| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Stefan Steve Payne[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1991-08-10)10 August 1991 (age 34)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Lambeth, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[3] | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | AFC Greenwich Borough | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2009 | Croydon | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009 | Croydon | ||
| 2009 | Sutton United | 10 | (6) |
| 2009–2010 | Fulham | 0 | (0) |
| 2010–2012 | Gillingham | 28 | (1) |
| 2011 | →Braintree Town (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2012 | Aldershot Town | 1 | (0) |
| 2012 | Sutton United | 18 | (4) |
| 2012–2013 | Macclesfield Town | 1 | (0) |
| 2013 | Ebbsfleet United | 13 | (2) |
| 2013–2014 | AFC Hornchurch | 46 | (35) |
| 2014–2016 | Dover Athletic | 84 | (33) |
| 2016–2017 | Barnsley | 9 | (0) |
| 2017 | →Shrewsbury Town (loan) | 12 | (2) |
| 2017–2018 | Shrewsbury Town | 39 | (11) |
| 2018–2019 | Bristol Rovers | 20 | (2) |
| 2019 | →Shrewsbury Town (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | Tranmere Rovers | 19 | (4) |
| 2021 | Grimsby Town | 13 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Chesterfield | 16 | (0) |
| 2022 | →Havant & Waterlooville (loan) | 16 | (5) |
| 2022–2023 | Welling United | 33 | (10) |
| 2023 | Tonbridge Angels | 5 | (1) |
| 2023–2024 | Faversham Town | 42 | (36) |
| 2024–2025 | Lydd Town | 11 | (3) |
| 2025 | Punjab United | 6 | (0) |
| 2025– | AFC Greenwich Borough | 1 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| 2015 | England C | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:26, 2 August 2025 (UTC) | |||
Stefan Steve Payne (born 10 August 1991) is an Englishfootballer who plays as aforward forSouthern Counties East League Division One clubAFC Greenwich Borough.
He began his career innon-League football withCroydon andSutton United before joiningFulham, and made his professional debut forGillingham inLeague Two in 2010. He did not maintain a first-team place at Gillingham and dropped back into non-league between 2012 and 2016, moving clubs frequently. After two prolific seasons in theConference Premier forDover Athletic he signed forChampionship clubBarnsley, where he did not feature frequently.
Payne then played forShrewsbury Town inLeague One, initially on loan, and was their top scorer in the 2017–18 season as they reached the finals of theEFL Trophy and League One play-offs. He subsequently signed forBristol Rovers, and after a brief loan back at Shrewsbury,Tranmere Rovers.
Payne played for theCroydon youth team during the 2008–09 season and broke into the first team towards the tail end of the campaign and impressedSutton United officials during a Southern Youth League cup final against them.[4] In the summer of 2009, Payne signed a contract with Sutton for the 2009–10 season. He made an immediate impact, scoring a hat-trick in the club's first league game of the season, a 4–0 win overMargate.
He quickly attracted attention fromFootball League scouts. In September 2009,Premier League clubFulham offered Payne and Sutton a contract. It was thought to be worth a six-figure-sum for Sutton.[5] Although Fulham could not officially sign a player outside the transfer window, Payne joined the reserve squad in October. He played many games for the reserve team but did not break into the first team.
During the 2010 close-season,Gillingham managerAndy Hessenthaler revealed his eagerness to sign Payne,[6] and the striker joined Gillingham on a free transfer in June 2010, signing a two-year contract.[7] He made his professional debut in the first league game of theLeague Two season on 7 August, starting in a 1–1 home draw withCheltenham Town.[8] In February 2011, Payne went toBraintree Town of theConference North on a one-month loan,[9] and scored a hat-trick in his second appearance to help beatBasingstoke Town 5–2.[10]
Payne scored his first goal for Gillingham to conclude the 6–1 away win overHereford United on 17 September 2011, nine minutes after coming on as a substitute forFrank Nouble.[11] His only other goal for the Gills was on 22 November in anFA Cup first round replay at home toAFC Bournemouth, when he came on at half time forChris Whelpdale and scored the 3–2 winner.[12] He totalled 37 appearances for theKent-based club, but only three as a starter.[13]
On 27 January 2012, Payne signed forAldershot Town of League Two for the rest of the season, having rescinded his Gillingham contract by mutual consent.[13] He made his only appearance the following day in a 2–1 win atAFC Wimbledon, replacingAdam Mekki for the final ten minutes.[14]
However, days later Aldershot stated on their website that Payne had been sent out on loan toSutton United in theConference South until the end of the season, as managerDean Holdsworth said that he needed to play regular football.[15] TheSutton Guardian announced that Payne's contract at Aldershot had been cancelled and that Sutton had got the player for nothing.[16]
In January 2013, Payne stepped up to theConference Premier by signing forMacclesfield Town.[17] Again, he was limited to one ten-minute appearance for the Silkmen, in a 2–1 loss atDartford on 15 January replacingAmari Morgan-Smith.[18] Before the end of the month, he switched to strugglingEbbsfleet United of the same division for the rest of the campaign.[19] He scored twice in 13 matches for the eventually relegated Fleet, and received two straight-red cards including one in the first half of a 2–0 loss atLuton Town on 18 April.[20]
Payne signed in August 2013 forAFC Hornchurch in theIsthmian League, scoring twice on his debut away atDulwich Hamlet.[21] He totalled 31 goals in 46 games for the Urchins.[22]
On 3 June 2014, Payne signed for newly promotedDover Athletic of the Conference on a free transfer.[23][22] He was the club's top scorer in both of his seasons with the Kent club, and was named Players' Player of the Year for the 2015–16 season.
On 18 May 2016, Payne signed forBarnsley on a two-year contract with the option to extend for another year, on a free transfer.[24] He made hisChampionship debut on 6 August in a 4–2 opening day loss atIpswich Town, playing the final 17 minutes in place ofTom Bradshaw.[25] He totalled 12 goalless appearances for Barnsley across all competitions, all as a substitute.
He signed on loan forShrewsbury Town in League One for the remainder of the season on 30 January 2017[26] and debuted five days later by starting in a 2–1 home win overBury. On 8 April he scored his first goal, the only one againstRochdale at theNew Meadow to pull the Shrews out of the relegation zone.[27] Six days later he struck again to ensure a 1–1 draw at local rivalsWalsall.[28]
After Shrewsbury secured their place in the third tier, Payne signed a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee in August 2017.[29] He was the club's top scorer with 54 total games and 14 goals in a season in which they lost two finals atWembley Stadium – the2018 EFL Trophy Final toLincoln City and the2018 EFL League One play-off final toRotherham United.[30]
On 9 August 2018, after starting in Shrewsbury's first match of the new season, Payne signed an undisclosed contract forBristol Rovers of the same division.[31] He made his debut two days later, starting up front alongside fellow former ShrewAlex Rodman and scored a late equaliser in a 2–1 home loss toAccrington Stanley.[32] In October, he was fined for making offensive gestures towards the club's own fans after they lost at Barnsley.[33]
Payne returned to Shrewsbury on 31 January 2019, signing on loan for the remainder of the season.[34] He made five appearances, all but one as a substitute, and did not score.[35]
After cancelling his Bristol Rovers contract by mutual consent, Payne signed a two-year deal atTranmere Rovers on 28 June 2019, who had just been promoted to League One.[36] Payne captained Tranmere in theEFL Trophy third round tie againstLeicester City under-21, where he scored, but eventually lost the match 2–1.[37]
On 25 January 2021, Payne joinedGrimsby Town on a deal until the end of the season, under former Shrewsbury managerPaul Hurst.[38] Five days later on his debut at home toStevenage, he came on as a 64th-minute substitute forIra Jackson Jr and scored an added-time equaliser, though the team still lost 2–1.[39] On 10 April, in a 1–0 loss atBradford City, he was sent off for headbutting teammateFilipe Morais.[40] Grimsby then removed both players from the first team squad.[41] On 12 May 2021 it was announced that he would leave Grimsby at the end of the season, following the expiry of his contract.[42]
On 2 July 2021, Payne agreed to return to the National League to sign forChesterfield.[43] On 4 February 2022, Payne joinedNational League South sideHavant & Waterlooville on loan until the end of the2021–22 season.[44] Payne was released at the end of the2021–22 season.[45]
On 4 July 2022, Payne signed forWelling United.[46]
On 6 July 2023, Payne joined fellow National League South clubTonbridge Angels.[47] He departed the club however after just five matches on 31 August,[48] joiningSouthern Counties East Premier Division clubFaversham Town the following day.[49] During his first season at the club, he won the league's Golden Boot award having scored thirty-four goals in just thirty-six matches as his side were defeated in the play-offs.[50] He departed the club in October 2024 due to a lack of game time.[51]
On 19 October 2024, following his departure from Faversham Town, Payne joined fellow Southern Counties East Premier Division sideLydd Town.[52] In March 2025, Payne joinedPunjab United.[53]
Ahead of the2025–26 season, Payne joined newly formed Southern Counties East Division One clubAFC Greenwich Borough, scoring the club's first ever league goal.[54]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Gillingham | 2010–11[55] | League Two | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| 2011–12[56] | League Two | 12 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 18 | 2 | |
| Total | 28 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 2 | ||
| Braintree Town (loan) | 2010–11[55] | Conference North | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ~ | ~ | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Aldershot Town | 2011–12 | League Two | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Sutton United | 2011–12[57] | Conference South | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ~ | ~ | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| 2012–13[57] | Conference South | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ~ | ~ | 2[b] | 0 | 13 | 2 | |
| Total | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 | ~ | ~ | 2 | 0 | 20 | 4 | ||
| Macclesfield Town | 2012–13[57] | Conference Premier | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ~ | ~ | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ebbsfleet United | 2012–13[57] | Conference Premier | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ~ | ~ | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| AFC Hornchurch | 2013–14 | Isthmian Premier League | 46 | 35 | 1 | 0 | ~ | ~ | 0 | 0 | 47 | 35 |
| Dover Athletic | 2014–15[57] | Conference Premier | 42 | 15 | 3 | 1 | ~ | ~ | 5[b] | 2 | 45 | 18 |
| 2015–16[57] | National League | 42 | 18 | 1 | 0 | ~ | ~ | 5[c] | 4 | 48 | 22 | |
| Total | 84 | 33 | 4 | 1 | ~ | ~ | 10 | 6 | 98 | 40 | ||
| Barnsley | 2016–17[58] | Championship | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 2017–18[30] | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | ||
| Shrewsbury Town (loan) | 2016–17[58] | League One | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 |
| Shrewsbury Town | 2017–18[30] | League One | 38 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9[d] | 2 | 51 | 14 |
| 2018–19[35] | League One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 39 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 52 | 14 | ||
| Bristol Rovers | 2018–19[35] | League One | 20 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[a] | 1 | 27 | 3 |
| Shrewsbury Town (loan) | 2018–19[35] | League One | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Tranmere Rovers | 2019–20[59] | League One | 15 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 21 | 4 |
| 2020–21[60] | League Two | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 1 | 7 | 1 | |
| Total | 19 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 28 | 5 | ||
| Grimsby Town | 2020–21[60] | League Two | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| Chesterfield | 2021–22[61] | National League | 16 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 19 | 1 | |
| Havant & Waterlooville (loan) | 2021–22 | National League South | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 16 | 5 | |
| Welling United | 2022–23 | National League South | 33 | 10 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[b] | 1 | 35 | 11 | |
| Tonbridge Angels | 2023–24 | National League South | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
| Career total | 362 | 109 | 21 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 28 | 9 | 418 | 123 | ||
Shrewsbury Town
