Steven Caldwell: Bradford, Bobby and the blue-chip brigade | OneFootball

Sir Bobby Robson had handed one player his first start for the club that night, and that young footballer, Steven Caldwell, would have been forgiven for wondering if it would also be his last start after the visitors came from behind to level the score at 3-3.

“As a defender, you’re thinking ‘how have we lost three goals when we’ve been 3-0 up?’,” said Caldwell. “I was a little disturbed by that, a little bit anxious and uneasy.”

A few weeks earlier, Caldwell had come off the bench to make an impressive debut against Manchester City at Maine Road after Andy Griffin suffered an injury. Things had gone to plan that day, with Alan Shearer scoring the only goal of the game.

Sir Bobby turned to 20-year-old Caldwell again when the club was drawn against Bradford, then a top-flight team, in the third round of the League Cup. It was what the Stirling-born central defender had been working towards since joining the club as a schoolboy.

“It was a bit of a whirlwind, it happened so quickly,” said Caldwell. “I’d played against Man City, then I was starting against Bradford. It was a big game, a Premier League opponent. To be starting was just so exciting. To be playing at St. James’ had been my dream.

“Bobby just tried to give me confidence. He was happy with how I’d been doing in training, and he wanted to try to blood me into the team. I just felt confident through Bobby and the coaches. They wanted me to just be myself.

“I felt good. It was never in my nature to be incredibly nervous, but I had natural nerves. I was just desperate to show people what I was all about.”

Caldwell and Alain Goma, his defensive partner, were up against Stan Collymore and Benito Carbone, but Alan Shearer scored twice, and Daniel Cordone also netted, inside the first 30 minutes to seemingly put the game to bed.

“They had a good team,” said Caldwell. “I think Dean Saunders came off the bench that day as well. They had solid players, and were difficult to play against.

“We started so well. We were 3-0 up, and were pegged back to 3-3. It was a wild game. It was a whirlwind. It was the most eventful 90 minutes you could imagine for a debut. I made some mistakes, and did some quite good things.

“I just kept trying to be positive about having an impact on the game, and doing something people would remember you by, so staff could think ‘we can rely on this guy’.”

A minute after substitute Ashley Ward scored the second of his two goals for Bradford to equalise, Newcastle won a corner at the Gallowgate end of St. James’ Park. An unexpected chance came Caldwell’s way – and he took it.

“I just wanted to change it, make a difference,” Caldwell told newcastleunited.com. “The corner came in from Cordone, an inswinger. It came over a whole load of heads, and it was dropping at my feet, which was unusual in the box, certainly for me! I never really had time to think.

“I thought ‘I’m getting on this’. I had to react, and thankfully just cushioned perfectly into the corner. That’s how I remember it, it might be different when you watch it back!

“It was an amazing feeling. I was so relieved and so happy at the same time. As I turned, the first guy I saw was Alan Shearer, and he grabbed me with a smile on his face.

“I remember thinking ‘at least we’re in the lead again, and I’ve done something to remedy the three goals that we lost’. I’ve got a tremendous picture of Alan and I celebrating that goal.”

Caldwell went on to have two one-month loans at Bradford the following season amid upheaval at Valley Parade.

“Jim Jeffries was manager,” said Caldwell. “He left one or two games in, so that was another learning curve, but there were some great pros there – Eoin Jess, Gary Locke, Ashley Ward and Stuart McCall.

“A great club, and a great experience. Valley Parade’s a great place to play. It wasn’t the best time in Bradford’s history, but I’m very proud to have represented Bradford. The mayhem at that time taught me a lot about conflict and having to bring things together when it feels like it’s falling apart.”

Back on Tyneside, Sir Bobby was steering the club towards Europe that season, and Caldwell was involved in United’s extraordinary 2002/03 Champions League campaign, which saw the club lose its first three league games but still qualify for the second group stage thanks to a dramatic 3-2 win over Feyenoord at De Kuip.

“Incredible, the lows and lows, and learning what it takes to be prepared and be ready,” said Caldwell. “I only played two games. I started against Leverkusen at home, and came off the bench against Inter.

“But I was in every squad, on a lot of benches. It’s the stuff dreams are made of. You think ‘am I ever going to be a professional?’. Then you play in the league, and think: ‘This is unbelievable!’. And you want more of it.

“You score a goal in a cup game, and then you’re in the Champions League. You’re sort of pinching yourself. All I ever wanted to do was play for Newcastle United at St. James’ Park, and here I am playing and scoring and representing them in the Champions League. It was a fairytale.

“You get a taste of that, and you want it every week. I’m thankful I started my career there, and went on to play for 18 years.”

Among the keepsakes Caldwell collected during his long playing career is a shirt from Alvaro Recoba, who scored a stunning goal for Inter Milan in their 4-1 Champions League win over 10-man Newcastle at St James’ Park.

“I was never a big shirt collector, and I sort of regret it now,” said Caldwell. “It’s great to swap shirts with a great player, but it’s more the memories of games, and looking back at a shirt collection, and saying: ‘I remember that Leverkusen game’.

“I got Recoba’s when I came on against Inter Milan, which was a difficult night for us at St. James’. I was right next to him at the final whistle.

“He had scored that wonderful goal with his left foot where he bent it into the corner. He was unbelievable for two or three years. I’m sure I’ve got a couple of others.

“The Premier League’s hard, very, very hard, and the Champions League’s another level. To have been a part of that campaign, one of the greatest in the club’s European history with the drama of it, was another thing to look back on with pride.”

The likes of Shearer and Gary Speed, key members of Sir Bobby’s experienced “blue-chip brigade”, shaped Caldwell as a player and a person.

“It was just the most fortunate and educational experience that any young player could have,” said Caldwell. “To be in and around these guys, and have them take me under their wing a little bit, and be really helpful, was amazing.

“It formed who I am today – and what I was as a football player. I was very fortunate to have them educating me and helping me navigate the early stages of a professional career. I was sitting in the canteen with these guys and the boss, and trying to be a sponge and soak up everything they gave me.

“It had such an enormous effect on the player I became and the personality I became throughout my career. I felt like they trusted me and valued me, and saw something in me that meant I could have a long career.”

As for the Sir Bobby’s influence, the things he taught Caldwell during his early years as a professional on Tyneside still resonate today.

“He was just so inspirational,” said Caldwell. “He was such an enormous figure in everything he did. If you were fortunate enough to be coached by him over a period of time, like I was, he would have such an influence on your career.

“He taught me a lot of harsh lessons as well, it’s not always rosy in professional football. You need someone who’s going to be firm at times, and really teach you what it’s going to take.

“I learnt so much from that great man that I have taken through my career, where it’s been playing, coaching, broadcasting or business. The lessons he taught you through football applied to many aspects of life.”

By the summer of 2004, Caldwell knew it was time to leave the club. He did not want to be a “bit-part player”, having enjoyed playing week in, week out for loan club Leeds United in the 2003/04 season.

“I never wanted to leave Newcastle, but I was a bit-part player. It wasn’t enough for me when I got to 22 or 23,” said Caldwell.

“I was getting itchy to play, and we were signing good centre-backs. I was always getting pushed back down the pecking order, and I just felt I was never going to establish myself as a first-team regular, and that was that.”

Sunderland came calling, and Caldwell crossed the Tyne-Wear divide on a free transfer. He helped the club win promotion to the Premier League in his first season at the Stadium of Light.

“The reason I went to Sunderland was that I loved the North East so much,” said Caldwell. “I understood the passion of the fans. It resonated with me. It was important to me to have a fanbase like that. I saw something similar at Sunderland. I saw a good club. I saw a great manager in Mick McCarthy.

“I wanted to be back in the Premier League. Sunderland gave me the best vehicle to do that. I was sad that I left Newcastle. It had been 10 years of my life. It was where I formed my dreams and ambitions. So Newcastle always had a special place in my heart. I went and did what I did at Sunderland, Burnley, Wigan, Birmingham and Toronto – but your first club never leaves you.”

Caldwell settled in Canada after ending his playing career with Toronto FC a decade ago, and today he is a respected broadcaster with TSN. He also had a spell coaching Canada’s national team.

“I’m fortunate,” said Caldwell. “I’ve covered the Premier League, Champions League and MLS. I’ve done Euros and World Cups, and everything around football.

“I’ve had 10 years of that and done some other things as well in the business space. I’ve coached a bit with Canada on a temporary basis, and learnt a lot there and had an influence on this generation of players who are the best in Canadian history and ready to play a World Cup. Since I came here 12 years ago, it’s gone really well.”

When he is not in front of the camera, Caldwell can often be found in a restaurant on Toronto’s waterfront watching games on TV with the Toon Army Toronto supporters’ club.

Caldwell left United 21 years ago, but the club never left him.

“I keep an eye on Newcastle, of course,” said Caldwell. “They’re the team I go and watch most weeks. I’m part of a supporters club in Toronto which a few of my friends run, so I’m there as often as I can be. I’ve been watching the club’s rise and success over the past few years.”

Caldwell got to know David Hopkinson, appointed as United’s new CEO this month, when he captained Major League Soccer side TFC.

“David Hopkinson’s a fantastic guy, someone I’ve known for a long time, back to the days when I was playing for and captaining Toronto FC,” said Caldwell.

“David was a senior executive at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, who own TFC. We knew each other back then, and then I worked under him when I went into the business side when I was doing global partnerships.

“He taught me a lot. He’s someone who’s been a mentor to me. He’s a very smart, charismatic guy who will bring something unique and special to Newcastle. I’m certain he’s going to be a great success at the club.”