Stewart hoping unlikely path leads back to top

Stewart has progressed from semi-pro football and a day job in Glasgow's land registry to the Premier League and a World Cup call-up, now seeking to rebuild at Swansea after Southampton's Spygate expulsion.

Ross Stewart's career path has been unconventional. After playing in youth ranks at St Mirren, Celtic and Partick Thistle, he dropped out of professional football and worked for Scotland's land register while playing semi-pro for Ardeer Thistle and Kilwinning Rangers. His breakthrough came at Albion Rovers, where his father contributed £500 of the £1,500 transfer fee needed to complete the move.

Stewart continued his day job while playing for Albion Rovers before going full-time in football. He progressed through St Mirren and Ross County, where he scored 11 goals to help the Staggies win promotion to the Scottish Premiership. At 24, he joined Sunderland in League One, scoring 26 goals in 2021-22 to help them reach the Premier League via the play-offs.

After joining Southampton in 2023, injuries limited his impact. He scored 11 goals in 35 games in 2025-26 but Southampton were expelled from the play-offs due to the Spygate scandal. Stewart received his World Cup call-up the same morning he learned of the expulsion. He has since joined Swansea City after failing to agree a new contract at Southampton, seeking to reignite his career.