Steve Potts (footballer)

Steven John Potts (born 7 May 1967) is an English football coach and former professional footballer who is the current head coach of West Ham United under-23s.

For other people named Steve Potts, see Steve Potts (disambiguation).

Steve Potts
Personal information
Full name Steven John Potts[1]
Date of birth (1967-05-07) 7 May 1967[1]
Place of birth Hartford, Connecticut,[1] United States
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 West Ham United
(U23 Head Coach)
Youth career
1983–1984 West Ham United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–2002 West Ham United 399 (1)
2002–2003 Dagenham & Redbridge 21 (0)
Total 420 (1)
International career
England School Boy 11 (0)
Managerial career
2011–2012 West Ham U16s
2012–2015 West Ham U18s
2015–2020 West Ham U21s
2023– West Ham U21s
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

As a player, he was a defender notably in the Premier League for West Ham United where he made 399 league appearances, scoring 1 goal over a seventeen-year spell at Upton Park. He retired in 2003 following a spell with non-league side Dagenham & Redbridge in what was the only season during his career that he did not play for West Ham. He also represented the England national team eleven times at youth level.

Following retirement, Potts has held a variety of coaching roles at the West Ham academy including head coach of the U16, U18 and U21 teams.

Career

Potts started his career at West Ham United as an apprentice in 1983, making his first appearance against Queens Park Rangers on 1 January 1985. Known as Pottsy,[3] he played for West Ham United for the next seventeen years. Primarily a fullback, Potts developed into a 'utility' player, he spent large portions of his career playing at centre-half despite being undersized for such a position. He also on occasion featured in midfield.

Potts was West Ham United Club captain for a three years between 1993 and 1996, and was voted Hammer of The Year in 1993 and 1995, and runner up in both 1992 and 1994. During his career he amassed a total of 505 appearances for the club (good enough for ninth place in the club's all-time appearance charts),[3] scoring only one goal, in a 7–1 win against Hull City in 1990. His last competitive appearance for the club was on 7 March 2001 against Chelsea,[4] although he stayed on until 2002. In 1997 he was awarded a testimonial by West Ham. The game was played on 2 August 1997 and was a 2–0 win against QPR.[5]

Potts transferred to Dagenham & Redbridge on 13 September 2002 and played there for a full season before retiring from football. In August 2011 he was appointed as coach for the West Ham United under-16 team.[6] Potts was promoted to manage the West Ham United under-18 team in December 2012,[7] taking charge of a 1–0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in his maiden game. In January 2015, Potts was named as West Ham United Under-21 team coach.[8]

For the 2021–22 season, Potts was named assistant coach of the under-23 team.[9]

Personal life

In August 2007, he completed The Knowledge and qualified to drive a Hackney carriage.[3] In 2008, he ran the London Marathon in aid of the charity Children with Leukaemia, raising £24,052.99 in the process.[10]

He coached his sons, Daniel and Freddie, at the West Ham United academy, and both signed their first professional contracts at the club.[11] Daniel has since signed for Luton Town.[12]

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[13]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
West Ham United 1984–85 1000000010
1985–86 1000000010
1986–87 8000001090
1987–88 80101010110
1988–89 280706020430
1989–90 320107020420
1990–91 371702010471
1991–92 340503020440
1992–93 460202060560
1993–94 410603000500
1994–95 420204000480
1995–96 340303000400
1996–97 200101000220
1997–98 230504000320
1998–99 190102000220
1999–2000 170101080270
2000–01 80003000110
Total 39914204202305061
Dagenham & Redbridge 2002–03 210102000240
Career total 42014304402305301

Honours
West Ham

References
  1. "Steve Potts". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  2. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 388. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  3. "Potts the marathon man | News | Latest News | News | West Ham United". Whufc.com. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  4. "Chelsea ease past poor Hammers". BBC. 7 March 2001. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
  5. "Steve Potts Testimonial - theyflysohigh". theyflysohigh.co.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  6. "Carr welcomes Potts return". www.whufc.com. 10 August 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  7. "Potts prepared for Under-18 debuyt". www.whufc.com. 11 January 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  8. "Potts named U21 coach". www.whufc.com. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  9. "Steve Potts: West Ham United U23s got there in the end | West Ham United".
  10. Steve Potts 2008 Flora London Marathon www.bmycharity.com
  11. "Freddie Potts". whufc.com. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  12. Ed Smith. "LUTON TOWN SIGN DEFENDER DAN POTTS FROM WEST HAM UTD". Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  13. "Steve Potts". westhamstats.info. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  14. "Intertoto win gives Hammers Uefa spot". BBC. 24 August 1999. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  15. "Hammer for life: Steve Potts reveals his favourite West Ham moments". WHUFC. 11 February 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
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