{{short description|English footballer (born 1993)}} {{Use British English|date=July 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Steven Hetherington | fullname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|03|09|df=y}} | birth_place = Hartlepool, England | height = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Steven Hetherington |url=https://www.alloaathletic.co.uk/player/steven-hetherington/ |access-date=25 October 2020 |website=alloaathletic.co.uk |publisher=Alloa Athletic F.C. |language=en-GB}}</ref> | position = Midfielder | currentclub = Alloa Athletic | clubnumber = 4 | youthyears1 = –2009 | youthclubs1 = Hartlepool United | youthyears2 = 2009–2011 | youthclubs2 = Rangers | years1 = 2011–2013 | clubs1 = Motherwell | caps1 = 4 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2013 | clubs2 = → Airdrie United (loan) | caps2 = 14 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2013 | clubs3 = Celtic Nation | caps3 = 0 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2013–2014 | clubs4 = Crook Town | caps4 = | goals4 = | years5 = 2014–2021 | clubs5 = Alloa Athletic | caps5 = 128 | goals5 = 5 | years6 = 2021–2023 | clubs6 = Falkirk | caps6 = 39 | goals6 = 0 | years7 = 2023 | clubs7 = → Arbroath (loan) | caps7 = 13 | goals7 = 0 | years8 = 2023– | clubs8 = Alloa Athletic | caps8 = 69 | goals8 = 0 <!-- LEAGUE APPS AND GOALS ONLY --> | club-update = 4 May 2026 }}
'''Steven Hetherington''' (born 9 March 1993)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130419180418/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/bsp/hi/football/statistics/players/h/hetherington_470270.stm | url-status=live | archive-date=19 April 2013 | title=Steven Hetherington | publisher=BBC Sport | access-date=12 August 2012}}</ref> is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Alloa Athletic.
He has spent the majority of his career in Scotland and has previously played for Motherwell, Airdrie United, Arbroath and Falkirk. He has also played for English non-league sides Celtic Nation and Crook Town.
==Career== Hetherington started his football career at local club Hartlepool United, and was at Victoria Park up until July 2009, when SPL club Rangers signed him.<ref>{{cite web|title=Steven's living the dream with Rangers|url=http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/steven-s-living-the-dream-with-rangers-1-1037645|work=Hartlepool Mail|date=21 April 2009|accessdate=30 July 2014}}</ref> He was immediately drafted into the under-19 team.
His chances at Ibrox were limited, and he was released by the club in July 2011, after not making a single first team appearance. He was then given a trial at fellow SPL club Motherwell, and did enough to earn a short-term contract at the Fir Park club. Despite not making a first team appearance in the 2011–12 season, Hetherington's good performances for the Under 19 team earned him a contract extension with the club.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2012/05/11/end-of-season-contract-news/|title=End of season contract news |publisher=Motherwell F.C.|date=11 May 2012|access-date=11 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120630230013/https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2012/05/11/end-of-season-contract-news/|archive-date=30 June 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
After several former youth players were released by Motherwell, his chances of a first team appearance increased. Indeed, on 11 August 2012, he made his competitive first-team debut as a substitute for Keith Lasley in a 1–1 draw with St. Johnstone.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/19123925|title=Motherwell 1 – 1 St Johnstone|date=11 August 2012|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=11 August 2012}}</ref>
On 7 February 2013, after making just four appearances for Motherwell in the 2012–13 season, Hetherington went on a months loan to Lanarkshire derby rivals Airdrie United.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hetherington joins Airdrie on loan|url=http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2013/02/07/hetherington-joins-airdrie-on-loan/|access-date=7 February 2013|publisher=Motherwell F.C.|date=7 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103231539/https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2013/02/07/hetherington-joins-airdrie-on-loan/|archive-date=3 January 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> That loan was then extended till the end of the season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Airdrie v Dunfermline Athletic|url=http://airdriefc.com/news/2013/03/dunfermlinepreview.html|access-date=8 March 2013|publisher=Airdrie United F.C.|date=8 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213948/https://www.airdriefc.com/news/2013/03/dunfermlinepreview.html|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On 20 May 2013, Hetherington left Motherwell after failing to earn a contract extension with the Fir Park club.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2013/05/20/forthcoming-squad-changes/|title=Forthcoming squad changes|date=20 May 2013|publisher=Motherwell F.C.|access-date=20 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419012417/https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2013/05/20/forthcoming-squad-changes/|archive-date=19 April 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
After an unsuccessful trial with Crystal Palace,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://spfl.co.uk/news/smith-has-a-look-at-hetherington |title=Smith has a look at Hetherington|publisher=Alloa Athletic |date=10 July 2014}}</ref> Steven had brief spells at English non-league clubs Celtic Nation and Crook Town before signing for Scottish Championship club Alloa Athletic on 30 July 2014.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hetherington joins Alloa|url=http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/alloa-complete-hetherington-signing/|publisher=Scottish Professional Football League|date=30 July 2014|accessdate=30 July 2014}}</ref>
Hetherington made the switch back to full-time football when he signed for Falkirk in June 2021.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.falkirkfc.co.uk/2021/06/01/steven-hetherington-joins-the-bairns/ | title=Steven Hetherington Joins the Bairns! }}</ref> He was appointed club captain two months later.<ref>{{cite web|title=EXCLUSIVE: Falkirk replace Gary Miller as club captain with summer signing Steven Hetherington|url=https://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/sport/football/exclusive-falkirk-replace-gary-miller-as-club-captain-with-summer-signing-steven-hetherington-3338054|publisher=Falkirk Herald|date=9 August 2021}}</ref>
On 15 June 2023, it was announced Hetherington has signed for his former club Alloa.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.alloaathletic.co.uk/2023/06/15/steven-hetherington-returns/ |title=Steven Hetherington returns |publisher=Alloa Athletic |date=15 June 2023 |accessdate=16 March 2023}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|match played 18 January 2020}}<ref name=sw>{{soccerway|steven-hetherington/255254|accessdate=7 November 2017}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- ! rowspan=2 | Club ! rowspan=2 | Season ! colspan=3 | League ! colspan=2 | Scottish Cup ! colspan=2 | League Cup ! colspan=2 | Other ! colspan=2 | Total |- ! Division ! Apps ! Goals ! Apps ! Goals ! Apps ! Goals ! Apps ! Goals ! Apps ! Goals |- |Motherwell |2012–13<ref name="SH12">{{soccerbase season|65506|2012|accessdate=7 November 2017}}</ref><ref name=sw/> |Scottish Premier League |3||0||0||0||0||0||1<ref group=lower-alpha name="UEL">Appearance in the Europa League</ref>||0||4||0 |- |Airdrie United (loan) |2012–13<ref name="SH12"/> |Scottish First Division |14||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||14||0 |- |rowspan="7"|Alloa Athletic |2014–15<ref>{{soccerbase season|65506|2014|accessdate=7 November 2017}}</ref> |rowspan="2"|Scottish Championship |7||0||1||0||1||0||5<ref group=lower-alpha>Two appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup and three in the Championship play-offs</ref>||0||14||0 |- |2015–16<ref>{{soccerbase season|65506|2015|accessdate=7 November 2017}}</ref> |18||1||1||0||0||0||0||0||19||1 |- |2016–17<ref>{{soccerbase season|65506|2016|accessdate=7 November 2017}}</ref> |rowspan="2"|Scottish League One |21||0||1||0||1||0||3<ref group=lower-alpha>Three appearances in the Championship play-offs</ref>||0||26||0 |- |2017–18<ref>{{soccerbase season|65506|2017|accessdate=7 November 2017}}</ref> |32||3||2||0||4||0||3<ref group=lower-alpha>Two appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup and one appearance in the Championship play-offs</ref>||0||41||3 |- |2018–19<ref>{{soccerbase season|65506|2018|accessdate=12 August 2019}}</ref> |rowspan=2|Scottish Championship |33||1||2||0||2||0||2<ref group=lower-alpha name="SCC">Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup</ref>||0||39||1 |- |2019–20<ref>{{soccerbase season|65506|2019|accessdate=12 August 2019}}</ref> |17||0||1||0||3||0||1<ref group=lower-alpha name="SCC"/>||0||22||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !128!!5!!8!!0!!11!!0!!14!!0!!161!!5 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !145||5||8||0||11||0||15||0||179||5 |}
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Alloa Athletic F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hetherington, Steven}} Category:1993 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Hartlepool Category:People educated at English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Hartlepool United F.C. players Category:Rangers F.C. players Category:Motherwell F.C. players Category:Airdrieonians F.C. players Category:Celtic Nation F.C. players Category:Crook Town A.F.C. players Category:Falkirk F.C. players Category:Arbroath F.C. players Category:Alloa Athletic F.C. players Category:Scottish Premier League players Category:Scottish Football League players Category:Scottish Professional Football League players Category:21st-century English sportsmen