Biography
Pacy winger Charles David Stewart was plucked from the youth team of Northern Irish League Bangor in 1974 and joined Hull City on apprentice terms. After making his debut towards the end of the 1974/75 season, Stewart was offered his first professional contract that summer, an event that triggered a £20,000 transfer fee to Bangor. Although signed by manager Terry Neill, an ex-Northern Ireland international, Stewart’s introduction to the first team was guided by Neill’s successor John Kaye. Kaye took a cautious approach to young players and flair players, so Stewart spent the next two seasons on the fringes of the first team but impressing when he did get his chances. He scored his first goal for the Tigers in August 1976, the second strike in a 4-0 drubbing of Southampton. Towards the end of 1976/77 season Kaye used Stewart more often and he began the 1977/78 season a first team regular. However a poor run of form drew Kaye’s tenure to an end and when new manager Bobby Collins took over Stewart received a fillip, starting nearly every game and scoring goals – including a superb brace in a 4-1 win over Cardiff in November 1977. Injuries saw Dave miss two months in the early part of 1978 and when the next season began City were being managed by Ken Houghton and Stewart was no longer in favour. Stewart played only five times under Houghton’s leadership in 1978/79 and late in the season Dave requested to visit Australia and recover from injuries. City refused this wish and offered Stewart a new contract, but that offer was rebuffed and in May 1979 he instead joined Chelsea, now managed by former Northern Ireland manager Danny Blanchflower.
Stewart’s time at Stamford Bridge lasted only six months and did not feature any first team appearances. In November 1979 he joined Scunthorpe United and across three seasons made 108 appearances and scored 20 goals for The Iron. Despite being a first team regular, Stewart was released in the 1982 close season, after a short spells with Bridlington Trinity and Goole Town, Stewart returned to the Football League in March 1983 with a short term contract at Hartlepool United. Pools did not retain Stewart’s service and he began 1983/84 season at Northern Premier League side Grantham Town. His playing days drew to a close at the of 1983 at the tender age of 25.
Stewart made his full international debut for Northern Ireland in November 1977 when he started a World Cup Qualifying tie against Belgium at Windsor Park, which the Ulstermen won 3-0. It transpired that this would be Dtewart’s only international honour.
Details
Nationality: Northern Ireland
Date/Place of Birth: 20 May 1958, Belfast
Hull City First Game: 12 April 1975, Blackpool H (Division Two), 16 years, 327 days old
Hull City Final Game: 31 March 1979, Lincoln City H (Division Three), 20 years, 315 days old
Clubs
Hull City (1974-1979), Chelsea (1979), Scunthorpe United (1979-1982), Bridlington Trinity (1982), Goole Town (1982-1983), Hartlepool United (1983), Grantham Town (1983)
Hull City Record
Career: 63 apps, 7 goals
Dave Stewart| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974/75 | 1 (0) | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1975/76 | 3 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 1976/77 | 12 (2) | 2 | 1 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | - | - | 0 (1) | 0 |
| 1977/78 | 28 (0) | 4 | 1 (0) | 0 | 3 (0) | 0 | - | - | 3 (0) | 0 |
| 1978/79 | 2 (3) | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |