# Steve Daley

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English footballer (born 1953)

For the journalist, see [Steve Daley (journalist)](/source/Steve_Daley_(journalist)).

Steve Daley Personal information Full name Stephen Daley[1] Date of birth (1953-04-15) 15 April 1953 (age 73)[1] Place of birth Barnsley, England[1] Position Midfielder Youth career Wath Wanderers Senior career* Years Team Apps (Gls) 1971–1979 Wolverhampton Wanderers 212 (38) 1979–1981 Manchester City 48 (4) 1981–1983 Seattle Sounders 87 (23) 1981–1982 Seattle Sounders (indoor) 18 (13) 1983–1984 Burnley 23 (4) 1984 San Diego Sockers 19 (3) 1984–1985 San Diego Sockers (indoor) 38 (4) 1985–1986 Walsall 28 (1) Total 455 (77) International career 1971 England Youth 6 (1) 1978 England B 6 (2) Managerial career Telford United Bromsgrove Rovers 2001–2002 Bilston Town * Club domestic league appearances and goals

**Steve Daley** (born 15 April 1953) is an English former [footballer](/source/Association_football), who played as a [midfielder](/source/Midfielder). His English record transfer to [Manchester City](/source/Manchester_City_F.C.) in 1979 was later described as "the biggest waste of money in football history".[2] The Manchester City manager [Malcolm Allison](/source/Malcolm_Allison) and chairman [Peter Swales](/source/Peter_Swales) subsequently accused each other of inflating the fee.[2]

## Career

### Wolverhampton Wanderers

Daley began his football career as an apprentice at [Wolverhampton Wanderers](/source/Wolverhampton_Wanderers_F.C.), after arriving at the club via their feeder team Wath Wanderers based in Yorkshire.[3] He signed professionally in 1971, and made his first-team debut later that year on 18 September, coming on as substitute in a 2–0 defeat at [Newcastle United](/source/Newcastle_United).

He won a [League Cup](/source/EFL_Cup) winners medal with the club in 1974 and played in their run through to the [1972 UEFA Cup Final](/source/UEFA_Cup_1971-72), scoring a vital goal in the semi-final against [Ferencváros](/source/Ferencv%C3%A1rosi_Torna_Club) inside the first minute. That goal still holds the record for being the fastest goal ever scored in European football cup competitions.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] He was an ever-present in the 1976–77 season, scoring 13 goals, and a further eight the following season saw him receive an [England 'B'](/source/England_B_national_football_team) call up. He played six times for the 'B' side during 1978, scoring twice (against Singapore and Czechoslovakia 'B').

### Manchester City

In September 1979, he was transferred to [Manchester City](/source/Manchester_City_F.C.) for a fee of £1,437,500 – an English record, and equivalent to £7,077,897 in 2025.[4] Daley struggled at [Maine Road](/source/Maine_Road), and gained a reputation as a big-money misfit.[5]

### After Manchester City

Twenty months later he was transferred to the [Seattle Sounders](/source/Seattle_Sounders_(NASL)) of the [North American Soccer League](/source/North_American_Soccer_League_(1968%E2%80%931984)) for £300,000 – little more than a fifth of his original transfer cost.[6] He made the NASL All-Star second team in 1982 and 1983 before moving back to Britain.

Daley joined [Burnley](/source/Burnley_F.C.), but soon returned to North America to play for the [San Diego Sockers](/source/San_Diego_Sockers_(NASL)). His professional playing career ended at [Walsall](/source/Walsall_F.C.) in 1986, although he continued to turn out for non-league sides such as Lye Town and [Kettering Town](/source/Kettering_Town).

After hanging up his boots, Daley briefly managed non-league [Telford United](/source/Telford_United_F.C.), [Bromsgrove Rovers](/source/Bromsgrove_Rovers_F.C.), Bilston Town and Lye Town before quitting football to join the pub trade. He has since been working as a brewery sales manager, supplying catering equipment to the industry. Also an established [after-dinner speaker](/source/Public_speaking), Daley recalls his career in football with honesty and humour.[3]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Hugman_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Hugman_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Hugman_1-2) ["Steve Daley"](https://web.archive.org/web/20240608000000/http://barryhugmansfootballers.com/player/4621). *Barry Hugman's Footballers*. Archived from [the original](http://barryhugmansfootballers.com/player/4621) on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Obs020901_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Obs020901_2-1) Irish, Oliver; ["The 10 biggest wastes of money in football history"](https://www.theguardian.com/observer/osm/story/0,6903,543912,00.html) *[Observer.Guardian.co.uk](/source/The_Observer)*, 2 September 2001 (Retrieved: 25 July 2009)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Obs050306_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Obs050306_3-1) Corbett, James; ["Steve Daley"](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2006/mar/05/features.sport13) *[Guardian.co.uk](/source/The_Observer)*, 5 March 2006 (Retrieved: 25 July 2009)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Inflation calculator"](https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/inflation/inflation-calculator).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Guard200109_5-0)** Lewis, Paul; ["'I wish I could have that time at Manchester City again'"](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/jan/20/kaka-manchester-city-steve-daley?commentpage=1) *[Guardian.co.uk](/source/The_Guardian)*, 20 January 2009 (Retrieved: 25 July 2009)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Saunders, Donald (23 February 1981). ["Fashnau-Francis Deals Head Hectic Market Activity"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112729621/fashnau-francis-deals-head-hectic/). *The Daily Telegraph*. p. 26. Retrieved 8 November 2022 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com).

## External links

- [Steve Daley's website](http://www.stevedaley.co.uk/)

- [NASL/MISL stats](http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/D/Daley.Steve.htm)

v t e 1982 NASL All-Stars First Team GK: Birkenmeier DF: Mathieu DF: Cho DF: Nogly DF: Eskandarian MF: Bogićević MF: Ntsoelengoe MF: Steffenhagen FW: Chinaglia FW: Ward FW: Alonso Second Team GK: Van Beveren DF: Wallace DF: Durgan DF: Carlos Alberto DF: Evans MF: Daley MF: Neeskens MF: Cubillas FW: Hunt FW: Granitza FW: Margetic Honorable Mention GK: Möller DF: Wilson DF: Connell DF: Wile DF: Lenarduzzi MF: Hilaire MF: Hudson MF: Veee FW: Šegota FW: Byrne FW: Abrahams FW: Ingram FW: Valentine

v t e 1983 NASL All-Stars First Team GK: Van Beveren DF: Watson DF: Beckenbauer DF: Eskandarian DF: Wallace MF: Bogićević MF: Terlecki MF: Thijssen FW: Cabañas FW: Žungul FW: Margetic Second Team GK: Lettieri DF: Evans DF: Wilson DF: Mathieu DF: Cho MF: Granitza MF: Daley MF: Deyna FW: Chinaglia FW: Alonso FW: Byrne Honorable Mention GK: Birkenmeier DF: Thompson DF: Huson DF: Keri DF: Miller MF: O'Brien MF: Davis MF: Hudson FW: Cross FW: Ward FW: Beardsley

v t e Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Player of the Year 1977: Daley 1978: Hazell 1979: Berry 1980: Carr 1981: Bradshaw 1982: Bradshaw 1983: Burridge 1984: Dodd 1985: Flowers 1986: Streete 1987: Stoutt 1988: Bull 1989: Mutch 1990: Venus 1991: Stowell 1992: Bennett 1993: Cook 1994: Thompson 1995: Rankine 1996: Bull 1997: Bull 1998: Curle 1999: Muscat 2000: Pollet 2001: Naylor 2002: Rae 2003: Lescott 2004: Camara 2005: Lescott 2006: Miller 2007: Murray 2008: Hennessey 2009: Foley 2010: Craddock 2011: Jarvis 2012: Hennessey 2013: Sako 2014: McDonald 2015: Stearman 2016: Doherty 2017: Costa 2018: Neves 2019: Moutinho 2020: Jiménez 2021: Neto 2022: Sá 2023: Neves 2024: Lemina 2025: Gomes 2026: Bueno

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Steve Daley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Daley) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Daley?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.