History: Arsenal’s battling defender and Wenger’s assistant Steve Bould

Steve Bould – Could you have asked for a stronger fighter?

In 1962 Steve Bould was born and he would go on to win three league titles and an FA Cup at Arsenal during the 1980s and 1990s.

After starting life off in Stoke-on-Trent, Bould naturally joined his local team Stoke City as a youngster in 1978 before agreeing to a professional contract in 1980. He played at right back position early on making his debut versus Middlesbrough in September 1981. Although he failed to keep his place in the team and was loaned to Torquay United in October 1982 to improve his game experience featuring in nine matches for later Arsenal manager Bruce Rioch.

Bould with time gained a regular place at the Victoria ground once Mick Mills swapped positions to centre back, to take over from Paul Dyson.  At last Bould’s career was starting to take off in the correct direction. However a back injury and surgery stopped him from appearing in as many games as he would’ve liked during the 1986/87 season and controversially lost The Potters a playoff position.

At the anti-climax of the 1987/88 campaign Bould was known as the greatest defender in the Second Division at the time, drawing interest from Arsenal and Everton, who both wanted the young hot prospect. After conversations Bould selected Highbury and the tribunal declared the purchase tag of £390,000 a fraction of what The Potters were asking for.

In the summer of 1988 Bould transferred once and for all to The Gunners for that exact fee of £390,000 and became involved in the “famous back four” alongside Tony Adams, Nigel Winterburn and once teammate Lee Dixon. By the end of his first season Bould had wrapped his hands around the 1988/89 First Division Championship at Arsenal who beat Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield on the final day of the season in a must win match.

Two years on Bould clinched his second league title after Arsenal secured the 1990/91 First Division title.

A season later Bould was awarded the accolade of Player of the Year by the fans at Highbury during the 1991/92 campaign.

In August in the midst of Arsenal’s opening premier league 4-2 home thumping to Norwich Bould netted The Gunners first ever goal in the newly formed Premier League competition.

Injury would interrupt his hopes of playing in both Arsenal’s 1993 FA and League Cup finals versus Sheffield Wednesday with Andy Linighan taking his spot in the FA Cup and grabbing the eventual winner in the replay.

Bould would further miss out on more silverware after The Gunners lifted the 1993/94 Cup Winners Cup against Parma.

In October 1996, Arsene Wenger came to Highbury for the first time bringing with him new diet supplements increasing the playing days of Bould and many other players in the squad.  Bould proved yet again to be a pivotal part of Arsenals 1997/98 double winning campaign after The Gunners won the Premier League for the first time and FA Cup. During the season he was renowned for assisting Tony Adams who scored in the 4-0 victory over Everton whereby the final minutes of the match the title had been won!

A season later Bould moved to Sunderland in July 1999 for £500,000. After the leaving of Kevin Ball, the new man on the block was made skipper of the Black Cats where he helped them secure seventh in the Premiership being only one spot off of a UEFA Cup spot. He stayed at the Stadium of Light before arthritis got the better of him, forcing Bould to retire in September 2000 after 21 matches for Sunderland.

Even though Bould was a massive part of one of the late and greatest defences of the 1980s and 1990s he was only ever called up twice for England, not making his debut for his country till aged 31! Both caps were scored after Terry Venables selected Bould during the 1993/94 campaign in friendly’s versus Greece (5-0) and a tedious 0-0 draw with Norway.

Once his days as a footballer had come to an end he picked up his UEFA coaching badges whereby June 2001 he returned to Highbury as chief of Arsenal’s youth teams. He was also in charge of the reins of The Gunners U 18 Academy squad.  He helped the side win the league title double in 2010 and the FA Youth Cup in 2009. In May 2012 it was stated Steve Bould would take up Arsenal’s new right hand man position next to Arsene Wenger after Pat Rice retired at the end of the campaign. Within seven years he switched occupations with Freddie Ljungberg being appointed coach of the U23s team in a major job shakeup at the The Gunners.  Within two years he was dismissed in May 2021 as coach of the U 23 side. In June 2022 he was hired as chief coach of Lommel Sk who play in the second tier of Belgium football.

The 61 year old will forever go down in Arsenal history for putting his heart on the defensive line which secured numerous trophies at Highbury from the late 1980s to late 1990s.