Welcome to the first in a series of Swans MAD features, concentrating on the highest profile players set to oppose newly promoted Swansea City next season. Swans MAD will take an in depth look at the players likely to heavily influence League One next season, beginning our journey at Ashton Gate with Marcus Stewart.
Stewart has enjoyed a successful 13-year career in football so far, becoming both Huddersfield and Ipswich's record signings, before taking the Premiership by storm with 19 goals in his first season in the top flight. However, just three seasons after moving clubs for £3.25 million and playing at the likes of Old Trafford, Anfield and Highbury, Stewart will be looking forward to experiencing the likes of Roots Hall, Huish Park and The Bescot Stadium in next season's league competition with Bristol City.
After three years at the Stadium of Light, Bristol-born Marcus Stewart was released by Premiership new-boys Sunderland in the summer and opted to join the club that he had supported as a boy...League One's Bristol City. Stewart turned down interest from a number of Championship clubs to join the Ashton Gate outfit and the 32-year old immediately became one of the highest profile players set to play his football in League One in the 2005/06 season.
Stewart began his career at City's rivals Bristol Rovers, where he made over 170 appearances during five seasons for the Pirates. The striker quickly became a fans' favourite with the blue element of Bristol, before signing for Huddersfield for a club-record fee in 1996. After initially struggling in his first season up North, Stewart went on to hit 68 goals in 160 appearances for the Terriers, tempting Ipswich into parting with another club record fee for his services in 2000.
Stewart settled quickly into the Ipswich side and played a crucial role in helping the club achieve its return to top-flight football, including hitting a brace at Bolton in the first-leg of the playoffs. The Premiership was clearly not ready for Marcus Stewart or Ipswich Town, as the club achieved a record fourth-placed finish and Stewart ended as one of the divisions top scorers, with a total of 19 league goals. These included winning goals at the likes of Anfield, Goodison Park and Maine Road, plus strikes against Newcastle, Arsenal and a hat-trick at The Dell.
The striker's second spell in the top flight was far more of a struggle, with Stewart scoring just six times in the league and Ipswich finding themselves relegated back to the second tier of English football. Under-fire Sunderland boss Peter Reid attempted to save his reputation by
signing Stewart for £3.25 million in 2002, but his partnership with Tore Andre Flo proved poor and the striker hit just one goal as he suffered his second successive relegation from the top flight.
The Championship proved a much more fertile hunting ground for Stewart, as he went on to hit 33 goals for the club over the past two seasons, 16 of which helped Sunderland back to the Premiership last season. With Mick McCarthy looking to improve his squad for the new top-flight challenge, Stewart found himself surplus to requirements at the Stadium of Light and caught the imagination of the red-half of Bristol by signing for the club on a free transfer in May 05.
Marcus Stewart is likely to be a major influence in next season's League One competition and has become the unsuprising bookies' favourite for the division's top scorer next season. Stewart's goals may well be the difference between another season of disappointment at Ashton Gate and promotion to the Championship next summer.
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After three years at the Stadium of Light, Bristol-born Marcus Stewart was released by Premiership new-boys Sunderland in the summer and opted to join the club that he had supported as a boy...League One's Bristol City. Stewart turned down interest from a number of Championship clubs to join the Ashton Gate outfit and the 32-year old immediately became one of the highest profile players set to play his football in League One in the 2005/06 season.
Stewart began his career at City's rivals Bristol Rovers, where he made over 170 appearances during five seasons for the Pirates. The striker quickly became a fans' favourite with the blue element of Bristol, before signing for Huddersfield for a club-record fee in 1996. After initially struggling in his first season up North, Stewart went on to hit 68 goals in 160 appearances for the Terriers, tempting Ipswich into parting with another club record fee for his services in 2000.
Stewart settled quickly into the Ipswich side and played a crucial role in helping the club achieve its return to top-flight football, including hitting a brace at Bolton in the first-leg of the playoffs. The Premiership was clearly not ready for Marcus Stewart or Ipswich Town, as the club achieved a record fourth-placed finish and Stewart ended as one of the divisions top scorers, with a total of 19 league goals. These included winning goals at the likes of Anfield, Goodison Park and Maine Road, plus strikes against Newcastle, Arsenal and a hat-trick at The Dell.
The striker's second spell in the top flight was far more of a struggle, with Stewart scoring just six times in the league and Ipswich finding themselves relegated back to the second tier of English football. Under-fire Sunderland boss Peter Reid attempted to save his reputation by
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The Championship proved a much more fertile hunting ground for Stewart, as he went on to hit 33 goals for the club over the past two seasons, 16 of which helped Sunderland back to the Premiership last season. With Mick McCarthy looking to improve his squad for the new top-flight challenge, Stewart found himself surplus to requirements at the Stadium of Light and caught the imagination of the red-half of Bristol by signing for the club on a free transfer in May 05.
Marcus Stewart is likely to be a major influence in next season's League One competition and has become the unsuprising bookies' favourite for the division's top scorer next season. Stewart's goals may well be the difference between another season of disappointment at Ashton Gate and promotion to the Championship next summer.