Eric Gates
Encyclopedia
Eric Lazenby Gates is an English
former football
player born on 28 June 1955 in Ferryhill
, County Durham
. He was a striker.
He started 345 times for Ipswich Town
with another 39 appearances as a substitute, under Bobby Robson
, scoring 96 goals
and winning the UEFA
cup in 1981
and FA Cup
in 1978
(he did not play in the final of the latter); he also received two caps for the English national side
in 1980. In 1985 he moved to Sunderland
for £150,000, making 167 league appearances (19 as substitute) and scoring 45 goals. He also made seven appearances in the FA Cup for the Black Cats, scoring two goals, and 18 appearances in the Football League Cup with six further goals.
During his time at Sunderland, they were relegated to the Third Division. Gates created a strike partnership with Marco Gabbiadini
, the pair scoring 42 between them for Sunderland the following season. He scored four, in a 7-0 defeat of Southend United
in November 1987. Gates' final goal for Sunderland came in the 1990 play-off semi-final win at Newcastle United, where he then set up his strike partner to seal a 2-0 win. In 1990 he left Sunderland for Carlisle United
for his final season in league football.
In all, Gates played 515 games and scored 124 goals at league level.
He worked, until recently, for Century FM
on The Three Legends show. It was reported by the Evening Chronicle
in May that Century FM and Gates were in dispute after Gates signed to local radio station BBC Radio Newcastle
. Gates has since been replaced by ex-Sunderland player Micky Horswill.
Sunderland
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player born on 28 June 1955 in Ferryhill
Ferryhill
Ferryhill is a town in south-central County Durham, England with a population of around 11,651 people, making it the 8th biggest town in the County. It is in the Durham County Unitary area...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
. He was a striker.
He started 345 times for Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
with another 39 appearances as a substitute, under Bobby Robson
Bobby Robson
Sir Robert William "Bobby" Robson, CBE was an English footballer and manager, who coached seven European clubs and the England national team during his career....
, scoring 96 goals
Goal (sport)
Goal refers to a method of scoring in many sports. It can also refer to the physical structure or area of the playing surface where scoring occurs....
and winning the UEFA
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
cup in 1981
1981 UEFA Cup Final
The 1981 UEFA Cup Final was the two-legged final of the 1980–81 UEFA Cup, the tenth season of the UEFA Cup, UEFA's second-tier club football tournament. The matches were contested between Ipswich Town of England and AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands; despite losing the second leg of the final 4–2,...
and FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
in 1978
1978 FA Cup Final
The 1978 FA Cup Final took place on 6 May 1978 at Wembley Stadium. It was contested between Arsenal and Ipswich Town. While Ipswich were considered underdogs, with Arsenal fielding a number of well-known players, including England striker Malcolm Macdonald, Ipswich won the match 1–0.Ipswich...
(he did not play in the final of the latter); he also received two caps for the English national side
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in 1980. In 1985 he moved to Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
for £150,000, making 167 league appearances (19 as substitute) and scoring 45 goals. He also made seven appearances in the FA Cup for the Black Cats, scoring two goals, and 18 appearances in the Football League Cup with six further goals.
During his time at Sunderland, they were relegated to the Third Division. Gates created a strike partnership with Marco Gabbiadini
Marco Gabbiadini
Marco Gabbiadini is an English former footballer whose career lasted 18 years from 1985 to 2003. He totalled nearly £3 million in transfer fees and played for 12 different clubs, scoring a total of 226 league goals.-York City:...
, the pair scoring 42 between them for Sunderland the following season. He scored four, in a 7-0 defeat of Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
in November 1987. Gates' final goal for Sunderland came in the 1990 play-off semi-final win at Newcastle United, where he then set up his strike partner to seal a 2-0 win. In 1990 he left Sunderland for Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
for his final season in league football.
In all, Gates played 515 games and scored 124 goals at league level.
He worked, until recently, for Century FM
100-102 Century FM
Real Radio North East is a radio station in north east England owned by GMG Radio. It is based in Team Valley, Gateshead, and broadcasts to north east England....
on The Three Legends show. It was reported by the Evening Chronicle
Evening Chronicle
The Evening Chronicle is a daily, evening newspaper produced in Newcastle upon Tyne, covering Tyne and Wear, southern Northumberland and northern County Durham. It was founded in 1885 by Joseph Cowen...
in May that Century FM and Gates were in dispute after Gates signed to local radio station BBC Radio Newcastle
BBC Radio Newcastle
BBC Newcastle is the BBC Local Radio service English metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, broadcasting from studios on Barrack Road in Newcastle upon Tyne.- Technical :...
. Gates has since been replaced by ex-Sunderland player Micky Horswill.
Honours
Ipswich TownIpswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winner 19781978 FA Cup FinalThe 1978 FA Cup Final took place on 6 May 1978 at Wembley Stadium. It was contested between Arsenal and Ipswich Town. While Ipswich were considered underdogs, with Arsenal fielding a number of well-known players, including England striker Malcolm Macdonald, Ipswich won the match 1–0.Ipswich...
. - UEFA CupUEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
winner 19811981 UEFA Cup FinalThe 1981 UEFA Cup Final was the two-legged final of the 1980–81 UEFA Cup, the tenth season of the UEFA Cup, UEFA's second-tier club football tournament. The matches were contested between Ipswich Town of England and AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands; despite losing the second leg of the final 4–2,...
. - Amsterdam 700 Tournament winner 1981.
Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
- Football League Third DivisionFootball League Third DivisionThe Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
winner 1987–88.