Geoff Gay
Geoffrey Gay (born 4 February 1957) is an English former professional footballer. He played in the Football League for Exeter City, Southport and Wigan Athletic. Born in Romford, Gay's family moved to Tarvin and then Winsford in the North-West of England.[1]
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Geoffrey Gay | ||
Date of birth | [1] | 4 February 1957||
Place of birth | Romford, England | ||
Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1] | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
1973–1975 | Bolton Wanderers | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1975–1977 | Bolton Wanderers | 0 | (0) |
1977 | → Exeter City (loan) | 6 | (0) |
1977–1978 | Southport | 40 | (5) |
1978 | Wigan Athletic | 1 | (0) |
1978 | Macclesfield Town | 5 | (3) |
19??–1979 | Bangor City | ||
1979 | Crewe Alexandra | 0 | (0) |
1979–1982 | Macclesfield Town | 115 | (8) |
Mossley | |||
Droylsden | |||
Chorley | |||
1986 | Macclesfield Town | 1 | (0) |
Mossley | |||
Horwich RMI | |||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Gay turned professional with Bolton Wanderers in June 1975, having spent two years with Bolton as an apprentice.[1] He joined Exeter City on loan in March 1977.[1][2] On his debut for Exeter, away to Crewe Alexandra, Gay took over in goal after City keeper Richard Key broke his ankle.[3] This was the first time in Exeter City's history that a debutant outfield player had taken over in goal.[4]
Released by Bolton, he moved to Southport in August 1977,[1] playing 40 times in Southport's final season in the Football League as they failed to gain re-election at the end of the season. In July 1978, Gay joined Wigan Athletic who had taken Southport's place as a League club. He played just once, in Wigan's first ever home game in the Football league,[1] against Grimsby Town.[5]
He left Wigan later that year, joining Macclesfield Town. This was followed by short spells with Bangor City and Crewe Alexandra before returning to Macclesfield Town in 1979.[1] In December 1982, while playing for Macclesfield against Witton Albion, Gay broke his leg in three places and required the insertion of a metal plate.[1] He later joined Mossley, Droylsden and Chorley before a second spell with Macclesfield, rejoining Mossley from there in the 1986 close season.[6] He left Mossley in October 1986,[6] joining Horwich RMI.[7]
Away from football, Gay became a civil servant working for the Employment Department.[1]
References
- "Geoff Gay". Southport FC. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
- "Geoff Gay". Neil Brown. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
- "Fringe players like Mike played their part in 76". The Herald. 14 February 2009. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
- "Maybe City will cast aside injury blow like in 1976/77". The North Devon Journal. 21 March 2009. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
- Struthers, Greg (26 February 2006). "Caught in time:Wigan win election to the Football League, 1978". The Sunday Times. London. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
- "Mossley AFC in the Northern Premier League 1972–1995". Mossley AFC. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
- "Complete A–Z of players 1919–2010: Gabrielson to Gurney". Mossley A.F.C. Retrieved 15 February 2010.