Gary Paul Colin Childs (born 19 April 1964) is an English former professional footballer and coach who is the sports development manager at Grimsby Institute of Further & Higher Education.

Gary Childs
Personal information
Full name Gary Paul Colin Childs[1]
Date of birth (1964-04-19) 19 April 1964 (age 59)[2]
Place of birth Birmingham,[2] England
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1980–1982 West Bromwich Albion
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1982–1983 West Bromwich Albion 3 (0)
1983–1987 Walsall 131 (17)
1987–1989 Birmingham City 55 (2)
1989–1997 Grimsby Town 233 (26)
1997–1998 Wisbech Town
1998–2000 Boston United 46 (6)
Total 468 (56)
Managerial career
1997–1998 Wisbech Town (player-manager)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing as a midfielder, he made 422 appearances and scored 45 goals in the Football League between 1982 and 1997 playing for West Bromwich Albion, Walsall, Birmingham City and Grimsby Town.[3] before joining Boston United and then having a spell as manager of Wisbech Town. He has since held various positions within the youth team back at Grimsby Town.

Playing career edit

Childs was born in Kings Heath, Birmingham. He started his football career as a trainee with West Bromwich Albion, moving on for a fee of £15,000[1] to Walsall where he played 180 games in all competitions.[4] A move to Birmingham City followed for a fee of £21,500, and two seasons later he joined Grimsby Town.He helped Grimsby to two successive promotions, from the Fourth Division in the 1989–90 season and from the Third Division the following year.[1]

Released by Grimsby after eight years and nearly 300 games,[4] Childs was appointed player-manager of Wisbech Town, newly elected to the Southern League Midland Division. He led the club to fifth place in the league and the second round proper of the FA Cup[5] before poor form led to his dismissal.[6] He then joined Boston United where he stayed until the end of the 1999–2000 season.[7]

Coaching career edit

He is a qualified coach,[4] former community Officer at Grimsby Town,[8] and Sports Development Manager at Grimsby Institute of Further & Higher Education.[9]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 78. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  2. ^ a b c Sewell, Albert, ed. (1996). News of the World Football Annual 1996–97. London: Invincible Press. p. 404. ISBN 978-0-00-218737-4.
  3. ^ "Gary Childs". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database. Neil Brown. Retrieved 15 April 2008.
  4. ^ a b c "Meet the Team". Grimsby Town F.C. Football in the Community. Archived from the original on 31 March 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  5. ^ "Wisbech Town FC A brief history". Wisbech Town. Archived from the original on 4 July 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  6. ^ "Boston United Football Club News". Boston United FC - the original website. Ken Fox. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  7. ^ "Boston United Football Club News". Boston United FC - the original website. Ken Fox. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  8. ^ "Who's Who at Blundell Park". Grimsby Town F.C. 23 March 2008. Retrieved 15 April 2008.
  9. ^ Pizzey, Karl (28 March 2008). "Till Joins Institute Students for Mariners Exhibition". Grimsby Institute of Further & Higher Education. Retrieved 15 April 2008.

External links edit