Steve Sidwell

Steven James "Steve" Sidwell (born 14 December 1982) is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Fulham in the Premier League. His previous clubs include Arsenal, Reading, Chelsea and Aston Villa.

Football career

Arsenal

Sidwell was born in Wandsworth, London. He was part of the Arsenal youth team that won the FA Youth Cup in 2000 and 2001. One of his team mates during these years was James Harper, who he would go on to play with at Reading. He had successful loan spells with Brentford and Brighton, but was unable to break into the Arsenal first team.

Reading

Sidwell moved to Reading for an undisclosed fee on a four-and-a-half year deal in January 2003.In 2004, Four Four Two Magazine voted him the best player outside the Premier League.

A vital part of Reading's Championship-winning 2005–06 squad, in April 2006 Sidwell was named in the Championship Team of the Year by the Professional Footballers' Association, keeping the place he had been given the previous year.

In the summer of 2006, Sidwell rejected a contract extension, and it was rumoured that he might be sold to Everton, Charlton Athletic or Manchester City, as his contract was due to run out at the end of the 2006–07 season. Reading decided to keep Sidwell for their inaugural season in the Premier League, and risk losing him without a transfer fee...
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