Jim Steel (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William James Steel | ||
| Date of birth | 4 December 1959 | ||
| Place of birth | Dumfries, Scotland | ||
| Playing position | Centre Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1978–1983 | Oldham Athletic | 108 | (24) |
| 1982 | → Wigan Athletic (loan) | 2 | (2) |
| 1982–1983 | → Wrexham (loan) | 9 | (6) |
| 1983–1984 | Port Vale | 28 | (6) |
| 1984–1987 | Wrexham | 164 | (51) |
| 1987 | → Deportivo de La Coruña (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 1987–1992 | Tranmere Rovers | 174 | (29) |
| Total | 489 | (118) | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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William James Steel (born 4 December 1959) is a Scottish former professional association footballer. A big, aggressive player, his position was centre forward.
After starting his career with Oldham Athletic in 1978, he moved onto Port Vale in March 1983 for a £10,000 fee, following loan spells at Wigan Athletic and Wrexham. He won promotion with the club in 1982–83, before he joined Wrexham for £10,000 in January 1984. He scored a critical goal in his two European campaigns during his four years with the club, and also lifted the Welsh Cup. After a brief spell on loan at Deportivo de La Coruña, he then enjoyed numerous successes with Tranmere Rovers after joining the club in 1987. During his five years the club won promotion twice, and reached the final of the Football League Trophy twice, winning it in 1990. He retired in 1992, having made 485 league appearances in a fourteen-year career in the Football League, scoring 118 goals.
Steel was born in Dumfries, and raised in nearby Dalbeattie. He began his football career when he was signed as an apprentice by Jimmy Frizzell for Oldham Athletic. After scoring two goals against Cardiff City on his debut, he established himself in the first team as the "Latics" battled away in the lower half of the Second Division table in 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, and 1981–82. During his time he built successful strike partnership with Simon Stainrod and Rodger Wylde. Frizzell was dismissed in early 1982 and Steel was unable to establish himself under new manager Joe Royle. Steel had loans spells with Third Division clubs Wigan Athletic (scoring two goals in his two league games under Larry Lloyd) and Wrexham (where he scored six goals from his nine league games). Steel left Boundary Park in March 1983 after making 108 league appearances and scoring 24 goals.
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