Stevie May

Stevie May

May playing for Sheffield Wednesday in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Steven May[1]
Date of birth	3 November 1992
Place of birth	Perth, Scotland
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current team	Preston North End
Number	24
Youth career
0000–2009	St Johnstone
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2009–2014	St Johnstone	78	(34)
2011–2012	→ Alloa Athletic (loan)	22	(19)
2012–2013	→ Hamilton Academical (loan)	33	(25)
2014–2015	Sheffield Wednesday	39	(7)
2015–	Preston North End	1	(0)
National team
2012	Scotland U20	1	(0)
2013–2014	Scotland U21	8	(2)
2014	Scotland	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:31, 16 May 2015 (UTC). † Appearances (goals)

Steven "Stevie" May (born 3 November 1992) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for English club Preston North End as a striker. May has previously played in the Scottish leagues for St Johnstone, Alloa Athletic and Hamilton Academical, and in the English leagues for Sheffield Wednesday. He has been capped once internationally by Scotland.

Club career

St Johnstone

Early career

May began playing football aged ten and started his career as a member of St Johnstone's youth squad.^[2][3] Aged 16, May made his first team debut on 11 May 2009 as a substitute against Airdrie United in the Scottish First Division scoring his first senior goal.^[4] May later recalled on his debut, quoting: "Derek McInnes gave me my first taste of first team football. He gave my SPL debut at 16. He believed in me. He taught me how important it was to keep possession when I had the ball and make the opposition work to get it back."^[5] In 2009 he signed a new contract that tied him to the club until 2012.^[6]

May had to wait another season for his next appearance, coming on as a substitute on 13 November 2010 against Hearts in the Scottish Premier League.^[7] With his first start coming on 26 January 2011 against Motherwell.^[8] He scored two goals on 1 February 2011 in their 2–0 win over Hamilton.^[9] In all he made 22 appearances that season scoring twice.

Alloa (loan)

May's only appearance of the 2011–12 season for St Johnstone came as a substitute on the opening day of the season against Aberdeen at Pittodrie.^[10] With appearances limited he was loaned to Alloa Athletic until the end of January.^[11] He made his league debut for Alloa on 10 December against Queen's Park,^[12] going on to score his first goals on 2 January 2012, netting a hat-trick for The Wasps in a 3–1 win against East Stirlingshire.^[13] After one month at the club, May had his loan spell with Alloa extended until the end of the season.^[14] May was awarded the SFL Player of the Month, Young Player of the Month and Irn-Bru Ginger Boot awards for January; the first time that one player has won all three player awards in a month.^[15][16] He scored four goals in the 8–1 victory against Elgin City that clinched the Third Division championship.^[17] At the end of the season, May won the Irn-Bru SFL Phenomenal Third Division Player of the Season.^[18] May signed a new one-year contract with St Johnstone.^[19]

Hamilton Academical (loan)

On 29 August 2012, he joined Scottish First Division side Hamilton Academical on loan until 31 May 2013.^[20] May cited moving to Hamilton on loan, as "get his own career back on track."^[21] After four games without a goal, May scored his first goal and then another in the match, as well as, making assist twice, as Hamilton beat Airdrieonians 4–0 on 11 October 2012.^[22] After scoring fifteen goals this season, May scored two consecutive hat tricks against Airdieonians, in a 5–0 win on 11 April 2013^[23] and another come against Livingston, in a 3–0 win on 18 April 2013.^[24] For his performance in April, May was awarded the Irn Bru player and young player of the month in the Scottish Football League.^[25] At the end of the season, May says he enjoyed his time at Hamilton.^[26] At the end of the season, May was awarded furthermore when he won Irn-Bru SFL Phenomenal Young of the Season.^[27] His future at St Johnstone appeared to be in doubt,^[28] but he signed a new one-year contract in May 2013.^[29][30]

2013–14 season

In the summer of 2013 May was the subject of several bids from Peterborough United of the English League One,^[31] though May insisted he was happy at the club.^[32] Immediately after being linked with Peterborough, May was offered and signed a further contract extension by St Johnstone.^[33] May believed his performance in his two loan spells would allow him to make a breakthrough at the club.^[34]

May started the 2013/14 season very well. Awarded a starting place, he scored the equaliser against Europa League opponents, Rosenborg, in a famous 2–1 aggregate win.^[35] At the start of the league season, BBC commentator Rob MacLean described him as "having been pumped up with a bicycle pump" due to his weight training and maturing out of his teenage years over the summer months. He went on to score the winner against Hearts,^[36] and goals against Ross County^[37] and Hibs.^[38] He scored 4 goals in his first 9 games of the season leading to a call-up for the Scotland U21 team. New St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright described him as "heading for the top".^[39]

A rich seam of form followed. In a match against Inverness CT on 5 October, May provided a triple assist and scored, as St Johnstone won 4–0.^[40] He then scored four goals in three matches against Motherwell, Hearts and Kilmarnock. Thanks to this form, May extended his contract at St Johnstone until 2015.^[41] It could got for May when he won the Scottish Professional Football League player of the month award of October.^[42] May scored his first hat-trick of the season, in a 3–0 win over Dundee United.^[43] Three weeks after that, May scored another hat-trick, on 18 January, in a 3–3 draw against Hearts.^[44]

His 18th goal of the season saw comparisons drawn with earlier Saints greats, noting the potential to break Paul Wright's goalscoring record, set in the 1991–92 season.^[45] May scored his 19th and 20th goal of the season, in all competitions, as they bear Aberdeen to reach their first Scottish Cup Final.^[46] May was among four players to be nominated for PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year, but lost out to Dundee United's Andrew Robertson.^[47][48] May won the SFWA Young Player of the Year^[49] and was included in the Scottish Premiership Team of the Year.^[50] In the Scottish Cup Final, May started the match and provided an assist for Steven MacLean, as they beat Dundee United 2–0 at Celtic Park.^[51] During the match, May had a goal disallowed for handball and was booked for this.^[51]

During the 2013–14 season, May continued to attract interest from lower-league English clubs, such as Rotherham United,^[52] Peterborough United,^[53] Preston North End^[54] and QPR.^[55] Talks over a new contract started,^[56] but were put on hold until after the Scottish Cup Final.^[57]

The Daily Mail reported that May did not sign a new contract after it broke down, which attracted more interest that was at first played down.^[58][59] May scored in 2014–15 UEFA Europa League games against Luzern and Spartak Trnava amid continuing transfer speculation.^[60][61][62]

Sheffield Wednesday

May joined Football League Championship side Sheffield Wednesday on 9 August 2014, signing a four-year deal.^[63][64] Upon the move, Manager Stuart Gray believed that May have expectations to become a success at the club^[65] and May, himself, felt it was a right decision to leave St Johnstone at the right time.^[66]

May made his debut for the club on 16 August 2014, in a goalless draw against Derby County.^[67] His first goal came in an away fixture at Middlesbrough on 23 August, which Wednesday won 3–2.^[68] He scored his second goal for the club at Birmingham City on 16 September, in a 2–0 win.^[69] Four days later, he continued a sequence of contributing vital goals, as he scored the only goal of the game against Reading.^[70] May helped the club end an 11-game winless run by scoring in a 2–1 win over Wigan Athletic on 29 November.^[71] May then had a goal drought that lasted twelve games and, as a result, he was often placed on the substitute bench.^[72] This drought ended on 24 February 2015, when he scored in a 3–1 win against Millwall.^[73]

Preston North End

May was transferred to Preston North End on 1 September 2015 for an undisclosed fee.^[74] Whilst playing for Preston against Fulham in November 2015, May suffered a knee ligament injury which ruled him out for the rest of the season.^[75]

International career

On 5 August 2013, May was called up for the Scotland U21 team.^[76] On 30 September 2014, May was called up to the senior Scotland national football team for Euro 2016 Group D qualifying matches against Georgia and Poland.^[77]

He made his international debut for Scotland, coming on as a substitute in the 67th minute in a friendly against England at Celtic Park.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 2 May 2015.

Club statistics

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
St Johnstone	2008–09[78]	Scottish First Division	1	1	0	0	0	0	—		1	1
	2009–10[79]	Scottish Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2010–11[80]	Scottish Premier League	19	2	3	0	0	0	—		22	2
	2011–12[81]	Scottish Premier League	1	0	—		0	0	—		1	0
	2012–13[82]	Scottish Premier League	3	0	—		—		2[lower-alpha 1]	0	5	0
	2013–14[83]	Scottish Premiership	38	20	5	4	3	2	3[lower-alpha 1]	1	49	27
	2014–15[84]	Scottish Premiership	—		—		—		2[lower-alpha 1]	2	2	2
	Total		62	23	8	4	3	2	7	3	80	32
Alloa Athletic (loan)	2011–12[81]	Scottish Third Division	22	19	—		—		—		22	19
Hamilton Academical (loan)	2012–13[82]	Scottish First Division	33	25	2	1	—		—		35	26
Sheffield Wednesday	2014–15[84]	Championship	39	7	1	0	2	0	—		42	7
Preston North End	2015–16[84]	Championship	1	0	0	0	0	0	—		1	0
Career total			157	74	11	5	5	2	7	3	180	84

1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 18 November 2014.^[85]

International statistics

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Scotland	2014	1	0
Total		1	0

Honours

St Johnstone

• Scottish Cup: 2013–14

Alloa Athletic

• Scottish Third Division: 2011–12

Individual honours

St Johnstone SFWA Young Player of the Year: 2013-14[86] PFA Scotland Premiership Team of the Year: 2013–14[87] SPFL Player of the Month: October 2013[88] May was also nominated for the 2013-14 PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year[89] Hamilton Academical SFL Young Player of the Season: 2012–13[90] SFL Player of the Month: April 2013[91] SFL Young Player of the Month:April 2013[91] SFL Ginger Boot: April 2013[91] May was also nominated for the 2012-13 SFL First Division Player of the Season[90]

Alloa Athletic PFA Scotland Third Division Player of the Year: 2011-12[92] PFA Scotland Third Division Team of the Year: 2011–12[93] SFL Third Division Player of the Season: 2011–12[94] SFL Younger Player of the Season: 2011–12[94] SFL Player of the Month: January 2012[95] SFL Young Player of the Month: January 2012[95] SFL Ginger Boot: January 2012[95] Alloa Athletic FC (Supporters) Top Goalscorer: 2011-12[96] Alloa Athletic FC (Directors) Special Contribution: 2011-12 [97]

References

1. "The Football League Limited: Club list of registered players as at 16th May 2015" (PDF). The Football League. 16 May 2015. p. 34. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
2. "Saints ease to last game win". St Johnstone F.C. 11 May 2009. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
3. "When I get down I think about my old Saints pal who's now selling ice cream for a living, says Stevie May". Daily Record. 22 February 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
4. "Airdrie United 0–4 St Johnstone". BBC. 11 May 2009. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
5. "St Johnstone striker Stevie May reveals how he will never forget those who helped him on his way to stardom". Daily Record. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
6. "Stevie May St Johnstone Profile". St Johnstone F.C. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
7. "St Johnstone 0 – 2 Hearts". BBC Sport (BBC). 13 November 2010. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
8. "St Johnstone 1 – 0 Motherwell". BBC Sport (BBC). 26 January 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
9. "St Johnstone 2 – 0 Hamilton". BBC Sport (BBC). 1 February 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
10. "Aberdeen 0 – 0 St Johnstone". BBC Sport (BBC). 23 July 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
11. "Manager adds to squad". Alloa Athletic F.C. 7 December 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
12. "Alloa Athletic 1–0 Queen's Park". BBC Sport (BBC). 10 December 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
13. "East Stirlingshire 1–3 Alloa Ath". BBC News. 2 January 2012.
14. "May stays with Alloa". Alloa Advertiser. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
15. "Irn Bru SFL Phenomenal Awards – January 2012". Scottish Football League. 17 February 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
16. "Steven May shows he's got style and substance". Scotland on Sunday (Johnston Press). 12 February 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
17. "Alloa Athletic v Elgin City". BBC Sport (BBC). 7 April 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
18. "IRN-BRU SFL End of Season Awards 2011/12". SFFL Official Website. 25 May 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
19. "Stevie May signs new contract with St Johnstone". BBC Sport (BBC). 15 June 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
20. "St Johnstone allow young striker Steven May to join Hamilton on loan". sport.stv.tv. STV. 29 August 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
21. "May sets goals target". Daily Record. 6 September 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
22. "Hamilton Accies happy with 4–0 triumph over Airdrie United". Daily Record. 11 October 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
23. "Five-star show from Hamilton puts Diamonds closer to drop". Daily Record. 11 April 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
24. "Livingston 0–3 Hamilton match report". Daily Record. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
25. "SFL monthly double for Hamilton striker Stevie May". BBC Sport. 4 May 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
26. "May: I've loved my time at Accies". Daily Record. 9 May 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
27. "IRN-BRU SFL End of Season Awards 2012/13". SPFL Official Website. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
28. "May puts future on hold". Daily Record. 16 April 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
29. "Stevie May returns to St Johnstone". Daily Record. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
30. "St Johnstone: Stevie May signs new one-year contract". BBC Sport. 31 May 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
31. "Transfer news: Peterborough still interested in St Johnstone's Stevie May". Sky Sports. 14 August 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
32. "Stevie May happy to be playing and scoring with St Johnstone". Sky Sports. 13 September 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
33. "Stevie May: St Johnstone to offer new deal to Peterborough target". BBC Sport. 22 August 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
34. "STEVIE READY TO SHOW WHAT HE CAN DO AT SPL LEVEL". Perth St Johnstone. 3 June 2013. Archived from the original on 17 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
35. "St Johnstone 1–1 Rosenborg (agg 2–1)". BBC Sport. 25 July 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
36. "Scottish Premiership: Stevie May's goal enough for St Johnstone". Sky Sports. 4 August 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
37. "St Johnstone 4–0 Ross County". BBC Sport. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
38. "St Johnstone 1–2 Hibernian". BBC Sport. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
39. "Football – Mature May 'heading for the top'". Yahoo! Eurosport. 20 September 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
40. "St Johnstone 4–0 Inverness Caledonian Thistle". BBC Sport. 5 October 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
41. "St Johnstone: Stevie May signs one-year contract extension". BBC Sport. 24 October 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
42. "St Johnstone: Stevie May and Tommy Wright win October awards". BBC Sport. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
43. "St Johnstone 3–0 Dundee United". BBC Sport. 29 December 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
44. "St Johnstone 3–3 Heart of Midlothian". BBC Sport. 18 January 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
45. "St Johnstone’s Stevie May has Paul Wright’s record in his sights". The Courier (DC Thomson). 1 April 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
46. "Scottish Cup: Stevie May the hero in St Johnstone win over Aberdeen". BBC Sport. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
47. "Three Celtic players make PFA player of year shortlist". BBC Sport. 17 April 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
48. "Celtic star Kris Commons caps best season of his career by landing PFA Scotland Player of the Year award". Daily Record. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
49. "St Johnstone: Stevie May is writers' young player pick". BBC Sport. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
50. "Celtic and Dundee United trios in SPFL Premiership team of year". BBC Sport. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
51. "St Johnstone 2–0 Dundee United". Daily Telegraph. 17 May 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
52. "Stevie May: Rotherham United want St Johnstone striker". BBC Sport. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
53. "Transfer News: St Johnstone reject bid for Stevie May from Peterborough". Sky Sports. 1 February 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
54. "Transfer News: Preston's bid for St Johnstone's Stevie May has been rejected". Sky Sports. 1 February 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
55. "QPR boss Harry Redknapp plotting £700,000 bid for St Johnstone star Stevie May". Daily Record. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
56. "Scottish Premiership: Stevie May to open talks with St Johnstone". Sky Sports. 24 April 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
57. "Transfer news: Stevie May puts contract extension talks on hold". Sky Sports. 17 May 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
58. "QPR on alert after striker Stevie May stalls on new deal at St Johnstone". Daily Mail. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
59. "May wants new Saints deal". Daily Express. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
60. Masson, James (9 August 2014). "Wanted St Johnstone striker Stevie May could be off". Dundee Evening Telegraph (DC Thomson). Retrieved 9 August 2014.
61. "St Johnstone 1–1 Luzern (agg 2–2) (5–4 on pens)". BBC Sport. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
62. "Stevie May set for last St Johnstone game". Dundee Evening Telegraph. 7 August 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
63. "Sheffield Wednesday sign striker Stevie May from St Johnstone". BBC News. 9 August 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
64. "Strike ace Stevie May joins Sheffield Wednesday". Sheffield Wednesday. 9 August 2014. Archived from the original on 8 March 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
65. "Championship: Sheffield Wednesday boss Stuart Gray says Stevie May should not feel pressure". Sky Sports. 11 August 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
66. "Transfer news: Stevie May happy with timing of Sheffield Wednesday move". Sky Sports. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
67. "Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Derby County". BBC Sport. BBC. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
68. "Middlesbrough 2-3 Sheffield Wednesday". BBC Sport. BBC. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
69. "Birmingham City 0-2 Sheffield Wednesday". BBC Sport. BBC. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
70. "Sheffield Wednesday 1–0 Reading". BBC Sport (BBC). 20 September 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
71. "Sheffield Wednesday 2–1 Wigan Athletic". BBC Sport. BBC. 29 November 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
72. "Sheffield Wednesday: Gray backs misfiring May to come good". Sheffield Telegraph. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
73. "Millwall 1–3 Sheffield Wednesday". BBC Sport. BBC. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
74. "Stevie May and Eoin Doyle join Preston North End". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
75. "Preston North End striker Stevie May ruled out for season: http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/preston-north-end/injury-news/news/preston-striker-stevie-may-ruled-out-for-season_260417.html#$$o17ltf&&3CAF5L7NEeWB1AqPcXQCJw$$=Sport Mole". 28 November 2015. External link in |title= (help);
76. "Scotland U21 call for St Johnstone striker Stevie May". BBC Sport. 5 August 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
77. "Ryan Gauld and Stevie May called up for Scotland". BBC Sport. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
78. "Games played by Stevie May in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
79. "Squad stats: 2009/10". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
80. "Games played by Stevie May in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
81. "Games played by Stevie May in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
82. "Games played by Stevie May in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
83. "Games played by Stevie May in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
84. "Games played by Stevie May in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
85. "May, Stevie". National Football Teams. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
86. Stevie May is Writers' young player pick BBC Sport. 07-05-2014. Retrieved 08-05-2014.
87. Celtic and Dundee United trios in SPFL Premiership team of year BBC Sport. 18-04-2014. Retrieved 08-05-2015.
88. SPFL Awards SPFL. Retrieved 08-05-2015.
89. Andrew Robertson: Dundee United defender wins PFA prize BBC Sport. 27-04-2014. Retrieved 08-05-2015.
90. IRN-BRU SFL End of Season Awards 2012/13 24-05-2013. Retrieved 08-05-2015.
91. IRN-BRU SFL Phenomenal Awards - April 2013 SPFL. 10-05-2013. Retrieved 08-05-2013.
92. PFA Scotland Awards 2012 PFA Scotland. 11-05-2015. Retrieved 08-05-2015.
93. PFA Scotland Teams of the Year PFA Scotland. 02-05-2015.
94. IRN-BRU SFL End of Season Awards 2011/12 SPFL. 25-05-2012. Retrieved 08-05-2015.
95. IRN-BRU SFL Phenomenal Awards - January 2012 SPFL. 17-02-2012. Retrieved 08-05-2015.
96. Alloa FC 1878 Supporters Alloa FC. 06-05-2012. Retrieved 08-05-2015.
97. Directors Player of Year Alloa FC. 06-05-2012. Retrieved 08-05-2015.

External links

• Stevie May career statistics at Soccerbase