Stephen Bywater

West Ham United

Born in Oldham, Greater Manchester, Bywater attended the Blue Coat School, Oldham as a boy starting his career in August 1997 with Rochdale. His only first team appearance was against Carlisle United in a Football League Trophy game which Rochdale lost 6–1. He was brought to West Ham as a 16-year-old by Harry Redknapp in February 1998 for £250,000, rising to £1.75 million depending on performances and achievements. He graduated through the youth set-up and featured in West Ham's 1999 FA Youth Cup winning team along with Joe Cole and Michael Carrick. He spent the next two seasons learning from former Manchester United, Luton Town, Aston Villa and Coventry City goalkeeper Les Sealey and sitting in the pecking order behind Craig Forrest, Bernard Lama and Shaka Hislop. With first team opportunities limited, Bywater joined Wycombe Wanderers on loan in September 1999, making two appearances, and then went to Hull City on loan in November 1999, making four appearances. A broken leg for Shaka Hislop meant a debut for Bywater at the age of 19 against Bradford City in February 2000, in a game that saw Bradford score four times but which West Ham eventually won 5–4. Bywater also appeared in the final three games of the 1999–00 season, against Arsenal, Sunderland and Leeds United and made a single appearance in the following season against Bradford in February 2001. Wolves signed Bywater on loan in July 2001 to ease a goalkeeping crisis but he returned to West…

Bywater made his England U19 debut during 1999 and rotated in the role with both Paul Robinson and Chris Kirkland. He later progressed to the U21 team with the same group of players though by that time both Kirkland and Robinson had become established league players. Injuries had limited his opportunities with both a broken finger and later on a fractured wrist holding up his development and limiting his opportunities. He made six appearances for the U21 team. Bywater was tipped to be called up for the England squad after Derby's promotion to the Premier League in 2006–07, but he was not picked.

Bywater has been involved in several controversies over the years. In an October 2007 interview with Clare Tomlinson on Sky Sports' Goals on Sunday programme he spelt out the word "cunt" whilst live on air as part of an anecdote. In September 2010, Bywater stirred more controversy with regards to a provocative art installation in his garden in Sutton on the Hill, Derbyshire. The installation – a horse box with mattresses and a sex doll strapped to it with graffiti sprayed on the side – brought complaints from neighbours, who described the piece as "very ugly" and an "eyesore". Bywater, who claimed that art was his latest hobby and the installation was his "masterpiece", issued a statement via Derby County stating "I would like to apologise to any supporters and local residents in Derbyshire who have been offended. It was and is still my view that my actions were made as a private citizen and in no way linked to Derby County Football Club. However, now it has been brought into the public domain, I acknowledge that this does not reflect well on me as a professional or the Club in general. I apologise again if my actions have in anyway damaged my reputation or the reputation of the Club." He eventually auctioned the piece, announcing the eBay sale via his Twitter page, saying all the proceeds would be donated to the Teen Pride charity.

West Ham United Youth

FA Youth Cup: 1998–99 West Ham United

Football League Championship play-offs: 2005 Derby County

Football League Championship play-offs: 2007 Sheffield Wednesday

Football League One second-place promotion: 2011–12