Michael Gash

Michael Gash

Gash playing for York City in 2010
Personal information
Full name Michael Edward Gash[1]
Date of birth (1986-09-03) 3 September 1986
Place of birth Rinteln, West Germany
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Centre-forward
Club information
Current team
 Barnet
Number 18
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2004–2006 Cambridge City 39 (11)
2006–2007 Cambridge United 16 (2)
2006–2007 → Cambridge City (loan) 19 (3)
2007–2008 Cambridge City 40 (23)
2008–2009 Ebbsfleet United 39 (11)
2009–2011 York City 53 (8)
2010–2011 → Rushden & Diamonds (loan) 19 (6)
2011–2013 Cambridge United 67 (20)
2012 → Braintree Town (loan) 6 (1)
2013 → Kidderminster Harriers (loan) 11 (6)
2013–2015 Kidderminster Harriers 52 (14)
2014–2015 → Nuneaton Town (loan) 11 (1)
2015– Barnet 48 (12)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:56, 30 April 2016 (UTC).

† Appearances (goals)

Michael Edward Gash (born 3 September 1986) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-forward for League Two club Barnet. Gash's nomadic career has seen him play primarily in the Football Conference, though he finally made the step up to the Football League with Barnet in 2015.

Career

Gash began his career with Cambridge City in the Conference South, making his debut in 2004. Upon establishing himself in the first team, a one-in-three strike rate in the 2005–06 season saw him join city rivals Cambridge United for the 2006–07 season.[2]

In September 2006, Gash was loaned back to the Lilywhites, having failed to hold down a first-team spot. After one season with the U's, in which he scored only two goals, Gash re-joined City on a permanent basis in July 2007. The 2007–08 season saw Gash flourish in the Conference South, scoring 27 goals in all competitions. City's demotion to the Southern League hastened his departure from the Lilywhites, and he was sold to Ebbsfleet United in August 2008 in a deal worth £20k plus a sell-on fee.[3]

Gash's second crack at the top division of non-league football was more successful, as he scored 11 times across the course of the season, which again saw him attract transfer interest. In July 2009, MyFootballClub members voted (94.2% for, 5.8% against) to sell Gash to an unnamed bidder in a deal worth £55,000, this bidder later turned out to be York City. The deal also included a 20% sell-on, 30% of which would go to Cambridge City, who received £7,000 from the sale to the Minstermen.[4]

Gash's spell in Yorkshire proved to be disappointing, with only 8 goals in 63 games in all competitions, though he was called up to the England C squad in September 2010.[5] He was loaned to Rushden & Diamonds in December 2010, where he was far more successful, scoring six times in 19 games. In June 2011, Gash re-joined Cambridge United on a free transfer. After an unspectacular 2011–12 season, in which he scored 7 goals in 42 games, Gash was loaned to Braintree Town in August 2012.[6] Following his return from loan, Gash was far more prolific, scoring 15 times in 30 games, which attracted interest from other clubs in the league – a bid from an unnamed club was rejected in January 2013. He joined Kidderminster Harriers on loan in March 2013 for the rest of the season. Director of football Jez George said, immediately following the loan agreement, that loaning out Gash was the best scenario financially for the U's, with Gash's salary demands scuppering chances of agreeing a new contract at the Abbey Stadium.[7][8] Gash joined the Harriers permanently at the end of the season on a two-year deal after scoring six times in 11 games for Kiddy – taking his league tally for the season to 21 overall, making him the joint-second top scorer in the division.[9] He scored 22 goals in 72 games for the U's.

Gash scored 15 goals in 42 games during his first full season as a Kidderminster player, including two goals in a 4–2 win over Newport County in the FA Cup second round, which earned him the Player of the Round award from The FA,[10] as well the opener in their away upset win over Peterborough United in round three.[11] The following season, Gash scored only three goals in 17 games between August and November and was loaned out to Nuneaton Town with Harriers needing to reduce their wage bill.[12] He scored only once in 11 games for the Boro, and following the expiry of his loan, left Kidderminster by mutual consent in January 2015.[13]

Six days later, Gash joined Barnet, despite manager Martin Allen stating that "He has got an attitude, there is no doubt about it, and I do not think it is always a good one... I told him straight exactly what his position would be – it would be sub."[14] Less than a month later, following his performance in a home win over Woking, Allen then said that "He is a better player than I thought, to be honest. I always thought he was half decent but in training the last couple of weeks he has lost a lot of weight and improved his level of fitness. He is a tremendous character around the group and he is a good player."[15]

Gash signed a new one-year deal at Barnet for the 2015–16 season.[16] He made his Football League debut against Leyton Orient on 8 August 2015.[17] Following four goals in five games in September, Gash was named League Two Player of the Month.[18]

References

External links

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