Stephen Dawson

Dawson was born on 4 December 1985 in Dublin. He started his career as a trainee at Leicester City, having joined from the Dublin schoolboy team Portmarnock AFC. Before that, he spent 7 years with St Malachys FC and although he became a regular in the reserve side, he did not graduate to the first-team. He subsequently rejected an offer for a new contract on reduced terms in May 2005.

Mansfield Town

Dawson joined Mansfield Town in the summer of 2005, signing a two–year contract. After suffering a sore thigh and shortly recovered in the pre–season, Dawson scored on his debut against Stockport County in the opening game of the season on 6 August 2005. Since making his debut, he established himself in the first team regular at Mansfield Town, playing in midfield positions. Despite suffering from a groin strain, he finished his first season at Mansfield Town, making the total of 45 appearances and scoring once. In the 2006–07 season, Dawson continued to remain in the first team regular for the side and was very fortunate to avoid a red card in a 2–1 win over MK Dons on 8 August 2006 after he "was first booked just before the break for a foul and then appeared to be shown a second a minute from time after lengthy protests over referee Kevin Wright's decision not to award him a penalty. But Dawson was not automatically red-carded and was substituted a minute later." After suffering injuries on three occasions throughout 2006, After returning to the first team in January, Dawson then scored his first goal of the season on 16 January 2007, in a 3–2 loss against Accrington Stanley. Despite suffering another injury later in the season, Dawson, nevertheless, made the total of 37 appearances and scoring once in all competitions. Ahead of the 2007–08 season, Dawson signed a new one-year contract on 10 August 2007 and his handful of first team appearances…

Dawson represented the Republic of Ireland at Under-21 level twice. He also represented the country at under-17, 18 and 19 levels.

His younger brother Kevin plays for National League North side Gloucester City A.F.C. In May 2013, Stephen became a father when his girlfriend gave to birth to a baby daughter, Alexis. During his time at Leyton Orient, Dawson began to write his own column in The Local Guardian Series. Growing up in Dublin, Ireland, Dawson said he supports Manchester United.