Birthplace: Dublin
Date signed: 10 August 2004
NUFC Debut: 14 August 2004 v Middlesbrough

Honours
League Cup Winner (1999)
PFA Premiership team of the season (2002/03)

International Career
44 Full Republic of Ireland caps, 1999-date, 12 U21 Republic of Ireland caps
International Debut
28 April 1999 v Sweden

Dublin born Stephen joined United on a four-year contract on 10 August 2004 from Tottenham Hotspur where he had spent the last 11 seasons since making his senior debut under Ossie Ardiles, away at Burnley in the League Cup on 22 September 1993.

The following week he made his Premiership debut against Ipswich Town at Portman Road but had to wait until the 1996/97 season to pin down a regular place in the side.

Stephen began life as a midfielder with Trinity Boys, St. Kevins and Stella Maris in Dublin and first came to England as a teenager when Arsenal invited him for trials. Nothing came of that though so the 15 year-old joined Tottenham as a YTS trainee in 1992.

Stephen, who was club captain at White Hart Lane in 2003/04, is an adventurous attack minded right back, but one very much aware of his defensive duties. A League Cup win with Tottenham in 1999, where Spurs enjoyed a single goal victory over Leicester is his only major honour in the game but he was voted proudly in to the PFA Premiership team of the season in 2002/03.

During his career he has suffered greatly with injury, missing the entire 2001/02 season with a knee ligament injury in what was a huge blow for Tottenham as Stephen was such a pivotal figure in both defence and attack. It took a little while for the powerful full-back to regain his attacking thrust, but he was back in fine form during 2003-04 and was an experienced head in what was often a youthful Spurs line-up.

Now back on the international scene, after a short spell in a self-imposed retirement, he won caps at Full, 'B,' Under-21 and Youth levels, Stephen made his full international debut on 28 April 1999 against Sweden but unfortunately missed out on the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan through injury.

Back firing on all cylinders, and with nearly 300 Premiership appearances under his belt, including eight goals, a successful campaign domestically on Tyneside is his aim for 2007/08. Captained United in the UEFA Cup tie against Levadia Tallinn on 28 September 2006 and also filled in admirably at left-back throughout the last campaign to help out the injury ravaged United back four.