Gary Walsh
Encyclopedia
Gary Walsh is a retired English
footballer who played as goalkeeper with a number of clubs including Manchester United
, Middlesbrough
, Bradford City
and Wigan Athletic
. He became goalkeeping coach at Wigan under manager Paul Jewell
before teaming back up with Jewell at Derby County
. He is currently the goalkeeping coach at Hartlepool United
as an apprentice. He was originally a striker but was fielded as goalkeeper in a game being watched by a Manchester United
scout. He was promptly offered an apprenticeship by Manchester United manager Ron Atkinson
, and accepted the offer. He kept goal for United as they finished runners-up to neighbouring Manchester City
in the 1986 FA Youth Cup
.
Walsh was given a professional contract for the 1986–87 season (during which Ron Atkinson was sacked in favour of Alex Ferguson
) and make his first-team debut soon after. He played 14 league games that season.
For a short time in the 1987–88 season, a 19-year-old Walsh was made first-choice goalkeeper after Gary Bailey
retired due to injury and Chris Turner
was dropped from the team. He played in 16 league games before his run in the first team was halted by a head injury sustained in a mid-season friendly in Bermuda
, and a succession of further injuries ruled him out until the 1990–91 season. He was on the substitutes bench as United lifted the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
that season, and the arrival of Peter Schmeichel
that summer made his first-team opportunities even more limited.
The return of Les Sealey
(who had been at United for 18 months until the end of the 1990–91 season) in January 1993 meant that Walsh was now third choice goalkeeper, and the following season he was transfer-listed. He had also been out the squad for a while before Sealey's arrival, as United had brought in Fraser Digby
on loan from Swindon Town
as an (unused) understudy to Peter Schmeichel.
However, United won the league title that season with three matches to spare, and to prepare his best players for the FA Cup final, Alex Ferguson selected Walsh as goalkeeper for the final three league games of the season and Walsh's form was so impressive that he gained a new contract, while the veteran Les Sealey
was released. Walsh was on the substitute's bench as United triumphed 4–0 over Chelsea
in the FA Cup Final
on 14 May 1994 to complete the Double.
While at Old Trafford
, Walsh went on loan to Airdrieonians
and Oldham Athletic
.
A back injury suffered by Peter Schmeichel
in November 1994 saw Walsh selected for 10 subsequent Premier League games, during which he conceded just 12 goals, while the Dane recovered. Walsh also played in several Football League Cup
and European Cup games that season, though when Schmeichel returned to fitness Walsh was back on the substitute's bench or in the reserves. Had United won the league title that season, Walsh would have collected the first (and ultimately the only) league title winner's medal of his career as he had met the minimum requirement for appearances to gain the accolade, but United were beaten to the league title by Blackburn Rovers
on the final day of the season when they failed to get the better of a West Ham United
side who held them to a 1–1 draw in east London
.
A little frustrated at the lack of first team opportunities available to him, Walsh moved to Middlesbrough
(managed by his former team mate Bryan Robson
) for £600,000 in August 1995, and played in 32 out of 38 Premier League games that season for a newly promoted side which went fourth in October but in the end could only manage a 12th place finish due to a terrible run of form during the winter. The following season, however, he managed just 12 league appearances due to the emergence of Ben Roberts
and the arrival of Mark Schwarzer
, and was not selected for the FA Cup
final squad against Chelsea
, who beat Middlesbrough 2–0. Walsh never played first team football for the Riverside
club again.
He signed for Bradford City
on loan in October 1997 before a £500,000 fee made the transfer permanent.
Walsh produced his best form in a number of years in the 1997–98 season and crowned a superb campaign by picking up the club's Player of the Year award. However, injury and the form of Matt Clarke
saw Walsh fall out of favour at Bradford City.
After several troubled months, he emerged at the start of the 2000–01 season campaign fully fit and ready to fight for his place (he also went on loan to former club Middlesbrough
during this time). He featured strongly over the next few years before joining Wigan Athletic
in 2003 as back-up to John Filan. On Wigan's promotion to the Premier League in 2005, he signed a new one-year contract to see the club through their first as a top division side.
Having played three games in Wigan's Premier League debut season (in which they finished 10th in the league and were runners-up in the Football League Cup
), Walsh announced his retirement from playing in the summer of 2006.
at Derby County
on 3 January 2008. Following Jewell's departure from Derby, Walsh left in June 2009 and was appointed goalkeeping coach of Hartlepool United.
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...
footballer who played as goalkeeper with a number of clubs including Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
and Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
. He became goalkeeping coach at Wigan under manager Paul Jewell
Paul Jewell
Paul Steven Jewell is a former English footballer who is currently the manager of Ipswich Town.His playing career started with Liverpool before moving to Wigan Athletic and then a ten-year spell with Bradford City...
before teaming back up with Jewell at Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
. He is currently the goalkeeping coach at Hartlepool United
Playing career
Walsh left school in 1984 and signed for Wigan AthleticWigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
as an apprentice. He was originally a striker but was fielded as goalkeeper in a game being watched by a Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
scout. He was promptly offered an apprenticeship by Manchester United manager Ron Atkinson
Ron Atkinson
Ronald Ernest Atkinson, commonly known as "Big Ron" and "Bojangles" is an English former football player and manager. In recent years he has become one of Britain's best-known football pundits...
, and accepted the offer. He kept goal for United as they finished runners-up to neighbouring Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
in the 1986 FA Youth Cup
FA Youth Cup
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
.
Walsh was given a professional contract for the 1986–87 season (during which Ron Atkinson was sacked in favour of Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
) and make his first-team debut soon after. He played 14 league games that season.
For a short time in the 1987–88 season, a 19-year-old Walsh was made first-choice goalkeeper after Gary Bailey
Gary Bailey
Gary Richard Bailey is a former footballer who made nearly 300 appearances in the Football League playing as a goalkeeper for Manchester United. He was capped twice for England....
retired due to injury and Chris Turner
Chris Turner
Christopher Robert "Chris" Turner is an English former footballer and manager. He managed Leyton Orient, Hartlepool United on two occasions, Sheffield Wednesday and Stockport County. He was previously a player with seven clubs, including two spells at Wednesday, Sunderland and Manchester United...
was dropped from the team. He played in 16 league games before his run in the first team was halted by a head injury sustained in a mid-season friendly in Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, and a succession of further injuries ruled him out until the 1990–91 season. He was on the substitutes bench as United lifted the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
that season, and the arrival of Peter Schmeichel
Peter Schmeichel
Peter Bolesław Schmeichel MBE is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the "World's Best Goalkeeper" in 1992 and 1993...
that summer made his first-team opportunities even more limited.
The return of Les Sealey
Les Sealey
Leslie Jesse "Les" Sealey was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper for, among others, Coventry City, Luton Town, Manchester United, Aston Villa and West Ham United...
(who had been at United for 18 months until the end of the 1990–91 season) in January 1993 meant that Walsh was now third choice goalkeeper, and the following season he was transfer-listed. He had also been out the squad for a while before Sealey's arrival, as United had brought in Fraser Digby
Fraser Digby
Fraser Charles Digby is a retired goalkeeper who spent much of his career with Swindon Town, for whom he played in the Premier League...
on loan from Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
as an (unused) understudy to Peter Schmeichel.
However, United won the league title that season with three matches to spare, and to prepare his best players for the FA Cup final, Alex Ferguson selected Walsh as goalkeeper for the final three league games of the season and Walsh's form was so impressive that he gained a new contract, while the veteran Les Sealey
Les Sealey
Leslie Jesse "Les" Sealey was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper for, among others, Coventry City, Luton Town, Manchester United, Aston Villa and West Ham United...
was released. Walsh was on the substitute's bench as United triumphed 4–0 over Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in the FA Cup Final
FA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
on 14 May 1994 to complete the Double.
While at Old Trafford
Old Trafford (football)
Old Trafford is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 75,811, Old Trafford is the second-largest football stadium in England after Wembley, the third-largest in the United Kingdom and the eleventh-largest in Europe...
, Walsh went on loan to Airdrieonians
Airdrieonians F.C.
Airdrieonians Football Club, more commonly known as Airdrie, were a Scottish professional football team from the town of Airdrie, in the Monklands area of Lanarkshire....
and Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
.
A back injury suffered by Peter Schmeichel
Peter Schmeichel
Peter Bolesław Schmeichel MBE is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the "World's Best Goalkeeper" in 1992 and 1993...
in November 1994 saw Walsh selected for 10 subsequent Premier League games, during which he conceded just 12 goals, while the Dane recovered. Walsh also played in several Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
and European Cup games that season, though when Schmeichel returned to fitness Walsh was back on the substitute's bench or in the reserves. Had United won the league title that season, Walsh would have collected the first (and ultimately the only) league title winner's medal of his career as he had met the minimum requirement for appearances to gain the accolade, but United were beaten to the league title by Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
on the final day of the season when they failed to get the better of a West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
side who held them to a 1–1 draw in east London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
A little frustrated at the lack of first team opportunities available to him, Walsh moved to Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
(managed by his former team mate Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson OBE is an English football manager and a former player. He is best known for playing in midfield for Manchester United, where he was the longest serving captain in club history. He was the manager of Sheffield United, being relieved of his first team duties at the club in February 2008...
) for £600,000 in August 1995, and played in 32 out of 38 Premier League games that season for a newly promoted side which went fourth in October but in the end could only manage a 12th place finish due to a terrible run of form during the winter. The following season, however, he managed just 12 league appearances due to the emergence of Ben Roberts
Ben Roberts
Benjamin Roberts is a British professional poker player based in London.-Poker career:Roberts began playing poker in the mid 1970s, and claims to have won every year....
and the arrival of Mark Schwarzer
Mark Schwarzer
Mark Schwarzer OAM is an Australian association football player who plays as a goalkeeper. He currently plays for Premier League club Fulham. He rose to prominence during his time at North-East England football club Middlesbrough...
, and was not selected for the 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...
final squad against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, who beat Middlesbrough 2–0. Walsh never played first team football for the Riverside
Riverside Stadium
The Riverside Stadium is a football stadium in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England, which has been the home of Middlesbrough F.C. since it opened in 1995...
club again.
He signed for Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
on loan in October 1997 before a £500,000 fee made the transfer permanent.
Walsh produced his best form in a number of years in the 1997–98 season and crowned a superb campaign by picking up the club's Player of the Year award. However, injury and the form of Matt Clarke
Matt Clarke (footballer born 1973)
Matthew Clarke is an English former football goalkeeper.-Club career:Clarke's first club was Rotherham United, where his nickname was Matt the Cat, in reference to his agility. He won the 1996 Football League Trophy with Rotherham...
saw Walsh fall out of favour at Bradford City.
After several troubled months, he emerged at the start of the 2000–01 season campaign fully fit and ready to fight for his place (he also went on loan to former club Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
during this time). He featured strongly over the next few years before joining Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
in 2003 as back-up to John Filan. On Wigan's promotion to the Premier League in 2005, he signed a new one-year contract to see the club through their first as a top division side.
Having played three games in Wigan's Premier League debut season (in which they finished 10th in the league and were runners-up in the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
), Walsh announced his retirement from playing in the summer of 2006.
Coaching career
Walsh started his goalkeeping coach role during his playing time at Wigan, before taking it up on a permanent basis after he retired at the end of the 2005–06 season. He teamed up with former Wigan manager Paul JewellPaul Jewell
Paul Steven Jewell is a former English footballer who is currently the manager of Ipswich Town.His playing career started with Liverpool before moving to Wigan Athletic and then a ten-year spell with Bradford City...
at Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
on 3 January 2008. Following Jewell's departure from Derby, Walsh left in June 2009 and was appointed goalkeeping coach of Hartlepool United.