Steven James Stuart Anderson (born 19 December 1985) is a Scottish footballer who plays for Broxburn Athletic. He plays in central defence.
Club career Early career Anderson's senior career in football began when he stepped up from Dalkeith Boys Club to sign for Dundee United in January 2001. Anderson progressed for three years at The Tangerines, where he impressed the Dundee United's academy and eventually became captain at one point. However, Anderson failed to make a first team breakthrough at the Tangerines that led him to be released by the club in the summer of 2004.
Anderson joined Rangers on trial, but the club decided against signing him. He then went on trial with St Johnstone and played in a reserve game against Forfar Athletic and in a First Division match against St Mirren on 21 August 2004. His performance convinced the Saints' manager John Conolly to sign Anderson on a contract until the end of the season. Along the way, he learned from Jim Weir and considered him as a mentor, stating: "I learned a lot from Jim. He used to have me out on the training ground on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons for extra training."
St Johnstone Early career at St Johnstone Seven days after signing for the Saints, Anderson made his professional football debut, starting the whole game, in a 1–0 win over Raith Rovers. Shortly after, he became a first team regular for St. Johnstone. However, Anderson received a straight red card for a foul on Hamed Sacko with 10 minutes left, as the club lose 1–0 against Raith Rovers. Upon his return from suspension, he scored his first goal for St Johnstone, in a 4–0 win over Partick Thistle on 4 December 2004. Anderson then scored his second goal of the season, in a 2–1 win over Raith Rovers on 12 March 2005. His contributions later helped the club avoid relegation, having finished eighth place in the league. In his first season as a professional footballer, he went on to make twenty–three appearances and scoring two times in all competitions. Following this, Anderson signed a new deal with the Saints to keep him for another season.
In the 2005–06 season, Anderson would receive more playing time under the new management of Owen Coyle. He went to finish his second season, making twenty–eight appearances in all competitions. When the 2005–06 season was concluded, Anderson signed a new contract with St Johnstone.
In the 2006–07 season, Anderson continued to be a first team regular under manager Coyle, where he developed further as a defender. He was part of the starting eleven for St Johnstone when the Saints won 2–0 victory over Rangers at Ibrox to reach the semi-finals of the Scottish League Cup, giving the club their first win over the Glasgow club at Ibrox in 35 years. However in the second–half of the season, Anderson was out on two separate occasions with suspension, including a second bookable offence against Partick Thistle on 14 March 2007. He helped St Johnstone reached the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup thanks to away wins against SPL clubs Falkirk and Motherwell, but lost 2–1 to Celtic at Hampden in the semi-final. At the end of the 2006 –07 season, Anderson went on to make thirty–two appearances in all competitions. Following this, he signed another new one-year contract with the club.
The 2007–08 season saw the departure of manager Coyle and was succeeded by Derek McInnes Anderson continued to remain a first team regular despite facing competitions. For his performance, he signed an extended contract on a two-year deal with St Johnstone. Anderson started in the Scottish Challenge Cup final and played 80 minutes before being substituted, as he helped the Saints beat Dunfermline Athletic to win the Scottish Challenge Cup. At the end of the 2007–08 season, Anderson made twenty–eight appearances in all competitions.
Ahead of the 2008–09 season, Anderson suffered an ankle injury in a pre-season friendly., causing him to the start of the season. On 23 August 2008 he returned to the starting line–up, losing 4–0 against Partick Thistle. Upon returning from injury, Anderson's first team opportunities were limited as he was behind Kevin Rutkiewicz, Stuart McCaffrey, Gary Irvine and Graham Gartland for a first team place. But Anderson was able to prove himself when he was fit enough for a place on the bench and came on to good effect in matches against Dunfermline Athletic and Ross County as a substitute. However, Anderson suffered ankle injury and had to be substituted in the 61st minute, as St Johnstone won 1–0 against Clyde on 27 December 2008. However, he suffered an ankle injury that kept him out for three months. On 4 April 2009 Anderson returned injury, coming on as a 74th-minute substitute in a 1–1 draw against Partick Thistle. Anderson was part of St Johnstone's promotion squad when the club secured promotion to the Scottish Premier League after beating Greenock Morton to end their seven-year stint in the First Division. On the last game of the season, he scored his first goal for St Johnstone in four years, in a 4–0 win over Airdrieonians. At the end of the 2008–09 season, Anderson made seventeen appearances and scoring once in all competitions.
Playing in the Scottish Premiership At the start of the 2009–10 season, Anderson struggled to earn his place back in the first team, and didn't make his first appearance until on 22 September 2009 against Hibernian in the last 16 of the Scottish League Cup, where he started the whole game, in a 3–1 win. A week later on 3 October 2009, Anderson scored his Scottish Premier League debut with a header, in a 2–0 against Hamilton Academical. He scored again in the quarter final of the Scottish League Cup, in a 2–1 win against Dundee United. His return form in the first team led to manager McInnes giving him more playing time and flourish playing alongside Michael Duberry. However, Anderson suffered a knee injury and was substituted in the 28th minute, as the club lose 2–1 against Motherwell on 6 March 2010. After missing four matches due to an injury, he made his return as a second–half substitute, in a 1–0 loss against Hamilton Academical on 27 March 2010. On 23 April 2010, Anderson signed a two-year contract extension with the Saints, keeping him until 2012. At the end of the 2009–10 season, he went on to make nineteen appearances and scoring two times in all competitions.
In the opening game of the 2010–11 season, however, Anderson received a straight red card for "scything" down on Suso Santana, in a 1–1 draw against Hearts. In a match against Dundee United on 26 September 2010, he came on as a 64th-minute-substitute and was given a second yellow card by the referee, Brian Winter in the space of 12 minutes, but it was not followed by a red and the defender remained on the pitch, causing the match to make national headlines. After the match, Anderson was later banned for three match by the Scottish Football Association's disciplinary committee. He had to wait until on 10 November 2010 to make his first team return, in a 4–0 loss against Motherwell. Anderson regained his first team place, forming a central defensive partnership with Michael Duberry for the rest of the 2010–11 season. Following the club's elimination in the semifinals of the Scottish Cup, both he and Duberry had to serve a suspension. After serving their suspension, both Anderson and Duberry returned to the starting line–up and helped the Saints kept three consecutive clean sheets in the last three league matches of the season. At the end of the 2010–11 season, Anderson went on to make thirty–two appearances in all competitions. For his performance, he was named as St Johnstone's Player of the Year.
Following the departure of his defensive partner Duberry, Anderson started his 2011–12 season, appearing in the first two league games, forming a centre–back partnership with Frazer Wright. After missing three match, he returned to the first team, coming on as a 78th-minute substitute, in a 0–0 draw against St Mirren on 10 September 2011. Following this, Anderson regained his first team place, continuing to be in a centre–back partnership with Frazer Wright. He made his 200th appearance for St Johnstone against Kilmarnock on 1 October 2011, only for him to score an own goal, as the club went on to win 2–1. Anderson then signed a two-year contract extension with the Saints, taking him to the end of the 2013–14 season. A few weeks after signing the new contract, he scored his first goal of the season, in a 5–1 loss against Dundee United. After the match, Anderson said he wasn't impressed with the result and described the defeat as "embarrassing". However, Anderson was out once again with a knee injury that he sustained, as the Saints were eliminated in the last 16 replay of the Scottish Cup against Hearts. On 28 March 2012 Anderson returned from injury, coming on as a late substitute in a 1–0 win against Inverness Caledonian Thistle. St Johnstone eventually qualified for a place in Europe despite finishing sixth place. At the end of the 2011–12 season, he made thirty–four appearances and scoring once in all competitions.
Ninth season at St Johnstone Following the club's elimination in the UEFA Europa League, he continued to remain in the centre–back partnership with Frazer Wright. Along the way, Anderson also played in the right–back position in absence of Dave Mackay.
After missing one match against Celtic on 11 November 2012, Anderson returned to the starting line–up, in a 1–1 draw against Ross County. However, his return was short–lived when he received a straight red card for a foul on Lewis Guy before half time, as St Johnstone drew 1–1 with St Mirren. After serving a one match suspension, Anderson returned to the starting line–up against Cowdenbeath in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup and set up of the goals, in a 4–0 win. However, his return was short–lived once again when he suffered an injury that kept him out for two months.
On 11 February 2013 Anderson returned to the starting line–up, playing at right–back in a 3–1 win against Hibernian. He then made his 250th appearance for the Saints, coming on as a second–half substitute, in a 2–0 loss against Hearts on 5 March 2013. On the last game of the season, Anderson started the whole game against Motherwell and helped the Saints win 2–0 to seal third place finish in the league and qualify for Europe again. At the end of the 2012–13 season, he went on to make thirty–three appearances in all competitions.
Winning the Scottish Cup The start of the 2013–14 season when Anderson played in both legs, winning 2–1 against Norwegian side Rosenberg in the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round. However, he played in both legs in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round against Minsk as the club were eliminated on penalties following a 1–1 draw on aggregate. Following this, Anderson helped St Johnstone kept three consecutive clean sheets in the first three league matches of the season 2013. After the club lose 2–1 against Hibernian on 14 September 2013, he suffered a knock but quickly made a full recovery.