Gerard Lavin
Encyclopedia
Gerard Lavin is a Scottish former footballer who played as a right back. He played in the English Football League for Watford
, Millwall
, Bristol City
, Wycombe Wanderers and Northampton Town
, before finishing his playing career at Southern League
side Farnborough. He also played for Scotland at under-21 level
.
to Scottish parents, Lavin started his career as a schoolboy at Watford
. He became an apprentice at the club upon leaving school, and signed professionally in May 1992. Over the next three years Lavin made 147 first team appearances, most of them at right back in place of injured club captain Nigel Gibbs
. Lavin scored 3 goals during his time at Watford, including one after 13 seconds in a match against future club Millwall
.
After Watford finished 7th in the First Division
in 1994–95, Lavin was sold to Millwall for £400,000. Watford were relegated the following season. At Millwall Lavin made 87 appearances over four years, before being released on a free transfer in 1999, and joining Bristol City
. He made his début for City on 7 August 1999 against Reading
, but was sent off for deliberately kicking the ball at Reading fans. The ball broke a Reading fan's wrist, and Lavin was later convicted of assault.
Lavin made a further 22 appearances for Bristol in 1999–2000, but struggled to make the first team the following season. He was loaned to Wycombe Wanderers, and in May 2001 joined Northampton Town. He played 3 times in the first team over the next 2 seasons, before leaving to join non-league Farnborough.
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...
, Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
, 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...
, Wycombe Wanderers and Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
, before finishing his playing career at Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
side Farnborough. He also played for Scotland at under-21 level
Scotland national under-21 football team
The Scotland national under-21 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national under 21 football team and is considered to be a feeder team for the Scotland national football team....
.
Career
Born in the English town of CorbyCorby
Corby Town is a town and borough located in the county of Northamptonshire. Corby Town is 23 miles north-east of the county town, Northampton. The borough had a population of 53,174 at the 2001 Census; the town on its own accounted for 49,222 of this figure...
to Scottish parents, Lavin started his career as a schoolboy at 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...
. He became an apprentice at the club upon leaving school, and signed professionally in May 1992. Over the next three years Lavin made 147 first team appearances, most of them at right back in place of injured club captain Nigel Gibbs
Nigel Gibbs
Nigel James Gibbs , is a former English footballer. A Watford supporter, as well as a product of their youth system, Gibbs spent his entire professional career as a right back for the club. He was voted Watford F.C. Player of the Season in 1992, and later captained them...
. Lavin scored 3 goals during his time at Watford, including one after 13 seconds in a match against future club Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
.
After Watford finished 7th in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
in 1994–95, Lavin was sold to Millwall for £400,000. Watford were relegated the following season. At Millwall Lavin made 87 appearances over four years, before being released on a free transfer in 1999, and joining 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...
. He made his début for City on 7 August 1999 against Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
, but was sent off for deliberately kicking the ball at Reading fans. The ball broke a Reading fan's wrist, and Lavin was later convicted of assault.
Lavin made a further 22 appearances for Bristol in 1999–2000, but struggled to make the first team the following season. He was loaned to Wycombe Wanderers, and in May 2001 joined Northampton Town. He played 3 times in the first team over the next 2 seasons, before leaving to join non-league Farnborough.