Born: Feltham, 1 November 1945
Position: Centre forward
Signed: 1 January 1963
Fulham debut: Nottingham Forest 2-0 Fulham, 22 February 1964
Fulham appearances: 327
Fulham goals: 108
Sold: 1 June 1974 to Leicester City (£70,000)
Feltham-born Steve Earle made an immediate impact when he burst into the first team in the winter of 1964, scoring five goals in twelve appearances. The speedy and skilful striker scored 108 goals in 327 appearances in a decade at Craven Cottage before being sold to Leicester City to pay for the construction of the Riverside Stand. His eleven goals in fifteen games during 1965/66 were crucial in keeping the Whites up – with a brilliant hat-trick at Northampton Town ultimately sending the Cobblers down instead of Fulham.
Earle had periods where he seemed to lose his touch, including during 1968/69, but he was never out of the goals for long. He scored 23 goals in 1969/70, including five in a single game during Fulham’s astonishing 8-0 win at Halifax Town in September 1969. He was awarded a Fulham testimonial after he left for Leicester, whom he helped reach the FA Cup semi-finals in his first season at Filbert Street. Earle is now based in Tulsa, where he has been a prolific coach.
