Stephen Derek Heighway (born 25 November 1947) is an Irish former footballer who played as a winger. He was part of the successful Liverpool team of the 1970s. Following his eleven-year spell at the club, he was ranked 23rd in the 100 Players Who Shook The Kop poll.

Heighway became academy director at Liverpool in a period when the club welcomed players including Steven Gerrard, Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler and Jamie Carragher. He retired in 2007 but later rejoined the Liverpool Academy in a consulting role, which he held until retiring again in 2022.

Life and playing career

Heighway was born in Dublin, Ireland.

Heighway announced his retirement from Liverpool on 26 April 2007, immediately after the side he managed won the FA Youth Cup for the second year running. He commented: "I don't know what the future holds just yet, we'll have to wait and see."

Heighway returned to working at Liverpool's Academy part-time in 2015, at the request of Academy Director Alex Inglethorpe, before taking up a full-time consultancy role later that year. After seven years in this position, he retired for a second time in December 2022.

Heighway also features in the popular Liverpool chant, Fields of Anfield Road, which is frequently sung by Liverpool fans during matches.

Honours

As a player

  • Football League First Division: 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80
  • FA Cup: 1973–74;
  • Football League Cup: 1980–81 1976, 1977 (shared), 1979
  • European Cup:

As Academy Director

  • FA Youth Cup: 1996, 2006, 2007

References

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  • Profile at the Liverpool F.C. website
  • Player profile at LFChistory.net
  • Football heroes at Sporting-heroes.net
  • NASL/MISL stats