Gary Gillespie

Position
Defender
Nationality
Place Of Birth
Stirling
Date Of Birth
July 5, 1960
Age
64
Height (cm)
185
Games Played
204
-
Per Game
Games Started
202
1.0
Per Game
Minutes
18009
88.3
Per Game
Goals
6
0.03
Per Game
Assists
10
0.05
Per Game
Notes
Stats
Matches
Transfers
Gallery
Internationals

The Scots-born central defender arrived at Highfield Road as a 17-year old in 1978. Gordon Milne spent £75,000 on the Falkirk skipper and he turned out to be an inspired signing. From his first appearance a few months later it was obvious that he was an outstanding talent and in his time at the club he developed into one of the most accomplished defenders in the country, first alongside Jim Holton, then later with Paul Dyson. Like many of his colleagues his game improved under the astute coaching of Dave Sexton. In the crazy events of May 1983 the fans hoped that Gillespie would be the one player who would not leave, but his talent had attracted the big clubs, and he eventually signed for Liverpool for £325,000. Coventry fans did not begrudge him his move and he handled it with much more decorum than some of his team-mates. He won eight Scottish under 21 caps whilst with City and looked set for a long international career at Anfield, but injuries and some stiff competition restricted him to a paltry 13 full caps. He did however win a good haul of medals at Liverpool including three League Championships and a European Cup runners-up medal.

Free kick goals (1)
1982-83
12 February 1983 v Manchester City H, rolled to him by Steve Hunt

Red cards (1)
1994-95
3 October 1994 v Leicester City A, tackle from behind on Julian Joachim

Own goals (2)
1982-83
2 April 1983 v Manchester United A
30 April 1983 v West Bromwich Albion H

Coca-Cola Cup (England)
1995-1996
Coventry City
0
0
0′
1994-1995
Coventry City
1
1
90′
1
1
0
90′
0
0
0
0 (0)
0
0
Premier League (England)
1995-1996
Coventry City
0
0
0′
1994-1995
Coventry City
3
2
1
163′
1
3
2
1
163′
0
0
1
0 (0)
0
0
Football League First Division (England)
1982-1983
Coventry City
42
42
3780′
2
2 (0)
1
2
1981-1982
Coventry City
40
40
3600′
5
2 (0)
2
1980-1981
Coventry City
37
37
3156′
1
1 (0)
2
1979-1980
Coventry City
38
38
3420′
1
1 (0)
4
1978-1979
Coventry City
15
14
1
1220′
172
171
1
15176′
9
0
0
6 (0)
9
2
FA Cup (England)
1982-1983
Coventry City
3
3
300′
1981-1982
Coventry City
4
4
360′
1
1980-1981
Coventry City
4
4
360′
1979-1980
Coventry City
2
2
180′
13
13
0
1200′
0
0
0
0 (0)
1
0
League Cup (England)
1982-1983
Coventry City
3
3
300′
1
1981-1982
Coventry City
2
2
180′
1
1980-1981
Coventry City
7
7
630′
1979-1980
Coventry City
3
3
270′
15
15
0
1380′
2
0
0
0 (0)
0
0
Totals:
204
202
2
18009′
11
0
1
6 (0)
10
2
Date
For
Against
H/A
Result
Coca-Cola Cup 1995-1996
Coca-Cola Cup 1995-1996
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
A
L 2:1
Coventry City
Hull City
H
W 2:0
FA Carling Premiership 1995-1996
FA Carling Premiership 1995-1996
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
A
L 2:1
FA Carling Premiership 1994-1995
FA Carling Premiership 1994-1995
Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday
A
L 5:1
90`
Coventry City
Leicester City
A
D 2:2
28`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
L 1:3
45`
Coventry City
Leeds United
H
W 2:1
Coca-Cola Cup 1994-1995
Coca-Cola Cup 1994-1995
Coventry City
Wrexham
H
W 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Wrexham
A
W 1:2
Football League First Division 1982-1983
Football League First Division 1982-1983
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
L 2:4
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
A
W 0:3
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
D 1:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Aston Villa
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Watford
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Notts County
A
L 5:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Manchester City
H
W 4:0
90`
1
Coventry City
Sunderland
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Swansea City
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Luton Town
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
L 4:2
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
H
W 2:0
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
A
W 0:3
90`
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
H
W 2:0
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Luton Town
H
W 4:2
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
W 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Watford
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Notts County
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
L 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Everton
H
W 4:2
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
L 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Swansea City
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
W 1:0
90`
FA Cup 1982-1983
FA Cup 1982-1983
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
L 2:1
120`
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Worcester City
H
W 3:1
90`
Milk Cup 1982-1983
Milk Cup 1982-1983
Coventry City
Burnley
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Fulham
H
D 0:0
120`
Coventry City
Fulham
A
D 2:2
90`
Football League First Division 1981-1982
Football League First Division 1981-1982
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
W 1:3
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
A
D 5:5
90`
1
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
H
W 6:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Everton
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Swansea City
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Notts County
H
L 1:5
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
A
D 3:3
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
L 2:4
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
L 3:2
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
L 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
W 1:2
90`
1
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
A
L 5:2
90`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Swansea City
H
W 3:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
W 4:2
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
H
W 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Notts County
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
W 2:1
90`
FA Cup 1981-1982
FA Cup 1981-1982
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Oxford United
H
W 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
W 1:3
90`
1
Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday
H
W 3:1
90`
Milk Cup 1981-1982
Milk Cup 1981-1982
Coventry City
Everton
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
D 1:1
90`
Football League First Division 1980-1981
Football League First Division 1980-1981
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
H
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
L 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Leicester City
H
W 4:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
A
L 4:1
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
L 0:4
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
L 3:0
45`
Coventry City
Crystal Palace
A
W 0:3
90`
1
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
H
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
L 3:0
45`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
L 4:1
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Leicester City
A
W 1:3
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
A
L 1:0
6`
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
W 3:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
A
L 3:1
90`
FA Cup 1980-1981
FA Cup 1980-1981
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
L 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
W 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
A
D 1:1
90`
League Cup 1980-1981
League Cup 1980-1981
Coventry City
West Ham United
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
W 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Watford
H
W 5:0
90`
Coventry City
Watford
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Cambridge United
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Cambridge United
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
W 0:1
90`
Football League First Division 1979-1980
Football League First Division 1979-1980
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
L 1:2
90`
1
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Crystal Palace
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Bolton Wanderers
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Derby County
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
H
L 1:3
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
L 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
L 4:3
90`
2
Coventry City
Southampton
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
H
W 2:0
90`
1
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
L 0:3
90`
Coventry City
Derby County
A
W 1:2
90`
1
Coventry City
Aston Villa
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
L 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
W 4:1
90`
Coventry City
Crystal Palace
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
A
W 2:3
90`
Coventry City
Bristol City
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Everton
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Bolton Wanderers
H
W 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
W 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
L 4:1
90`
Coventry City
Bristol City
H
W 3:1
90`
FA Cup 1979-1980
FA Cup 1979-1980
Coventry City
Blackburn Rovers
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Oldham Athletic
A
W 0:1
90`
League Cup 1979-1980
League Cup 1979-1980
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
W 0:1
90`
Football League First Division 1978-1979
Football League First Division 1978-1979
Coventry City
Bristol City
A
L 5:0
Coventry City
Southampton
A
L 4:0
15`
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
H
W 1:0
45`
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Bolton Wanderers
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
L 7:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Chelsea
H
W 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Derby County
A
W 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
W 4:1
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
D 0:0
80`
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
A
W 1:2
90`
Club Out
Club In
Transfer Date
Fee
Club Out / Club In
Transfer Date / Fee
Coventry City
Retired
Sat, 31 May, 1997
Retired
Coventry City
Retired
Sat, 31 May, 1997
Retired
Celtic
Coventry City
Sun, 28 Aug, 1994
Free
Celtic
Coventry City
Sun, 28 Aug, 1994
Free
Coventry City
Liverpool
Fri, 08 Jul, 1983
£325,000
Coventry City
Liverpool
Fri, 08 Jul, 1983
£325,000
Falkirk
Coventry City
Fri, 10 Mar, 1978
£75,000
Falkirk
Coventry City
Fri, 10 Mar, 1978
£75,000

Scotland U21, 8 caps, 1 goal
1978-79
17 September 1978 Scotland U21 v USA U21, Aberdeen, friendly, 3-1
12 February 1980 England U21 v Scotland U21, Coventry, UEFA U21 Championship qualifying, 1-2
1980-81
18 November 1980 Scotland U21 v Denmark U21, Aberdeen, UEFA U21 Championship qualifying, 2-1, goal
1981-82
8 September 1981 Scotland U21 v Sweden U21, Easter Road, UEFA U21 Championship qualifying, 4-0
13 October 1981 Denmark U21 v Scotland U21, Aarhus, UEFA U21 Championship qualifying, 1-1
23 February 1982 Italy U21 v Scotland U21, Catanzaro, UEFA U21 Championship 1982 Quarter Final, 0-1
24 March 1982 Scotland U21 v Italy U21, Aberdeen, UEFA U21 Championship 1982 Quarter Final, 0-0
19 April 1982 Scotland U21 v England U21, Hampden Park, UEFA U21 Championship 1982 Semi Final, 0-1

13 full caps for Scotland with Liverpool after leaving City