Gary West
Encyclopedia
Gary West is an English
former footballer. He made 250 appearances in the Football League
between 1982 and 1993, playing for numerous clubs; most notably Sheffield United
, Lincoln City
and Gillingham
.
, playing 75 league games for the "Blades" between 1982 and 1985. The 1983–84 season saw the club promoted
from the Third Division
in third place. They consolidated their Second Division
status the next season, though following this West secured a move to Lincoln City
.
The "Imps" suffered relegation into the Fourth Division
in 1985–86. They then crashed out of the Football League
in 1986–87, finishing behind Torquay United
thanks to their inferior goal difference.
West escaped Lincoln's fate of non-league football by signing with Gillingham
of the Third Division. He spent the 1987–88 and 1988–89 seasons with the "Gills". The club were relegation in his second season, West again escaped the fate of relegation, having been sold to Port Vale
for £70,000 in February 1989.
His first Vale game was actually at Bramall Lane
, a goalless draw on 28 February 1989. He played fourteen games for the club that season, as well as playing both the semi-finals and the final
of the play-offs.
He struggled with cartilage troubles and played just three games for Vale the next season
, instead being loaned out to old club Gillingham in November 1990. He played just one league games for the "Gills" in his one month loan. In January 1991 he joined another old club on loan, staying a month at Sincil Bank
, where he played three games.
In August 1991 he joined Lincoln City permanently for £25,000. He played eighteen league games for City in the 1991–92 season and also spent time on loan at Walsall
before dropping into non-league football with Boston United
.
with Port Vale
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former footballer. He made 250 appearances in the Football League
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...
between 1982 and 1993, playing for numerous clubs; most notably Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
, Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
and Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
.
Playing career
West began his career with Sheffield UnitedSheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
, playing 75 league games for the "Blades" between 1982 and 1985. The 1983–84 season saw the club 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...
from 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 third place. They consolidated their Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
status the next season, though following this West secured a move to Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
.
The "Imps" suffered relegation into the Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
in 1985–86. They then crashed out of the Football League
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...
in 1986–87, finishing behind Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
thanks to their inferior goal difference.
West escaped Lincoln's fate of non-league football by signing with Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
of the Third Division. He spent the 1987–88 and 1988–89 seasons with the "Gills". The club were relegation in his second season, West again escaped the fate of relegation, having been sold to 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...
for £70,000 in February 1989.
His first Vale game was actually at Bramall Lane
Bramall Lane
-Cricket at the Lane:Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the town's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket...
, a goalless draw on 28 February 1989. He played fourteen games for the club that season, as well as playing both the semi-finals and the final
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...
of the play-offs.
He struggled with cartilage troubles and played just three games for Vale the next season
1990–91 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1990–91 season was Port Vale's seventy-ninth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in the Second Division. For the first time since 1926–27 they played in a league above rivals Stoke City...
, instead being loaned out to old club Gillingham in November 1990. He played just one league games for the "Gills" in his one month loan. In January 1991 he joined another old club on loan, staying a month at Sincil Bank
Sincil Bank
Sincil Bank is a football stadium in Lincoln, England and has been the home of Lincoln City since 1895. Previously, Lincoln City had played at the nearby John O'Gaunts ground since the club's 1884 inception. Sincil Bank has an overall capacity of 10,120 and is colloquially known to fans as "The...
, where he played three games.
In August 1991 he joined Lincoln City permanently for £25,000. He played eighteen league games for City in the 1991–92 season and also spent time on loan at Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
before dropping into non-league football with Boston United
Boston United F.C.
Boston United Football Club are an association football club based in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. They currently play in the Conference North. The club is known as 'the Pilgrims' in reference to the Pilgrim Fathers, who fled from Boston to the USA and founded Boston, Massachusetts. The club's...
.
Honours
with Sheffield United- 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...
third place promotion winner: 1983–84
with Port Vale
- 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...
Play-off winnerFootball League One play-offsThe Football League One Playoffs are a series of playoff matches, contested by the teams finishing from 3rd to 6th in the NPower Football League One table to determine the third spot for promotion to the second tier of English football, the Championship....
: 19891989 Football League Third Division play-off FinalThe 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...