Gary Swann
Encyclopedia
Gary Swann is an English
former footballer.
, Yorkshire
, Swann started his career as a trainee with Hull City
, playing in the same team as former England national football team
manager Steve McClaren
. In eight years at Boothferry Park
, he made his name as an attacking full back and whose quick footballing brain was a great assett to the team. He played 221 games for the club, scoring 10 goals, helping the club promotion in both the 1982–83
and 1985–86
seasons.
It was in November 1986 however that Preston North End
boss John McGrath offered City £10,000 to sign Swann. During his time at Deepdale, McGrath moved him into a more advanced midfield position (a position he had played occasionally at Hull), and he became an integral member of the Preston, team helping the club to promotion from the Fourth Division
in his first season.
This hard working and often unsung player also had an uncanny knack of scoring vitally important goals from either his usual midfield position or from full back; his biggest haul of 14 in 1986–87 season
more or less single handedly keeping Preston in the Third Division
. Likened to former Liverpool full back Chris Lawler
his goalscoring prowess also earned him the nickname "The Ghost" due to his ability to appear almost unnoticed at the far post to score, something that soon became his trademark. He was also an ever present in both the 1987–88
and 1989–90
seasons, finishing runner-up in the club's official player of the year
awards on both occasions to Bob Atkins
and Warren Joyce
respectively. In all, Swann played 250 first team games for Preston, scoring 47 goals, and considering that he never took a penalty nor played as a striker
, this is quite an achievement in a side that generally underachieved.
At the end of the 1991–92
season, he was released and immediately signed for home town club York City
. He helped them to promotion in his first season by scoring their goal in the Third Division play-off final
against Crewe Alexandra
at Wembley Stadium
, a game City won on penalties
after drawing 1–1. He also impressed in his second season with the club, helping York reach the play-offs yet again, where they were knocked out in the semi-final.
After a highly successful two years at Bootham Crescent, in which he played 95 games, scoring 6 goals, he moved on to Scarborough
(35 games 4 goals) for a season before playing in Hong Kong
and finally returning to England so as to extend his playing career in non-League football
.
In all Gary played 601 first team games scoring 67 goals.
but is still playing regularly for Cuckfield Town in the Mid Sussex Football League Premier Division, a club he has been with since September 2000.
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 footballer.
Career
Born in YorkYork
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, Swann started his career as a trainee with Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
, playing in the same team as former England national football team
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...
manager Steve McClaren
Steve McClaren
Stephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
. In eight years at Boothferry Park
Boothferry Park
Boothferry Park was a football stadium in Kingston upon Hull, and was home to the football club Hull City for over 50 years from 31 August 1946 until December 2002, when they moved to the Kingston Communications Stadium....
, he made his name as an attacking full back and whose quick footballing brain was a great assett to the team. He played 221 games for the club, scoring 10 goals, helping the club promotion in both the 1982–83
1982-83 in English football
The 1982–83 season was the 103rd season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Bob Paisley's last season as Liverpool manager ended on a high as they topped the First Division with a comfortable lead. Bob Paisley retired as Liverpool manager with a record 21 prizes in nine years. His...
and 1985–86
1985-86 in English football
The 1985–86 season was the 106th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The championship crown went to Liverpool for the 16th time in their history at the end of their first season under the management of Kenny Dalglish, but they had to fight off some very stiff competition to...
seasons.
It was in November 1986 however that Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
boss John McGrath offered City £10,000 to sign Swann. During his time at Deepdale, McGrath moved him into a more advanced midfield position (a position he had played occasionally at Hull), and he became an integral member of the Preston, team helping the club to promotion from 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 his first season.
This hard working and often unsung player also had an uncanny knack of scoring vitally important goals from either his usual midfield position or from full back; his biggest haul of 14 in 1986–87 season
1987-88 in English football
The 1987–88 season was the 120th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool won the league title with a comfortable nine-point margin and just two defeats all season....
more or less single handedly keeping Preston in 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...
. Likened to former Liverpool full back Chris Lawler
Chris Lawler
Chris Lawler is a former footballer who enjoyed much of Liverpool's success of the 1960s and 1970s.-Life and playing career:...
his goalscoring prowess also earned him the nickname "The Ghost" due to his ability to appear almost unnoticed at the far post to score, something that soon became his trademark. He was also an ever present in both the 1987–88
1987-88 in English football
The 1987–88 season was the 120th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool won the league title with a comfortable nine-point margin and just two defeats all season....
and 1989–90
1989-90 in English football
-European competitions:English clubs were still banned from competing in European competitions following the Heysel Stadium disaster.- First Division :...
seasons, finishing runner-up in the club's official player of the year
Preston North End Player of the Year Award Winners
Winners of the official Preston North End F.C. Player of the Year Award since its inception in 1967–68:...
awards on both occasions to Bob Atkins
Bob Atkins
Robert Gary Atkins is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Sheffield United and Preston North End.-Early years:...
and Warren Joyce
Warren Joyce
Warren Garton Joyce is a former footballer who played in The Football League, and now works as a coach.-Early life at Bolton:...
respectively. In all, Swann played 250 first team games for Preston, scoring 47 goals, and considering that he never took a penalty nor played 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...
, this is quite an achievement in a side that generally underachieved.
At the end of the 1991–92
1991-92 in English football
- First Division :The last-ever league championship before the creation of the Premier League was won by Leeds United who overhauled Manchester United thanks to the efforts of, among others, Gordon Strachan, Lee Chapman, David Batty, Gary Speed and Gary McAllister...
season, he was released and immediately signed for home town club York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
. He helped them to promotion in his first season by scoring their goal in the Third Division play-off final
Football League Two play-offs
The Football League Two play-offs are a series of play-off matches, contested by the teams finishing from 4th to 7th in the Football League Two table to determine the fourth promotion place to the third tier of English football, League One. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with 7th playing...
against Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, a game City won on penalties
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
after drawing 1–1. He also impressed in his second season with the club, helping York reach the play-offs yet again, where they were knocked out in the semi-final.
After a highly successful two years at Bootham Crescent, in which he played 95 games, scoring 6 goals, he moved on to Scarborough
Scarborough F.C.
Scarborough Football Club was an English football club based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. They were one of the oldest football clubs in England, formed in 1879, before they were wound up on 20 June 2007, with debts of £2.5 million.In the 2006–07 season...
(35 games 4 goals) for a season before playing in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and finally returning to England so as to extend his playing career in non-League football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
.
In all Gary played 601 first team games scoring 67 goals.
After football
Gary now works as a leisure centre manager at the Guildford Spectrum leisure complex SurreySurrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
but is still playing regularly for Cuckfield Town in the Mid Sussex Football League Premier Division, a club he has been with since September 2000.