Steven Mark Drench (born 11 September 1985) is an English footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Chorley.

Steven Drench
Personal information
Full name Steven Mark Drench[1]
Date of birth (1985-09-11) 11 September 1985 (age 39)[2]
Place of birth Manchester, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
0000–2005 Blackburn Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Blackburn Rovers 0 (0)
2005–2006Morecambe (loan) 24 (0)
2006–2008 Morecambe 45 (0)
2008Southport (loan) 19 (0)
2008–2009 Southport 0 (0)
2008–2009Cambridge United (loan) 0 (0)
2009–2010 Leigh Genesis 45 (0)
2010–2016 Guiseley 231 (0)
2016–2017 FC Halifax Town 21 (0)
2017–2019 Bradford Park Avenue 37 (0)
2019–2020 Altrincham 3 (0)
2020–2021 Farsley Celtic 16 (0)
2021–2022 Altrincham 3 (0)
2022– Chorley 0 (0)
International career
England U17 ? (?)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 October 2021 (UTC)

Club career

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Drench began his career with the Blackburn Rovers youth system.[3] Following an injury to Ryan Robinson, he joined Conference National team Morecambe on loan as goalkeeping cover in November 2005.[4] The loan was extended for a second month in December and to the end of the 2005–06 season in February.[5][6]

Following his release by Blackburn, Drench signed for Morecambe permanently in the summer of 2006.[2] After beginning the 2006–07 season competing with Robinson for the starting goalkeeper's spot, Drench was confirmed as the club's first choice goalkeeper when Robinson left to join Forest Green Rovers.[4] However, he dislocated his elbow in a challenge with York City's Clayton Donaldson in the play-off semi-final second leg,[7] which forced him to miss the successful play-off Final against Exeter City.[8] He finished the season with 47 appearances and won Morecambe's Player of the Year award.[2][9] Following this injury, he struggled to regain his first team place following the signing of Joe Lewis on loan and Drench joined Conference North team Southport on a month's loan in January 2008.[2][10] His stayed at Southport until the end of the season and he made 26 appearances for the club.[11]

 
Drench while on trial with York City in 2010

After being released by Morecambe in June 2008, he signed for Southport permanently in July.[12] However, he was allowed to leave the club on a free transfer and had a one-week trial with Conference team Stevenage Borough due to Drench's desire to remain full-time after the club reverted to part-time status following the departure of manager Gary Brabin to Cambridge United.[13] Drench was reunited with Brabin after signing for Cambridge on a six-month loan on 21 August to provide cover for Danny Potter.[12] He subsequently left the club following the expiration of the loan in January 2009.[14]

Southport released Drench on 26 March 2009 and he signed for Leigh Genesis, finishing the 2008–09 season with five appearances for the team.[15] He made 47 appearances in the 2009–10 season.[15]

He had a trial with Conference team Barrow in July 2010 and he played in a pre-season friendly against Oldham Athletic.[16] He later joined York City on trial and after featuring in pre-season friendlies against Hull City and Barnsley he was not offered a contract by the club.[17][18][19][20]

He joined Conference North team Guiseley on trial in August,[21] and played a large part in Guiseley's debut season in the Conference North.[22] Drench was in goal as Guiseley earned promotion to the Conference National.

In 2017, Drench joined Bradford Park Avenue.[23]

In 2019, Drench joined Altrincham and made his debut on 9 February against FC United.[24]

In 2020, Drench joined Farsley Celtic.[25]

Following the conclusion of his contract, in 2021, he temporarily retired from football before re-joining Altrincham as a player / coach.[26]

International career

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Drench played for the England Schoolboys and England national under-17 team while with Blackburn.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/08/2010 and 31/08/2010" (PDF). The Football Association. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e "First Team". Morecambe F.C. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  3. ^ a b Quinn, Derek (17 May 2007). "Super Shrimps!". BBC Lancashire. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  4. ^ a b "Steven Drench – Goalkeeper". Leigh Genesis F.C. Archived from the original on 8 April 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  5. ^ "Shrimps extend Drench's loan stay". BBC Sport. 22 December 2005. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  6. ^ "Shrimps extend Drench loan spell". BBC Sport. 1 February 2006. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  7. ^ "Morecambe 2–1 York (2–1 agg)". BBC Sport. 7 May 2007. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  8. ^ "Exeter 1–2 Morecambe". BBC Sport. 20 May 2007. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  9. ^ "Morecambe 2006/2007 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  10. ^ "Morecambe secure Watford keeper". BBC Sport. 2 January 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  11. ^ "Southport FC complete NL player list as at 24 April 22 May 2010" (PDF). Southport FC Stats. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 August 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  12. ^ a b "Keeper Drench joins U's on loan". BBC Sport. 22 August 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  13. ^ "Latest News". Southport F.C. Retrieved 13 July 2010. [dead link]
  14. ^ "Brabin rules out more departures". BBC Sport. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  15. ^ a b "Steven Drench". TheFootballNetwork.net. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  16. ^ "Good Kompany kept as Barrow AFC take on Oldham". North-West Evening Mail. 12 July 2010. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  17. ^ Flett, Dave (13 July 2010). "Quartet of trialists hope to catch eye of York City manager Martin Foyle". The Press. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  18. ^ Flett, Dave (19 July 2010). "York City 0, Hull City 1". The Press. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  19. ^ Flett, Dave (21 July 2010). "York City 0, Barnsley 2". The Press. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  20. ^ Carroll, Steve (23 July 2010). "York City's David McGurk and Greg Young primed to make pre-season starts". The Press. Retrieved 23 July 2010.
  21. ^ "Guiseley trialists catch the eye in away triumph". Wharfedale Observer. 5 August 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  22. ^ "Goalkeepers". Guiseley A.F.C. Archived from the original on 2 February 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  23. ^ Goalkeeper Steve Drench reunited with Mark Bower as Bradford Park Avenue swoop‚ thetelegraphandargus.co.uk, 6 June 2017
  24. ^ http://www.altrinchamfc.co.uk/team.htm#Steven DRENCH
  25. ^ "Farsley Complete Signing of Steve Drench". farsleyceltic.com. 11 August 2020.
  26. ^ "Bradford and Guiseley ex-stopper retires from football". thetelegraphandargus.com. 31 July 2021.
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