Robert Leonard Stephenson (14 July 1930 – 29 September 2014) was an English footballer. A centre-forward, he scored 26 goals in 93 league games in a seven-year career in the Football League for Blackpool, Port Vale, and Oldham Athletic.
Career Stephenson began his professional career with Joe Smith's Blackpool in November 1948. It wasn't until just over two years later, on 20 January 1951, that he made his debut in a 2–2 league draw with Sunderland at Bloomfield Road. He scored the hosts' second goal in his only appearance of the 1950–51 campaign.Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, p. 276. . He made three First Division appearances during the following season,Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, p. 278 before injury struck, and sat out the entire 1952–53 term, at the climax of which Blackpool won the FA Cup.Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, p. 280
Stephenson returned to the Blackpool line-up two-thirds of the way through 1953–54, scoring their first goal in a 3–2 home league victory over Aston Villa on 23 January. He made seven more league appearances that season, scoring another three goals. He also scored in the FA Cup, in Blackpool's third-round replay victory over Luton Town at Molineux Stadium.Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, p. 282
He scored five goals in his eleven league appearances during 1954–55, including the only goal of the game in a victory over West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on 11 December. He made his final appearance for the "Seasiders" on 15 January, in a 2–0 defeat at home to Wolves.Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, p. 284
Stephenson joined Port Vale on 10 March 1955 for £5,000. He scored his first goal for the "Valiants" on 19 March, in a 2–1 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Vale Park. He made a further nine Second Division appearances, without scoring any further goals, in the 1954–55 season.
With 14 goals in 33 appearances, he was the club's top scorer in the 1955–56 season; however, he lost his place in January 1957 after manager Freddie Steele resigned from his post. The club were relegated under new boss Norman Low, and Stephenson was transferred to Oldham Athletic for £1,025 in June 1957. He made eight Third Division North appearances for Ted Goodier's "Latics" in 1957–58, before departing Boundary Park to finish his career with Cheshire County League side Witton Albion.Oldham F.C. at Neil Brown's statistical website He scored 11 goals in 23 games in the 1958–59 season and 11 goals from 39 games in the 1959–60 campaign.
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsBlackpool1950–51First Division1100111951–52First Division3000301952–53First Division94411351953–54First Division11500115Total2410412811Port Vale1954–55Second Division101001011955–56Second Division31122233141956–57Second Division20321224Total6116436519Oldham Athletic1957–58Third Division North800080Career total93268410130
References