Born: 03/04/79

Birthplace: South Shields

Previous Clubs: Nottingham Forest, Tranmere Rovers

Transfer Date: 23/09/98

Transfer Fee: £3,300,000

Steve joined Everton from Tranmere Rovers in September 1998 for £3.3 million - a then record transfer deal involving a British goalkeeper.

A player with excellent distribution skills and positional ability, he has waited patiently for a chance to show Evertonians the extent of his talents.

He made his first team debut for the Blues in season 1999/2000 in the Worthington Cup match against Oxford and due to Gerrard's groin injury in January 2000 was handed his Premiership debut away at Southampton. His first full start in the top flight came at Bolton in November 2001.

A former England under-21 international, Steve is perhaps most famous for playing for England Under-18's on a Friday night, then rushing back North to the Valley Parade stadium to make his Tranmere Rovers debut on the Saturday afternoon. He made an immediate impact for the Prenton Park side keeping seven consecutive clean sheets.

Steve Simonson used to be silent rivals with Richard Wright, but nowadays, they both find themselves at the same club, trying to make it at international level.