
One of the positive things to come from Ron Atkinson’s period as manager of Coventry City was his ability to attract the big players to Highfield Road. They didn’t come much bigger than the Scottish international captain who had been a significant cog in the Leeds United machine during the early 1990s and helped them win the League Championship in 1992. In 1996 he became the highest paid player in the Coventry City’s history and at £3 million a club record signing when he rejected a contract at Elland Road and arrived at the club . His first season was not memorable as City struggled against relegation but on two significant occasions his dead ball deliveries came to the rescue. First at Anfield his delightful corners bemused David James and City stole three points, then, he made both the goals in the 2-1 victory at Tottenham which extracted the Sky Blues from the relegation mire on a tense final day. The following season as Strachan finally got the team winning regularly, Gary was on the sideline injured but he blossomed in the next two seasons and was deservedly Player of the Season in 1999-2000 despite strong claims from Keane and Hadji and his 13 goals even topped the precocious Keane’s total and was the best scoring season of his long and illustrious career. His contract was over that summer and his tremendous form had attracted the interest of Liverpool. He had a golden season at Anfield helping the Reds win three major trophies. In 2002 he returned to Coventry as player-manager and although his talent shone brightly on the pitch he was hampered by a lack of funds to sign decent players. In January 2004 he stepped down from the post to nurse his sick wife who subsequently died. After a long spell out of the game he returned as manager of Leeds United in early 2008 and lead the team to the League 1 play-off final where they lost to Doncaster. Gary played for Motherwell and Leicester before joining Leeds and won 57 full caps for his country.
Penalties (17 - 16 scored)
1996-97
26 December 1996 v Leeds United A, scored
28 December 1996 v Middlesbrough H, scored
3 May 1997 v Derby County H, scored
1997-98
1 October 1997 v Blackpool H, scored x2
1998-99
5 December 1998 v Wimbledon A, scored
1999-00
14 August 1999 v Wimbledon A, scored
11 September 1999 v Leeds United H, scored
31 October 1999 v Watford H, scored
15 January 2000 v Wimbledon H, scored
2002-03
14 September 2002 v Grimsby Town H, scored
21 September 2002 v Wimbledon A, scored
9 November 2002 v Burnley A, scored
4 January 2003 v Cardiff City A, scored
2003-04
16 August 2003 v Walsall H, missed (hit post and gathered by keeper)
25 November 2003 v Norwich City A, scored
8 December 2003 v Sunderland H, scored
Free kick goals (2)
1998-99
13 February 1999 v Everton A
2002-03
11 September 2002 v Colchester United H
















































































































































































































































































































































































































































Scotland, 13 caps (as captain), 1 goal
1996-97
31 August 1996 Austria v Scotland, Vienna, 1998 FIFA World Cup Group 4, 0-0, captain, booked
5 October 1996 Latvia v Scotland, Riga, 1998 FIFA World Cup Group 4, 0-2, captain, booked
11 February 1997 Estonia v Scotland, Monaco, 1998 FIFA World Cup Group 4, 0-0, captain, booked
29 March 1997 Scotland v Estonia, Kilmarnock, 1998 FIFA World Cup Group 4, 2-0, captain
2 April 1997 Scotland v Austria, Celtic Park, 1998 FIFA World Cup Group 4, 2-0, captain, replaced
30 April 1997 Sweden v Scotland, Gothenberg, 1998 FIFA World Cup Group 4, 2-1, captain
27 May 1997 Scotland v Wales, Kilmarnock, friendly, 0-1, captain
1 June 1997 Malta v Scotland, Ta'Qali, friendly, 2-3, captain
8 June 1997 Belarus v Scotland, Minsk, 1998 FIFA World Cup Group 4, 0-1, captain, goal (pen)
1997-98
7 September 1997 Scotland v Belarus, Aberdeen, 1998 FIFA World Cup Group 4, 4-1, captain, replaced
11 October 1997 Scotland v Latvia, Celtic Park, 1998 FIFA World Cup Group 4, 2-0, captain
12 November 1997 France v Scotland, Saint-Etienne, friendly, 2-1, captain
1998-99
31 March 1999 Scotland v Czech Republic, Celtic Park, UEFA Euro 2000 Qualifying Group 9, 1-2, captain, replaced
3 previous caps with Leicester City and 41 previous caps and 4 goals with Leeds United (total 57 caps, 5 goals).
Selected for FIFA 1990 World Cup, UEFA Euro 1992 and UEFA Euro 1996 (as captain) squads.
Scottish Football Hall of Fame and Scottish FA International Roll of Honour.