Gary Gillespie

Last updated

Gary Gillespie
Personal information
Full name Gary Thompson Gillespie [1]
Date of birth (1960-07-05) 5 July 1960 (age 63)
Place of birth Stirling, Scotland
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) [2]
Position(s) Centre-back
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1977–1978 Falkirk 22 (0)
1978–1983 Coventry City 172 (6)
1983–1991 Liverpool 156 (14)
1991–1994 Celtic 69 (2)
1994–1997 Coventry City 3 (0)
Total422(22)
International career
1978–1982 Scotland Under-21 [3] 8 (1)
1987–1990 Scotland 13 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Gary Thompson Gillespie (born 5 July 1960) is a Scottish former professional football centre-back who played for Falkirk, Coventry City, Liverpool, Celtic and the Scotland national team.

Contents

Playing career

Falkirk

Gillespie started his career with Falkirk, and captained them at 17 years of age which set a Scottish record.[ citation needed ]

Coventry City

Coventry City signed Gillespie in 1978 for an initial transfer fee of £40,000, rising to £75,000 on appearances.[ citation needed ]

Liverpool

Gillespie signed for Liverpool in 1983.


His three goals in that double winning season all came in the same game. Hat-tricks are rare for defenders, but Gillespie managed one against Birmingham City on 26 April 1986 at Anfield when he scored twice from open play and completed the threesome with a penalty, after the Liverpool fans chanted his name when it was awarded – normally he would not have taken it. Liverpool won the game 5–0 against an already relegated side, as they moved closer to the title, which was sealed on the final day of the season with a 1–0 win at Chelsea.

By 1988, when he partnered Alan Hansen in all but five of Liverpool's games in the league, the Anfield club were a cut above every other side, losing just twice and coasting to the title. In April 1989, Gillespie joined his teammates in mourning the deaths of Liverpool fans at the Hillsborough disaster, during a year in which he again was a regular feature in the team. This time fortunes were reversed – Liverpool won the FA Cup with an emotional victory over fierce Merseyside rivals Everton, but lost the League title to Arsenal with almost the last kick of the season. Gillespie missed that game, however.

In 1990–91, with the absence and eventual retirement of Hansen due to injury, Gillespie was once again a regular in the centre of the Liverpool defence. He played 30 league games and scored once, remaining a regular player even after the resignation of Kenny Dalglish in February 1991 and the arrival of Graeme Souness as manager.

Celtic

The arrival of Mark Wright at Liverpool during the close season made it clear that Gillespie would no longer be considered a first choice defender, and he was transferred to Scottish club Celtic for £925,000 on 15 August 1991. He was among manager Liam Brady's first signings for the Bhoys, who were being left behind by local rivals Rangers who had been champions for the previous three seasons. [4]

His debut for the Glasgow club came on 17 August 1991, in a 4–1 league win over his former side Falkirk at Parkhead. Gillespie also managed to find the back of the net. He made 69 league appearances for the Parkhead club over three years, scoring twice, but failed to pick up any silverware. His performance was disappointing and he was not considered a good investment by Celtic's fans.

Return to Coventry City and retirement

Soon after the appointment of Tommy Burns as Celtic manager in 1994, it became apparent that Gillespie was not part of the new manager's plans. On 23 August 1994 he returned to Coventry City on a free transfer, making three Premier League appearances during the 1994–95 season. However, he played just three FA Premier League games before a knee injury struck him down, [5] and he finally retired from playing in 1997 after more than two years out of action. [6]

International

Gillespie won 13 caps for Scotland. Andy Roxburgh gave him his debut on 14 October 1987 in the 2–0 UEFA European Championship qualifier victory over Belgium at Hampden Park. He was selected for the squad that went to the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, but his only appearance came on 20 June against Brazil at the Stadio delle Alpi Turin, a game the Scots lost 1–0. They failed to progress past the group stages.

Honours

Liverpool

Individual

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Dalglish</span> Scottish footballer and manager (born 1951)

Sir Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time as well as one of Liverpool's and Britain's finest-ever players. During his career, he made 338 appearances for Celtic and 515 for Liverpool, playing as a forward, and earned a record 102 caps for the Scotland national team, scoring 30 goals, also a joint record. Dalglish won the Ballon d'Or Silver Award in 1983, the PFA Players' Player of the Year in 1983, and the FWA Footballer of the Year in 1979 and 1983. In 2009, FourFourTwo magazine named Dalglish the greatest striker in post-war British football, and he has been inducted into both the Scottish and English Football Halls of Fame. He is very highly regarded by Liverpool fans, who still affectionately refer to him as King Kenny, and in 2006 voted him top of the fans' poll "100 Players Who Shook the Kop".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Thomas (footballer, born 1967)</span> English footballer

Michael Lauriston Thomas is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder from 1986 to 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Hansen</span> Scottish footballer (born 1955)

Alan David Hansen is a Scottish former footballer and BBC television football pundit. He played as a central defender for Partick Thistle, for the successful Liverpool team of the late 1970s and 1980s, and for the Scotland national team. As a football pundit, Hansen became known for his outspoken views, particularly on teams' defensive performances, frequently criticising what he believed was "diabolical" or "shocking" defending. He co-hosted Match of the Day from 1992 to 2014.

James Robert Case is an English retired professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He gained national prominence with Liverpool in the 1970s and early 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Neal</span> English footballer (born 1951)

Philip George Neal is an English retired footballer who played for Northampton Town, Liverpool and Bolton Wanderers as a full-back. He is one of the most successful English players of all time, having won seven First Divisions, four League Cups, five FA Charity Shields, four European Cups, one UEFA Cup and one UEFA Super Cup during his eleven years at Liverpool. He later returned to Bolton Wanderers as manager, leading them to victory in the Football League Trophy before spells managing Coventry City, Cardiff City and Manchester City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronnie Whelan</span> Irish soccer player and manager

Ronald Andrew Whelan is an Irish former professional footballer player who played as a midfielder and sometimes as a defender. He played an integral role in the dominant Liverpool side that won a wealth of titles in the 1980s. He was at the club from 1979 until 1994, scoring a number of vital goals. In 100 Players Who Shook The Kop, a poll of 110,000 Liverpool fans conducted by Liverpool's official website, Whelan came in 30th.

Gary Ian Ablett was an English professional footballer and manager. He played as a defender from 1985 until 2001.

Craig Peter Johnston is a former professional footballer. He played as a midfielder in the English Football League between 1977 and 1988, winning the European Cup, five league titles and an FA Cup with Liverpool. Nicknamed "Skippy", Johnston was a crowd favourite at Anfield, making 271 Liverpool appearances and scoring 40 goals. He was a key member of the 1986 "double" winning team. He also co-wrote the team's 1988 cup final song "Anfield Rap". Born in South Africa, he represented England at youth level.

Stephen Nicol is a Scottish retired professional footballer who mainly played as a right back and occasionally played in other positions across defence and midfield. He played for the successful Liverpool teams of the 1980s. He was also a regular member of the Scotland national team and represented his country at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Houghton</span> Irish footballer

Raymond James Houghton is a former professional footballer and current sports analyst and commentator with RTÉ Sport.

Peter Barr Cormack is a Scottish former international football player and manager. His greatest success was with Liverpool in the early 1970s, for whom he played 178 times, winning two league championships, one FA Cup and two UEFA Cup medals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary McAllister</span> Scottish football player and manager

Gary McAllister MBE is a Scottish professional football coach and former player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Walters</span> English footballer

Mark Everton Walters is an English former professional footballer who made 600 league appearances between 1981 and 2002.

Kevin Richardson is an English former footballer who made more than 500 appearances in the Football League and Premier League, playing for Everton, Watford, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Coventry City, Southampton, Barnsley and Blackpool, and also spent a season in La Liga with Real Sociedad. He was capped once for England.

John Robert Scales is an English former professional footballer who played as a central defender from 1984 to 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gordon Milne</span> English footballer (born 1937)

Gordon Milne is an English former football player and manager.

Andrew Francis Walker is a Scottish former footballer, who played as a striker for several clubs in Scotland and England, including Motherwell, Celtic, Bolton Wanderers, Sheffield United, and Ayr United. He also made three full international appearances for Scotland. Since retiring as a player, Walker has become a television pundit.

George Turner Livingston was a Scottish footballer. He played for several prominent clubs for a few years apiece, including Heart of Midlothian, Celtic and Rangers in Scotland, and Sunderland, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United in England. Livingstone was capped twice for the Scotland national team; his regular position was at inside forward.

The 1991–92 Liverpool F.C. season was the 100th season in club history and Graeme Souness's first full season as manager of the club. The manager needed heart surgery in April, only to be present when Liverpool won the final of the FA Cup the following month. However, it was a disappointing season in the league for Liverpool, whose sixth-place finish was their first outside the top two since 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve McMahon</span> English footballer

Stephen Joseph McMahon is an English football manager, former professional footballer and current television pundit.

References

  1. ↑ "Gary Gillespie". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  2. ↑ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 222. ISBN   978-0-356-14354-5.
  3. ↑ "Scotland U21 Player Gary Gillespie Details".
  4. ↑ "Scotland U21 Player Gary Gillespie Details". fitbastats.com. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "Football photographic encyclopedia, footballer, world cup, champions league, football championship, olympic games & hero images by sporting-heroes.net".
  6. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 29 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ↑ "Liverpool 1–1 Everton". lfchistory.net. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  8. ↑ Lynch. The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes. p. 147.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.