Steve Arnold (footballer, born 1989)

After spending time in the youth teams at Boreham Wood and Arsenal,[4][5] Arnold joined Norwich City's centre of excellence in the summer of 2005.[4] He signed as an academy scholar after playing in a trial match against Rushden & Diamonds' youth team.[4] After playing regularly for Norwich's under-18 team, Arnold trained with the first-team squad and was as an unused substitute in Norwich's 4–2 League Cup victory over Rotherham United on 19 September 2006.[4][6] After playing for both the club's youth and reserve teams during the 2006–07 season, Arnold signed his first professional contract on 11 May 2007, for one-year with the option of a further year.[4] Arnold made no first-team appearances for the club and was released on 6 May 2008;[4][7] his release partly due to the form of fellow goalkeepers Declan Rudd and Jed Steer.[4]

A month after his release from Norwich, Arnold signed for Conference Premier club Grays Athletic on a one-year contract on 12 June 2008.[8] He made his debut for the club on the opening day of the 2008–09 season, a 3–1 defeat away to Weymouth.[9] Arnold started in the club's first three games of the season,[10][11] but did not play again until December 2008, keeping the first clean sheet of his career in a 1–0 away victory against Ebbsfleet United on 26 December 2008.[12] He made 18 appearances during the season as Grays finished just above the relegation places.[13][14] He left the club when his contract expired in June 2009.[15]

Without a club at the start of the 2009–10 season, Arnold spent a week on trial with Brentford in October 2009, playing 45 minutes in a reserve match against Queens Park Rangers.[4][16] No transfer materialised at Brentford and he joined Conference South club Eastleigh on non-contract terms on 10 November 2009.[17] Both of Eastleigh's goalkeepers were missing through injury, and as a result, Arnold deputised in a 2–1 away victory at Dorchester Town on the same day as his signing was announced.[17] He made five appearances during his time with the club.[17][18][19][20][21]

Arnold joined Wycombe Wanderers of League One on a six-month contract on 22 January 2010, following a successful two-week trial.[22][23] He was the club's second-choice goalkeeper during the second half of the 2009–10 season.[23] Arnold signed a one-year contract extension with the club on 21 May 2010.[23] Arnold played regularly for the club's reserve team throughout the 2010–11 season, but failed to make any first-team appearances.[24] He signed another one-year contract extension on 11 May 2011.[25]

Having not played any first-team football at Wycombe, Arnold joined Conference Premier club Hayes & Yeading United on a one-month loan agreement on 5 August 2011, to gain first-team experience.[26] He made his debut in a 3–1 home victory over Alfreton Town on 13 August 2011, saving two first-half penalties during the match.[27] His month at Hayes & Yeading was described as "hugely successful", having played in all six games during the loan agreement, as well as saving a further two penalties.[28][29] His loan was subsequently extended until the end of the 2011–12 season,[28] and Arnold was ever present for Hayes & Yeading during the first three months of his loan spell.[30] He suffered a fractured metatarsal in Hayes' 3–3 draw against Stockport County on 5 November 2011, and, as a result of the injury, he had to return to his parent club to undergo surgery on his foot.[31][32][33] He returned to Hayes & Yeading two months later, and played in their 1–0 away victory against Bath City on 21 February 2012, assisting Michael Thalassitis' goal with his long clearance.[34] Arnold made 31 appearances for the club during the season.[30] At the end of the season, he was voted as the Supporters' Player of the Year.[35] On his return to Wycombe, he was released when his contract expired on 9 May 2012.[36]

Shortly after leaving Wycombe, Arnold signed for League One club Stevenage on a free transfer on 25 May 2012.[37] Stevenage manager Gary Smith stated that goalkeeping coach Gary Phillips had recommended him to sign Arnold, with Phillips working with the player during his time at Grays Athletic.[5][38] Arnold made his debut for the club in a 3–2 defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge in a Football League Trophy tie on 4 September 2012.[39] He earned the first league start of his Stevenage career in a 2–1 away victory over Notts County at Meadow Lane on 2 October,[40] before keeping his first clean sheet of the season four days later in a 1–0 home win against Scunthorpe United.[41] He signed a two-year contract extension, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2015.[42] He made 32 appearances in all competitions during his first season with the club.[43] He was the club's second-choice goalkeeper, behind Chris Day, during the 2013–14 season and made two appearances that season.[44] Arnold was released by Stevenage on 17 May 2014.[45]

On 6 June 2014, he joined Forest Green Rovers.[46] He made his debut for the club on 21 February 2015, keeping a clean sheet in a 3–0 win over AFC Telford United.[47] He followed that performance with a second clean sheet in his next match three days later on 24 February 2015 in a 0–0 draw at the Racecourse Ground against Wrexham.[48] At the end of the 2014–15 season he helped Forest Green to the Conference Premier play-offs only to be denied a place in the play-off final after a semi-final defeat against Bristol Rovers.[49]

His first appearance of the 2015–16 season came in the 2–1 FA Cup victory over Football League side AFC Wimbledon on 7 November 2015.[50] He helped Forest Green to the 2015–16 National League play-off final on 15 May 2016 at Wembley Stadium, only to be denied promotion to the Football League following a 3–1 loss against Grimsby Town.[51] The next day on 16 May 2016 it was confirmed he had been offered a new contract by the club.[52] However, on 3 June 2016 the club announced they have released him.[53]

After appearing in a pre-season friendly against Leyton Orient on 16 July 2016, it was announced that Arnold had joined Dover Athletic.[54] He made his debut for Dover on the opening day of the 2016–17 season, keeping a clean sheet in a 0–0 away draw against Wrexham.[55]

On 17 August 2017, Arnold signed for Gillingham on a one-year deal after his release from Dover at the end of the 2016–17 season.[56]

Unable to regularly break into the Gillingham first-team, he signed for Barrow on an 18-month deal after mutually terminating the contract with The Gills on 16 January 2018.[57]

Arnold joined League One club Shrewsbury Town on 19 July 2018 on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract.[58]

Arnold signed for League Two club Northampton Town on a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee on 5 June 2019.[59] At the end of the curtailed 2019–20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Arnold helped Northampton Town gain promotion to League One with a League Two play-off final 4–0 victory over Exeter City in a behind closed doors match at Wembley Stadium.[60]

On 2 July 2021, Arnold signed for National League side Southend United.[61] On 15 May 2022, he was voted the club's player of the season.[62] With the financially troubled Essex club under a transfer embargo, Arnold then opted for the security of a contract at Sutton United.[63]