STEVE CHERRY

Born: 05 August 1960

1. Came from: Walsall   Went to: Notts County

1. First game: 06 December 1986   Last game: 07 January 1989

2. Came from: Watford   Went to: Rotherham United

2. First game: 20 February 1996   Last game: 25 May 1996

Appearances: 102 (102/0)   Goals: 0

Born in Nottingham, the popular goalkeeper came to prominence with his first club, Derby County, after a fantastic display against Argyle in the 1983-84 FA Cup quarter-final at Home Park, before famously being beaten by Andy Rogers' corner in the replay at the Baseball Ground in the memorable game which sent Argyle through to the semi-final at Villa Park.

He was spotted playing for Calverton Youth Wing by Derby and joined the club on a two-year apprenticeship in 1976, becoming a professional two years later. Whilst with the club, he won two caps for the England Youth Team in 1978.

He made his top-flight debut for County in the 1979-80 season and went on to make four appearances. He also had an eight-game loan spell at Port Vale during the 1980-81 season, after failing to make an appearance for Derby that season following their relegation to the Second Division.

Returning to County, he played just four times in the 1981-82 season before becoming a regular over the next two seasons and also won the Player of the Season Award for 1982-83. However, off the back of their FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Argyle, Derby were also relegated to the Third Division at the end of the 1983-84 season. Cherry was allowed to join Walsall, having been recommended by Derby team-mate Steve Buckley to his brother, Walsall manager Alan Buckley, who paid Derby a £25,000 fee in August 1984. In total, he had played 89 times for Derby.

In two seasons at Fellows Park, he played 94 times across two Third Division seasons and also scooped the Player of the Season Award for 1984-85.

He was sold to Plymouth Argyle for a £19,000 fee in November 1986, having impressed on a week-long trial at Home Park, with manager Dave Smith bringing him in as a replacement for popular 34-year-old goalkeeper Geoff Crudgington. He soon became popular with the Green Army despite facing the difficult prospect of replacing club favourite 'Crudgie'. He also made it a hat-trick of club awards when he won the Player of the Year Award for 1987-88.

He did, however, find it difficult to settle in the West Country and moved back up north in 1988, initially on loan to Chesterfield after Argyle had signed Rhys Wilmot from Arsenal to help mitigate his departure.

After 13 appearances in the 1988-89 season for the Spireites, his loan spell was terminated to allow him to join home town club Notts County for the rest of that season on a permanent deal. He spent seven seasons at Meadow Lane, all but one of which were in the top flight, and made a total of 328 appearances. The only season out of the top flight saw him make a Wembley appearance under Neil Warnock as County won the 1989-90 play-offs to return to the top flight. Remarkably, at a fourth club, he also won the County Player of the Season Award for 1991-92.

After leaving Notts County following their relegation from the top-flight, he had a brief four-game spell back in the top flight with Watford before moving back to Home Park under his old Meadow Lane mentor Neil Warnock, for an 18-game loan spell until the end of the season. That was followed by a permanent transfer, enabling him to play just one further game: the 1995-96 play-off final victory over Darlington at Wembley - his second such triumph with Warnock.

Wanting to return north, he moved to Rotherham United that summer and went on to play for Kettering Town, Rushden & Diamonds, Rothwell Corinthians, Gainsborough Trinity, Stalybridge Celtic, Mansfield Town, Oldham Athletic and Lincoln City, as well as further non-league clubs including Kidsgrove Athletic and Belper Town.

He began working as a forklift driver at Imperial Tobacco in Nottingham in 1999. Steve later published his autobiography, Cherry Picking, in 2019. The book was written by Jonathan Nicholas, who in his former career had patrolled around the Meadow Lane pitch as a policeman when Cherry played as a goalkeeper at Notts County. The book was launched in Nottingham, with proceeds from the launch going towards a Myelodysplastic syndrome charity. He has also been a match-day guest at Home Park for Forever Green, the former players' association at the club.