
  27. News: Sunderland forward Ross Stewart wins League One PFA Vertu Motors Fans' Player of the Year . Hewitt . Matty . . 30 May 2022 . 30 May 2022 .
  28. Web site: 9 June 2022 . Mohamed Salah and Sam Kerr win PFA player of year awards . 14 April 2023 . BBC Sport.
  29. Web site: 24 April 2022 . Football Manager EFL Team of the Season line-ups announced . 14 April 2023 . EFL.com.
  30. Web site: 5 April 2022 . Player of the Season accolades awarded . 14 April 2023 . Sunderland Association Football Club.