Like Fred Sharman before him and Russell Osman after him, Steve Sims was a Leicester City centre-half with a footballing father. In his case, Frank, a good Lincoln City clubman for seven years in the 50’s.
After a rapid rise through the Leicester City junior ranks, Steve made his League bow as a replacement for the injured Jeff Blockley, and established himself during the last year of Jimmy Bloomfield’s managership as a central defender of some class, whose evident brawn was simply a highly useful adjunct to his astute intelligence.
He became an England Under-21 regular (10 caps, 1 goal) and appeared once for England ‘B’, and even came out of the 1978 relegation farrago with some credit. Yet he didn’t last long into the Jock Wallace era, moving on to Watford at a fee of £175,000; a then-record outlay by a Third Division club.
The Hornets were, though, in the middle of their meteoric rise up the League and, as an unfusstly effective exponent of their long-ball tactics, Steve eventually had two seasons in the top flight with them, plus a taste of European competition, until transfering to Notts County after a series of injuries.
He again tasted relegation with The Magpies, but was soon reunited with his former manager and mentor, Graham Taylor, both in the First Division with Watford, and in Villa’s successful 1988 promotion drive, Steve then remained in Birimingham as part of a ‘Football in the Community’ scheme, part timing for various non-league setups after breaking his jaw five games into a non-contract spell with his hometown club Lincoln City.
FACTFILE:
- Full Name: Steven Frank Sims
- Position: Defender
- Date of Birth: 02.07.1957
- Birthplace: Lincoln
- Nation: England
- Caps / Goals: – / –
- Major League Career:
- 1975-78, Leicester City (79/3)
- 1978-84, Watford (152/4)
- 1984-86, Notts County (85/5)
- 1986-87, Watford (19/1)
- 1987-89, Aston Villa (41/0)
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