Bould began his football career with his hometown club Stoke City where he gained a reputation as an impressive young defender.

At Highbury he formed a formidable back line with Tony Adams, Nigel Winterburn and his former Stoke teammate Lee Dixon.

[1] Bould slowly became a regular in the Stoke side after Mick Mills switched him to centre back to replace Paul Dyson.

[1] He moved to Arsenal for a fee of £390,000 on 13 June 1988, and became part of their "famous back four" defensive line-up, with Tony Adams, Nigel Winterburn and his former Stoke teammate Lee Dixon.

He famously set up Tony Adams with a chipped throughball for the final goal in Arsenal's 4–0 win over Everton, the match that won them the Premier League title.

Peter Schmeichel saved from Dennis Bergkamp and a winner from Ryan Giggs in extra time ended Arsenal's defence of the trophy.

Following the departure of skipper Kevin Ball in December 1999, manager Peter Reid made him club captain and he helped them finish seventh – just missing out on a UEFA Cup place.

Despite forming part of one of the most secure top-flight defences of the late 1980s and early to mid-1990s, Bould won only two caps for England, far fewer than fellow centre half Tony Adams, and didn't make his first full international appearance until the age of 31.