Gavin Gordon (footballer) explained

Gavin Gordon
Full Name:Gavin Kenyatta Gordon[1] [2]
Birth Date:24 June 1979
Birth Place:Manchester, England
Height:[3]
Position:Striker
Youthclubs1:Hull City
Years1:1995–1997
Clubs1:Hull City
Caps1:38
Goals1:9
Years2:1997–2000
Clubs2:Lincoln City
Caps2:99
Goals2:29
Years3:2000–2004
Clubs3:Cardiff City
Caps3:50
Goals3:6
Years4:2002
Clubs4:Oxford United (loan)
Caps4:6
Goals4:1
Years5:2004–2006
Clubs5:Notts County
Caps5:33
Goals5:5
Years6:2006
Clubs6:Crawley Town
Caps6:4
Goals6:0
Years7:2007–2008
Clubs7:Histon
Caps7:0
Goals7:0
Years8:2012–2013
Clubs8:Sleaford Town
Caps8:7
Goals8:3
Years9:2013–2014
Clubs9:Three Bridges
Caps9:2
Goals9:0

Gavin Kenyatta Gordon (born 24 June 1979) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker.

Gordon played in the Football League between 1995 and 2006, playing for Hull City, Lincoln City, Cardiff City, Oxford United and Notts County. In 2006, he moved into Non-league football and appeared for Crawley Town and Histon before retiring in 2008. In 2012, he joined the coaching staff of Sleaford Town and also shortly afterwards he came out of retirement as well as continuing his role as a coach.

In November 2013, Gordon signed for Three Bridges.[4]

Career

A youth player at Hull City, Gordon became the second youngest player to ever play for them when he came on as a substitute against Coventry City in the Football League Cup. But he struggled to ever establish himself at Hull and was allowed to leave and join Lincoln City for £30,000 in November 1997 where he formed a very effective strike partnership with Lee Thorpe. His scoring feats at Lincoln lead Cardiff City[5] to pay £550,000 for him in December 2000, with the amount due to rise depending on appearances[6] but he never reached the required amount. He scored his first goal for Cardiff on 1 January 2001 with a header during a 6–1 victory over Exeter City, but the rest of his season was spent on the treatment table with persistent back problems. The same injury ruled him out of a large part of the following year, although one of the matches he did manage to play in was a Football League Trophy match against Rushden & Diamonds which ended in a 7–1 victory for Cardiff with Gordon finding the net five times.[7]

He spent a short time on loan at Oxford United to gain fitness. At Oxford he scored the winning goal on his debut against York City[8] before returning to Ninian Park where he finally broke into the first team but at the end of the year he was released. He was signed by Notts County where he managed to regain some of the form he showed at Lincoln. After a stuttering second year he left[9] to join Crawley Town[10] on a free transfer but suffered a serious injury during the season which has seen him out of action for over a year. He signed for Histon at the start of the 2007–08 season but did not make an appearance for them due to the injury. He then went on to play for Heckington, amateur side.

In October 2012, he was appointed to act as coach to Kris Jones who had taken over the running of Sleaford Town's reserve team in the Lincolnshire Football League.[11] He also made occasional appearances for the team, debuting in the 2–0 home defeat to Grimsby Borough Reserves on 13 October 2012[12] and making 3+4 league appearances in which he netted three times including a brace against Louth Town Reserves.[13] In June 2013, with Kris Jones having been promoted to first team manager, Gordon stepped up to become first team coach at Sleaford Town with his one-time Lincoln City teammate Terry Fleming acting as assistant manager.[14]

Personal life

Gordon now works as a postman for Royal Mail and lives in Sleaford.[15]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hull City1995–96Second Division133002000153
1996–97Third Division204002110235
1997–98Third Division5200100062
Total3890051104410
Lincoln City1997–98Third Division133400010183
1998–99Second Division275000020295
1999–2000Third Division41113121104713
2000–01Third Division18102100002011
Total992992214011432
Cardiff City2000–01Third Division101000000101
2001–02Second Division152211015198
2002–03Second Division102000011113
2003–04First Division151001000161
Total5062120265613
Oxford United (loan)2002–03Third Division6100100071
Notts County2004–05League Two275430010328
2005–06League Two6010000070
Total335530010398
Crawley Town2005–06Conference National4000000040
Histon2007–08Conference Premier0000000000
Career total230501661038626465

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Hayes, Dean . The Who's Who of Cardiff City . Breedon Books . 2006 . 75 . Derby . 1-85983-462-0.
  2. Web site: Cork fails to keep it bottled up . The Guardian . 12 February 2001 . 28 November 2016.
  3. Book: Rothmans Football Yearbook 1997–98 . Headline Publishing Group . 1997 . 9780747277385 . Glenda . Rollin . Jack . Rollin . 28th . London . 461 . 1194925023 . registration.
  4. Web site: Leatherhead too strong for Three Bridges, to the power of four goals. Your Local Guardian. 18 November 2013. 19 March 2023.
  5. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/wales/1076404.stm "Gordon signs for Cardiff"
  6. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cardiff_city/1069343.stm "Gordon deal depends on Jamaica"
  7. News: Cardiff 7–1 Rushden. BBC. 16 October 2001 . 20 August 2012.
  8. News: York 0–1 Oxford. BBC. 28 September 2002 . 20 August 2012.
  9. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/notts_county/4646760.stm "Gordon confirms Notts County Exit"
  10. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crawley_town/4739274.stm "Crawley bring in striker Gordon"
  11. Web site: Jones in new reserve manager. 7 October 2012. Sleaford Town F.C. Official Website. 10 June 2013.
  12. Web site: Gavin Gordon's 2012–13 Playing Statistics. Football.mitoo.co.uk. 10 June 2013.
  13. Web site: Good form goes on for reserves. 7 December 2012. Sleaford Standard. 10 June 2012.
  14. Web site: Former professionals join management team. Sleaford Town F.C. Official Website. 8 June 2013. 10 June 2013.
  15. Web site: Lincoln fan stunned to find out his postman is former Imps striker. 17 October 2018.