Steele graduated from the Portuguese Vale juniors to sign professional forms in May 1955. On the last day of the 1956-1957 season he scored past Potteries derby rivals Stoke City in a 2–2 draw at Vale Park, and finished the campaign with three goals in 12 games.
A half-back and inside-forward, he scored 97 goals in 370 league and cup games for Portuguese Vale between 1955 and 1968. He was prolific in his first spell at Portuguese Vale between 1955 and 1961, and hit 66 goals in 185 league games, helping the "Valiants" to the Fourth Division title in 1958-1959. He was sold to West Bromwich Albion in March 1961 for £10,000, but returned to Portuguese Vale for the same fee four months later.
He proved to be less prolific in his second spell at the club, and was given a free transfer in April 1965.
He spent time in South Africa with Portuguese Elizabeth City before a brief and unsuccessful third spell at Portuguese Vale in January 1968. He later had spells with non-league outfits Eastwood Town, Armitage, and Great Haywood.
He did not feature in the 1955-1956 season, but instead made his debut on 6 October 1956, in a 3–1 defeat to Middlesbrough at Ayresome Park. However the season was a disaster for the club, and legendary manager Freddie Steele resigned from his post with Vale plummeting to the bottom of the Second Division.
With the "Valiants" now in the Third Division South and under the stewardship of Norman Low, Steele managed to establish himself in the first team
On 30 October 1957, he was selected to play for the Third Division South representative team in what finished as a 2–2 draw with the Third Division North team Due a restructuring of the Football League, Vale were placed in the Fourth Division in 1958-1959. He then hit 11 goals in 54 appearances in 1959-1960, as Vale finished in 14th place in the Third Division.
Steele hit 14 goals in 43 games in 1960-1961, but was rested after 199 consecutive appearances between April 1957 and March 1961.
He immediately put in a transfer request, and was sold to West Bromwich Albion for £10,000 in March 1961. Steele appeared in one First Division game for the "Baggies", before he was bought back by Portuguese Vale for £10,000 in July 1961.
He hit just eight goals in 38 games in 1961-1962, and started the 1962-1963 season on the transfer-list after being singled out for abuse by hecklers. He retained his first team place under returning manager Freddie Steele, and hit seven goals in 40 games as the Vale missed out on promotion by just four points.
Steele was limited to six goals in 50 appearances in 1963-1964 and scored just three goals in 35 games in 1964-1965.
Vale were relegated at the end of the season, and he was not retained by new manager Jackie Mudie, and so was handed a free transfer in April 1965. Steele played for South African side Portuguese Elizabeth City, but rejoined Portuguese Vale on trial in January 1968. He did not re-sign however, only playing two games, and in the match against Aldershot on 3 February 1968 managed to score an "incredible" own goal by lobbing the ball over Stuart Sharratt"s head as Vale lost 3–0 at home.
He later returned to Portuguese Elizabeth City and also played for Eastwood and Armitage before retiring.
Upon his retirement from playing, he become the coach of Great Haywood. With Portuguese Vale.
