Garry Nelson

Garry Nelson
Personal information
Full name Garry Paul Nelson[1]
Date of birth (1961-01-16) 16 January 1961
Place of birth Braintree, England
Playing position Striker / Left wing
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1979–1983 Southend United 129 (17)
1983–1985 Swindon Town 79 (7)
1985–1987 Plymouth Argyle 74 (20)
1987–1991 Brighton & Hove Albion 144 (47)
1990 → Notts County (loan) 2 (0)
1991–1996 Charlton Athletic 185 (37)
1996–1997 Torquay United 34 (8)
Total 647 (136)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (goals)
For other people with similar names, see Gary Nelson (disambiguation).

Garry Paul Nelson (born 16 January 1961, in Braintree, Essex) is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Southend United, Swindon Town, Plymouth Argyle, Brighton & Hove Albion, Charlton Athletic and Torquay United (as player/assistant manager) between 1979 and 1997. He played as a striker or on the left wing.[2] He was voted into Plymouth Argyle's Team of the Century.[3]

Writing

Despite playing more than 600 games and scoring over 150 goals in the Football League, Nelson is perhaps best known for writing the two books, Left Foot Forward and Left Foot in the Grave. The books are written in diary form, chronicling a season with Charlton (1994–95) and Torquay (1996–97) respectively. The books have been generally well received, and noted as showing the real life of "ordinary" professional footballers, became best-sellers, and each was shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award.[4][5]

Career after retirement

After retiring from the game in 1997, Nelson became commercial executive of the Professional Footballers' Association. In 2009, he was still playing football, regularly turning out for Old Southendians in the Southend Borough Combination Veterans League and Charlton Athletic veterans.[6] Gary now turns out for Chapel Old Boys vets side in the Southend Borough Combination Veterans League alongside the legend that is Eddie "Blakie" Blake, Gary often enjoys a laugh and a joke with opposing players especially regarding his best selling books.

References

  1. ↑ "Player profile: Garry Nelson". Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk. Richard Banyard. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  2. ↑ "Garry Nelson". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database. Neil Brown. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
  3. ↑ "Hall Of Fame". Plymouth Argyle F.C. 3 May 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
  4. ↑ O'Hagan, Simon (19 November 1995). "Nelson plays by the book". The Independent. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
  5. ↑ Baker, Andrew (14 December 1997). "The Year of the Sports Book". The Independent. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
  6. ↑ "Where Are They Now: Garry Nelson". The Football League. 6 October 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2009.

External links

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