By Leipziger
May 20 2005

This summer we say goodbye to a genuine north-eastern Falcon, the Mackem Express whose pace and skills have electrified Geordie rugby fans for over five years. A double cup-winner and the Falcons’ third highest try scorer ever. Take a bow, Michael Stephenson.

 

Stevo made his Newcastle debut as a replacement in our 4^th round cup tie win over Moseley at Kingston Park in January 2000, but didn’t make his first start until three months later at Bristol in the Premiership.  He kept the full-back position for the rest of the season, also playing in the final three Premiership matches and doing well enough to encourage Rob Andrew to dispense with Stuart Legg.

 

 

 

 

Stevo breaks his hand against Newport in January

 

At the beginning of 2000/01 Stephenson held the full-back position initially, scoring five tries in four European and Premiership matches in September and October.  However, in December 2000 David Walder was moved to 15 and Stevo started playing on the wing, where he would play the majority of his Falcons career, and he was in the team that defeated Harlequins at Twickenham on February 24^th 2001 to win the Tetley’s Bitter Cup.

 

 

An England call-up for the tour to North America also followed, Stevo playing all three games against Canada and the USA with Walder and Jamie Noon.  Unfortunately, further international honours have not been forthcoming.

 

 

 

The 2001/02 was not so kind to Stevo, as injuries and selection meant a stop-start campaign, being jockeyed between the left and right wings and often being selected on the bench.  He still managed 11 tries though, including one in the 42-9 Heineken Cup hammering of Toulouse in November, and four in the final three Premiership home games against Bath, Saracens and London Irish.

 

 

Despite missing only five games in 2002/03, Stevo suffered as much as anyone during the Falcons’ poor season.  Although he scored eight tries, they did include a hat-trick against Grenoble in the Parker Pen Cup in 25 games, his talent undoubtedly demanded more.

 

 

Last year saw Stevo score 14 tries (18 including friendlies), form a strong wing partnership with Tom May and win his second Cup winning medal in April 2004.  He again only missed six games, after breaking an arm in January against Harlequins.  Stevo started 2004/05 like a house on fire with ten tries by Christmas, and was once again one of the Premiership top scorers.  However, since an injury at the turn of the year he has crossed only once amid rumours of him signing for Bath or Leicester.

 

 

 

 

Stephenson’s last outing in a black shirt was at Northampton on April 15^th, but the farewell was cut short due to him suffering a broken leg in the first half at Franklin’s Gardens.

 

 

Stevo will be remembered at KP for being a speedy, try-scoring winger, as his 50 scores in a Newcastle shirt testify.  A strong defender, a penetrative attacker, his running and scores will be greatly missed next season.

 

 

Falcons Debut: v Moseley (H) 2 January 2000 Tetley’s Cup R4 (replacement)

Premiership Debut: v Bristol (A) 23 April 2000

Honours: English Cup winner 2001 and 2004, 3 caps for England

Total appearances: 143 (5 as replacement)

Total tries: 50

Premiership appearances: 105 (2 as replacement)

Premiership tries: 32

 

 

Stevo offloads for Charva to score the first try against the Dragons, 16 January 2005