Gavin Friels

Gavin Friels (born 3 August 1977) is a Scottish football forward who is currently player-manager at Dalry Thistle in the Scottish Junior Football Association, West Region. He has previously played in the Scottish Football League First Division with Stranraer. Nick named the baidland Batigol he had a knack for tormenting defences of opposing teams and provoking negative reactions from opposition fans only for him to turn up two weeks later wearing their strip and kissing the badge.

Gavin Friels
Personal information
Full name Gavin David Friels
Date of birth (1977-08-03) 3 August 1977
Place of birth Irvine, Scotland
Height 4 ft 10 in (1.47 m)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Ardrossan Winton Rovers (Manager)
Youth career
Bonnyton Thistle BC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1996 Queen of the South 0 (0)
1996 Dalry Thistle
1996–1999 Stranraer 31 (1)
1997–1998 → Dalry Thistle (loan)
1999–2004 Auchinleck Talbot
1999–2000 Albion Rovers 1 (0)
2004–2006 Pollok
2006–2007 Ayr United 10 (1)
2006 → Glenafton Athletic (loan)
2007 Auchinleck Talbot
2007–2011 Irvine Meadow
2011–2012 Cumnock Juniors
2012–2013 Kilbirnie Ladeside
2013– Dalry Thistle
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:00, 9 March 2013 (UTC)

Career

Friels started his career with Queen of the South but did not make any league appearances for the club. He dropped to Junior level at his hometown side Dalry Thistle before moving to Stranraer in December 1996.[1] With the Galloway club, Friels won the Scottish Football League Second Division championship in 1997–1998 and the following season made 19 appearances in the Scottish Football League First Division, scoring once in a 7–1 defeat to Ayr United in September 1998.[2] Friels left Stranraer for Junior side Auchinleck Talbot in the summer of 1999.[3]

After scoring two goals against Maryhill on the final day of the season to help save Talbot from relegation in 2004, Friels moved on to Pollok the following season.[1][4] During his time at 'Lok, Friels was capped for the Scotland Junior international team in the 2005 Quadrangular Tournament.[5] He stepped up to the Scottish Football League again for a short spell with Ayr United in 2006 but was soon back in the Juniors, firstly on loan to Glenafton Athletic in November 2006 then permanently to Auchinleck Talbot in February 2007 after being released by Ayr.[6] Friels failed to settle at Talbot a second time and joined Irvine Meadow in November 2007.[7]

Friels was out of the game for a period of fourteen months following an injury suffered in a game against Arthurlie in January 2009, returning to action in March 2010.[8] The player joined Cumnock Juniors in February 2011 before signing for Kilbirnie Ladeside in 2012.[9][10]

Friels was announced as player-manager of Dalry Thistle in March 2013.[11]

References
  1. "2005–06 Pollok FC Squad". Jamie Wire. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  2. "Games played by Gavin Friels in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  3. "Hot Friels has gift of the Gav". Daily Record. The Free Library. 23 August 1999. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  4. "Neil down but Denis won't give up all hope". Daily Record. The Free Library. 17 May 2004. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  5. "Quadrangular Tournament". Scottish Junior Football Association. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  6. "Talbot's Friel good factor has returned". Evening Times. 6 February 2007. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  7. "Gavin can be Meadow great". Irvine Herald. 21 November 2007. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  8. John Woods (5 March 2010). "Injury hell ends for Irvine Meadow striker". Irvine Herald. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  9. Alistair Neil (24 February 2011). "Friels in at Cumnock". Cumnock Chronicle. Archived from the original on 26 March 2013. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  10. John Woods (22 June 2012). "Kilwinning Rangers signing swoop". Irvine Herald. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  11. "Dalry Thistle boss Gavin Friels aiming high despite summer exodus - Daily Record". 2 August 2019.
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