Gary Plumley
Encyclopedia
Gary Plumley is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League
for Newport County
, Hereford United
and Cardiff City
, and in the Hong Kong First Division League
for Happy Valley.
A goalkeeper, Plumley made 187 appearances for Newport County
in four spells with the club between 1976 and 1987. He was part of the team that won the Welsh Cup
and were promoted
to the Third Division
in the 1979–80 season, and in the subsequent season reached the quarter-final of the 1981 European Cup Winners Cup, holding eventual runners-up Carl Zeiss Jena
to a draw in the away leg before losing 1–0 at home.
Plumley also played for Hereford United
, Cardiff City
, Happy Valley and Ebbw Vale
.
Plumley's father Eddie was chief executive of Watford
, a family connection which led to him making a one-off appearance in the 1987 FA Cup semi-final. Watford goalkeeper Tony Coton
broke a finger two weeks before the game leaving manager Graham Taylor
needing to find cover for Steve Sherwood
after the transfer deadline. In desperation, Taylor suggested to Eddie Plumley that they sign his son, who had by then retired from football. Plumley signed, Sherwood dislocated a finger, so Plumley played; Tottenham Hotspur
won the match 4–1.
Plumley became an estate agent in Newport. He is married to Debbie Johnsey, who represented Great Britain at show jumping
at the 1976 Montreal Olympics
. Their daughter Gemma Plumley is also an accomplished show jumper.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
, Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
and Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
, and in the Hong Kong First Division League
Hong Kong First Division League
Hong Kong First Division League is the top division football league in Hong Kong which was established in 1908, the oldest in Asia. It does not affiliate to any football leagues in the People's Republic of China.-Competition format:...
for Happy Valley.
A goalkeeper, Plumley made 187 appearances for Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
in four spells with the club between 1976 and 1987. He was part of the team that won the Welsh Cup
Welsh Cup
The Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
and were promoted
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The 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...
in the 1979–80 season, and in the subsequent season reached the quarter-final of the 1981 European Cup Winners Cup, holding eventual runners-up Carl Zeiss Jena
FC Carl Zeiss Jena
FC Carl Zeiss Jena is a German association football club based in Jena, Thuringia.-History:The club was founded in May 1903 by workers at the Carl Zeiss AG optics factory as the company-sponsored Fussball-Club der Firma Carl Zeiss. The club underwent name changes in 1911 to Fussball Club Carl Zeiss...
to a draw in the away leg before losing 1–0 at home.
Plumley also played for Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
, Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
, Happy Valley and Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale F.C.
Ebbw Vale Football Club were a football team from Ebbw Vale, South Wales.Ebbw Vale played in the first season of the League of Wales in 1992-93. The club then finished 11th before finishing 3rd in two successive seasons to 1997-98. During the years when they finished 3rd the Giles brothers, Paul...
.
Plumley's father Eddie was chief executive of 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...
, a family connection which led to him making a one-off appearance in the 1987 FA Cup semi-final. Watford goalkeeper Tony Coton
Tony Coton
Anthony Philip "Tony" Coton is an English former footballer who made 500 appearances in the Football League and Premier League playing as a goalkeeper for Birmingham City, Watford, Manchester City and Sunderland...
broke a finger two weeks before the game leaving manager Graham Taylor
Graham Taylor (football manager)
Graham Taylor OBE is a football pundit, ex-football manager, and a former player. He is best known as the manager of the England national football team, as well as being manager of Watford, a club he took from the Fourth Division to the First in the space of five years, then from bottom of the...
needing to find cover for Steve Sherwood
Steve Sherwood
Stephen "Steve" Sherwood is a former footballer who played as a goalkeeper, best remembered for his time at Watford, Chelsea and Grimsby Town.-Career:...
after the transfer deadline. In desperation, Taylor suggested to Eddie Plumley that they sign his son, who had by then retired from football. Plumley signed, Sherwood dislocated a finger, so Plumley played; Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
won the match 4–1.
Plumley became an estate agent in Newport. He is married to Debbie Johnsey, who represented Great Britain at show jumping
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
at the 1976 Montreal Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
. Their daughter Gemma Plumley is also an accomplished show jumper.
External links
- League stats at Neil Brown's site