Biography
Steve Terry was a powerful centre back, often sporting a trademark headband, who joined the Tigers in June 1988 as part of Eddie Gray’s squad rebuilding exercise. He slotted straight into the first team back four alongside either Pete Skipper or Richard Jobson, displaying his no-nonsense defensive capabilities from the get-go. Terry was injured in mid-December and by the time he returned to first team action in mid-March, City had embarked on a Cup run that ended with a tumultuous 2-3 defeat at the hands of Liverpool, and were in the middle of a backlash run of defeats that saw the Tigers slip rapidly down the Second Division. City only won once more that season and it took a series of draws in April to secure survival. Terry’s second season at City was equally chaotic – Colin Appleton returned as manager and went three months later, then Stan Ternent came in to steady the ship and achieve a mid-table finish. Terry was an ever-present for much of the season, but fell out of Ternent’s favour in early March 1990 when experienced defender Malcolm Shotton was signed. Terry left the Tigers days later.
Born in Clapton in the East End of London, Terry served his apprenticeship at Watford, making his debut at the age of 17, and enjoyed ten years in the Hornets’ first team that pinnacled with a FA Cup Final appearance in 1984. He was a first team mainstay for two seasons in the mid-1980s and made nearly 200 first team appearances for Watford. While at Vicarage Road, a clash of heads with John Fashanu and subsequent scarring led to the donning of his famous headband on matchdays. In 1988 Terry was suffering marital challenges – his daughter was born and complications meant his wife (who later married her teenage sweetheart Vinnie Jones) required a heart transplant – which led to his desire to leave Watford.
Terry moved to Northampton Town in 1990 and served the Cobblers for four seasons as a near ever-present. In 1994 he dropped into the non-league scene, playing several seasons for Enfield Town, the club where his father Peter Terry had been a prominent former player. After football he had a courier business, fitted Aga ovens, worked for the Press Association and did statistics work for Opta.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 14 June 1962, Clapton
Hull City First Game: 27 August 1988, Manchester City H (Division Two), 26 years, 74 days old
Hull City Final Game: 7 March 1990, Newcastle United A (Division Two), 27 years, 266 days old
Clubs
Watford (1979-1988), Hull City (1988-1990), Northampton Town (1990-1994), Aylesbury United (1994), Walton & Hersham (1994-1995), Enfield Town (1995-2000), Billericay Town (2000-2001)
Hull City Record
Career: 69 apps, 4 goals
Steve Terry| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988/89 | 33 (0) | 1 | - | - | 2 (0) | 0 | - | - | 1 (0) | 0 |
| 1989/90 | 29 (0) | 3 | 1 (0) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 | - | - | 1 (0) | 0 |