Ross Stewart scored again for Southampton yesterday. When he has been fit, he has spells with a blistering minutes per goal ratio for clubs in England’s 2nd tier. Over the last 3 years though, he has been afflicted with a terrible sequence of injuries. Should Steve Clarke recall the big striker for the plane to the World Cup?
| Name | Ross Stewart |
| Age | 29 |
| Club | Southampton |
| Club’s division | English 2nd tier |
| Club’s division Opta rating | 80.3 (9th globally) |
| SMNT full caps | 2 |
| SMNT goals | 0 |
| Most recent SMNT cap | 2022 (away v Rep of Ireland) |
Ross Stewart at Sunderland
Ross Stewart was 1st called up to a Scotland squad in March in his 2021/22, 2nd season at Sunderland. He scored 26 goals in the 49 games he played in that league campaign that included 2 goals in 3 play off games. Those goals included 1 when he and his teammates defeated Wycombe Wanderers 2-0 in the playoff final at Wembley. He was the division’s joint top scorer and subsequently voted the divisional PFA fans Player of the Year.
Promoted to England’s 2nd tier for the 2022/23 season, Stewart started the season by raining terror on defences. His 10 goals in 13 league games, gave him a devastating minutes per goal average of 104. Add in his goal from his 52 mins played in the FA Cup, he was averaging a goal every 99 mins in which he played.
That though doesn’t tell the entire story. The bellwether of Stewart’s career for the next 3 seasons, is that scoring streak was punctuated by missing 3 months due to a thigh injury. His season subsequently ended on 28 January with an Achilles injury. That regrettably has become the recurring theme of Stewart’s career since then; short-lived attempts at musculoskeletal-injury comeback.
Ross Stewart at Southampton
In the periods since then in which Stewart has been match fit, there have been glimpses of his goalscoring potency. For example in Southampton’s doomed, 1 season return to English football’s top tier, Stewart scored in the last game of the season 2-1 defeat to Arsenal.
At the start of this season, Southampton tried to manage Stewart’s minutes, so as not to trigger more injury absence. This came to a peak when on 30 September, Stewart delivered a devastating display of uncontrollable centre-forward play. Controlling a long ball described as, “His 1st touch is brilliant”, Stewart (somewhat harshly) drew a penalty from Sheffield United goalkeeper, Michael Cooper. Cooper will claim justice was served, when Adam Armstrong put the penalty kick into row Z.
Stewart though was not to be denied. In the 2nd half, at the back post he side-footed home a rebound off the bar, for a poacher’s goal. Then the climax of the game. Stewart played a one-two with Jay Robinson. Stewart then took a touch before howitzering in a thunderbolt. The commentator screamed in response, “25 yards, what a shot. What a goal. Ross Stewart is back.” Flashscore rated Stewart’s overall performance 8.7.
It though was too good to last. 2 games later, Ross Stewart wasn’t back any more. He subbed off with an injured hamstring after 30 mins v Derby County. Stewart missed 2 months of 1st team action before returning to 1st team duty on 4 January 2026. He has so far avoided injury in that return, with Southampton so far playing him for no more than 71 minutes in a single game. They also in this period, have played him no more than 112 mins per week. Hence his key stats since returning are:
| Minutes played | 842 |
| Goals | 8 |
| Assists | 2 |
| Minutes per goal | 105.25 |
| Minutes per goal/assist | 84.2 |
2 of those 8 goals were in the FA Cup eliminating top tier opposition (1 goal for Stewart v each of Fulham and then Arsenal), taking Southampton to a Wembley semi-final appearance.
Is Ross Stewart Scotland material?
There will be few if any football bosses who turn down that strike rate from a centre-forward. This is a return to the sort of numbers Stewart delivered in his debut season in England’s 2nd tier, during his Sunderland days.
Some opine that Lawrence Shankland is the best Scots natural goalscorer of his generation. While Shankland has chalked up goals with both feet and his head, the highest club level in which he has scored regularly is the Scots top tier. See below a comparison of the Opta ratings of the Scots top tier compared to England’s 2nd tier (as per 22 April 2026).
| Division | Scots top tier | English 2nd tier |
| Opta rating | 74.9 | 80.3 |
| Opta global ranking | 39th | 9th |
The difference in standard between the 2 divisions is hefty. Conversely, the most important attribute in which Shankland exceeds Stewart, is anatomical resistance to injury. Even in that though, Shankland has had his injury issues this year.
Fans dream of what might have been at Euro 2024 but for injuries to Aaron Hickey, Kieran Tierney (mid tournament), Lewis Ferguson and Ben Doak. Stewart is well worth considering in the same what-might-have-been bracket. He is potentially exactly what the Scotland Men’s National Team are missing; a consistent natural goalscorer at international level. He has yet to score for Scotland. That metric isn’t a major concern though, given he has only 2 SMNT caps, both as 2nd half sub-ons. That equates to 35 mins plus stoppage time of international football, all in 2022.
Steve Clarke’s World Cup dilemma
So herein lies the crux of the matter for Steve Clarke. Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes if fit seem certs for squad selection. If Ross Stewart is fit come the end of the domestic season, is it too risky selecting a player who in the last 3 seasons has exhibited the durability of a corn flake? Other options as well as Shankland include George Hirst, Oli McBurnie, Kieron Bowie and even Robbie Ure. Or with the luxury of a 26 man World Cup squad, should Clarke try Ross Stewart out as Scotland’s prospective goal-grabbing solution?
