Balcombe: Stephen William (Steve)

1979-1982 (Player Details)

Centre Forward

Born: Bangor, North Wales: 02-09-1961

Debut v Aston Villa (h): 03-10-1981

6’1” 11st (1981)

Although he was born in North Wales, Balcombe was brought up in Shrewsbury, Stafford and in Skerries, North Dublin, Ireland where he joined Home Farm (Dublin) after winning Ireland Schoolboy caps. He played in the same team as Liverpool and Ireland future star, Ronnie Whelan, along with Gary Howlett, who played in an F.A. Cup Final with Brighton and Hove Albion. Future Liverpool, Leeds and Hull City Ken De Mange was also at the club. At under-fourteen level, he started having trials with Leeds when Jimmy Armfield was manager. After two years of trials at Christmas, Easter and in the summer, he signed for Leeds in June 1978, turning professional in October 1979. Jimmy Adamson was the Leeds Manager and he took him with the Leeds first team squad to Southampton on 27th October 1979. He later found out that he had been named as substitute and though he did not play he saw United triumph by 2-1 and Alan Curtis scored a memorable goal, which was often repeated on television. He had to wait two years for his Leeds debut, after he had just turned twenty, on 3rd October 1981 at Elland Road against Aston Villa, the reigning Champions, when he got the Leeds goal in a 1-1 draw. It was far from being an easy goal. Balcombe controlled a bouncing ball expertly, then lobbed Villa centre-half and future Leeds captain Brendan Ormsby, before shooting instinctively with the outside of his foot past visiting keeper Jimmy Rimmer in front of the ecstatic Kop. Fresh from that success he played against Ipswich Town in the League Cup match at Elland Road four days later, but United went down by the only goal of the game. Unfortunately he got injured and was out for a couple of months and never played for Leeds again. He won Welsh Under-Eighteen and Youth caps, but despite scoring that brilliant goal in his full Leeds debut and winning an Under-Twenty-three Welsh cap, when he came on as a substitute against France at Troyes on 24th February 1982, he was released by United in June 1982. He had trials with Bristol Rovers and Mjallby before rejoining Home Farm in September 1982. In August 1983 he moved to Dundalk, before having a five month spell with Shamrock Rovers from December 1983. He became Player/Coach with Irish club Oaklands, before joining Eddie Gray at Whitby Town. He later played with Harrogate Town, Collingham and Tadcaster and became the landlord of several public houses including the Crown Inn, Great Ouseburn, nr York. He later moved to Cattal, Nr Ripon, where he still runs a pub called the Victoria. He has also done triathlons and long distance cycling to raise money for charity