Gary Penrice
Encyclopedia
Gary Kenneth Penrice is a former professional footballer. He played for Bristol Rovers
, Watford
, Aston Villa
and Queens Park Rangers
as a striker
.
and grew up in Mangotsfield
where his parents still live today. Penrice was in the same class as Blackpool
manager Ian Holloway
at school and they still remain close friends today. Penrice's potential footballing ability he was evident from a young age and was signed up as an apprentice by Bristol City
. However Bristol City later decided to release Penrice from the club, stating that he was too small to make it as a pro. After being released from his apprenticeship Penrice like his father before him signed for local side Mangotsfield United
where he clearly stood out from the rest.
While playing for Mangotsfield, Penrice attended college and became a qualified plumber, planning to build himself a new career after not making the grade at Bristol City. Penrice worked as a plumber for a couple of years before his forgotten dream was to be rekindled. After scouts attended several of Mangotsfields matches, Penrice was offered a trial and signed with the team he and his family supported, Bristol Rovers
After making his début Penrice went on to become a Rovers fan favourite playing in the same team as ex school mate Ian Holloway
, his colourful personality making its mark amongst the Rovers faithful almost as much as his goals. His 20 goals fired Bristol Rovers into the Third Division play-off final in 1989
only to be beaten 2-1 on aggregate by Port Vale
.
to sign for Watford F.C.
for a club record £500,000 sale late in 1989. Penrice played for Watford for only one season, scoring an impressive 18 goals in 43 appearances including an extraordinary run of eight goals in his first nine games, before catching the eye of First Division side Aston Villa
.
for a cool £1million in 1991. Penrice went on to score only once for the club in 20 games spending much time on the sidelines with a broken leg.
by former Rovers boss Gerry Francis
where he joined an ex-Rovers enclave and teamed up again with Holloway. Penrice ironically made his début for QPR in November 1991 against Aston Villa and went on to play 63 league games scoring 20 goals.
as chief scout turning down the offer of assistant manager. Penrice did however become Strikers coach on a one day a week basis after being asked by Holloway to help develop Plymouth's strikers utilizing his attacking knowledge.
Penrice left Plymouth Argyle at the end of November 2007, once again re-joining Ian Holloway this time at Leicester City as head of recruitment. Following Ian Holloway's departure from Leicester, Penrice left Leicester by Mutual consent on July 1, 2008 after Nigel Pearson
had taken charge at the club.
In October 2008, Penrice joined Stoke City
as a European Scout. Tony Pulis
was eager to add Penrice to the Stoke scouting network to utilise his knowledge of the European transfer market.
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
, Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
and Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
.
Early life
Penrice was born in BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and grew up in Mangotsfield
Mangotsfield
Mangotsfield is a village in South Gloucestershire, England, situated north of the Bristol suburb of Kingswood, bounded to the north by the M4 motorway and to the east by the Emersons Green housing estate....
where his parents still live today. Penrice was in the same class as Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
manager Ian Holloway
Ian Holloway
Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...
at school and they still remain close friends today. Penrice's potential footballing ability he was evident from a young age and was signed up as an apprentice by Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
. However Bristol City later decided to release Penrice from the club, stating that he was too small to make it as a pro. After being released from his apprenticeship Penrice like his father before him signed for local side Mangotsfield United
Mangotsfield United F.C.
Mangotsfield United F.C. is an English football club based in Mangotsfield, in the Greater Bristol area, who currently play in the Southern League Division One South and West. The club is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA and Somerset County FA....
where he clearly stood out from the rest.
While playing for Mangotsfield, Penrice attended college and became a qualified plumber, planning to build himself a new career after not making the grade at Bristol City. Penrice worked as a plumber for a couple of years before his forgotten dream was to be rekindled. After scouts attended several of Mangotsfields matches, Penrice was offered a trial and signed with the team he and his family supported, Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
Bristol Rovers
Prior to signing for Rovers Penrice spent a time in the reserve team making a name for himself as a crafty explosive striker with an exquisite touch and an eye for goal. The reserve match reports regularly made their way into the local papers and soon the Rovers fans began to anticipate Penrice's first team début.After making his début Penrice went on to become a Rovers fan favourite playing in the same team as ex school mate Ian Holloway
Ian Holloway
Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...
, his colourful personality making its mark amongst the Rovers faithful almost as much as his goals. His 20 goals fired Bristol Rovers into the Third Division play-off final in 1989
1989 Football League Third Division play-off Final
The 1989 Football League Third Division play-off final was a two-legged football match played at on 31 May and 3 June 1989, to determine the third and final team to gain promotion from the Third Division to the Second Division of The Football League in the 1988–89 season. Port Vale faced Bristol...
only to be beaten 2-1 on aggregate by Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
.
Watford
Penrice would later miss out on a fairytale Third Division Championship success with Bristol RoversBristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
to sign for Watford F.C.
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
for a club record £500,000 sale late in 1989. Penrice played for Watford for only one season, scoring an impressive 18 goals in 43 appearances including an extraordinary run of eight goals in his first nine games, before catching the eye of First Division side Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
.
Aston Villa
Following his impressive season with Watford Penrice was snapped up by Aston VillaAston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
for a cool £1million in 1991. Penrice went on to score only once for the club in 20 games spending much time on the sidelines with a broken leg.
Queens Park Rangers
Just eight months after signing for Villa Penrice was taken to Queens Park RangersQueens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
by former Rovers boss Gerry Francis
Gerry Francis
Gerald Charles James Francis is an English former footballer and manager, now working as First Team coach at Stoke City.-Playing career:Francis made his debut for Queens Park Rangers v Liverpool in March 1969...
where he joined an ex-Rovers enclave and teamed up again with Holloway. Penrice ironically made his début for QPR in November 1991 against Aston Villa and went on to play 63 league games scoring 20 goals.
Return to Watford
In November 1995 Penrice signed for former club Watford. After scoring over 20 top-flight goals Penrice, now 31, reverted to a deeper creative midfield role. However, this was a role that suited neither Penrice, nor a cash-strapped relegation-bound Watford. Penrice's quick-thinking and subtlety was lost in the Second Division relegation scrap.Return home to Bristol Rovers
Penrice re-signed for Bristol Rovers on a free transfer in the summer of 1997 to lead them to the Second Division play-offs that year alongside player-boss Holloway in the centre of midfield. After a 16 year career scoring 110 goals in 400 professional appearances Penrice retired from playing and became Holloway's assistant manager at Rovers after Phil Bater moved to take control of the youth team.Non Playing Career
Since his retirement from playing Penrice has stuck with friend Ian Holloway as his assistant manager at both Rovers and later at Queens Park Rangers. After leaving Rangers, Penrice followed Holloway to Plymouth ArgylePlymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
as chief scout turning down the offer of assistant manager. Penrice did however become Strikers coach on a one day a week basis after being asked by Holloway to help develop Plymouth's strikers utilizing his attacking knowledge.
Penrice left Plymouth Argyle at the end of November 2007, once again re-joining Ian Holloway this time at Leicester City as head of recruitment. Following Ian Holloway's departure from Leicester, Penrice left Leicester by Mutual consent on July 1, 2008 after Nigel Pearson
Nigel Pearson
Nigel Graham Pearson is an English football manager and former professional player. He is currently in his second spell as manager of Leicester City, having previously managed Hull City, Southampton and Carlisle United, and been assistant manager for England Under-21s and Newcastle United...
had taken charge at the club.
In October 2008, Penrice joined Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
as a European Scout. Tony Pulis
Tony Pulis
Anthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
was eager to add Penrice to the Stoke scouting network to utilise his knowledge of the European transfer market.