Tony Gale
Anthony Peter "Tony" Gale ( born November 19, 1959 in Pimlico, London ) is a former English footballer. The technically savvy defender was for many years for the London clubs Fulham and West Ham United actively and won in 1995 in the relatively high Footballer age - and in his only year as a pro outside the capital - with Blackburn Rovers, the English championship before the end of 1997 his career allowed to expire.
Professional career
Fulham FC (1977-1984)
Born in London, Gale met early in his career is not the typical British defender, but relied on his technical skills and a good positional play. During his later around 700 Official matches he received only seven warning cards. At the age of 16 years and eight months, he debuted in the Anglo - Scottish Cup against FC Orient for the first team and eight youth internationals, he was considered one of the greatest talents of his year - that it later with the exception of one appearance for the England U- not enough 21 team against Poland for more, was sometimes at his lack of speed, occasionally reproached him expert during his career.
At the beginning of the season 1977/78 he replaced none other than the World Cup captain Bobby Moore, who retired from English football and Gale was with 38 league appearances and scored eight goals at once a fixture in the second division. Two years later, he suffered the first sporting setback when he with the " Cottagers " in the Third Division relegation and his services as a form weak darboten, like most of his teammates. After two more years, managed to rise again and even though Gale was suspended shortly after a dispute with coach Malcolm Macdonald beginning of the season, he was in 44 league games on the side of Roger Brown in defense headquarters co-guarantor for success.
Even in the last two years until the summer of 1984 convinced Gale with consistently good performances and in the 1982/83 season he failed with his team to the fourth degree table space just wide of the direct walkover in the highest English league. When the club had disappeared in the no man's land of the midfield to Gale decided on a change in the First Division and soon found the local rivals West Ham United.
In August 1984, Gale was transferred for a transfer fee of £ 200,000 to London's East End, where he spent ten years. DC in his second year, he led the club to third place and formed with Alvin Martin a solid center-back pair. Thereafter, while unspectacular was offered in the championship everyday and the " hammer " adopted in 1989 even in the second class, the cups were characteristic of Gales career at the club. Three times he failed in the semi-final defeats in a possible cup final attendance at Wembley. Special media attention took place here after the two semi-final defeats in 1989 and 1990 in the League Cup, the 0-4 defeat in the FA Cup in 1991 against Nottingham Forest. After West Ham had shown in the opening minutes as the better team, referee Keith Hackett punished on 26 minutes a tactical and comparable harmless foul by Gale Gary Crosby with the red card, after which the game took a turn. For both actors - Gale and Hackett - this moment was a milestone that will always stay with their names in English football in memory.
It was only in 1993 managed to return in the first English league, which was now called the Premier League. There denied " Reggie " as Gale was called by his teammates, alluding to the East End underworld size Reggie Kray, yet only 32 games and following his 300th league action against Southampton FC presented the club's management from West Ham United to become 34 -year-olds free.
Blackburn Rovers (1994-1995)
As the signs already pointing to the imminent End of career, Gale was hired in mid-August 1994 at Blackburn Rovers. There, ex- Fulham coach Ray Harford was assistant to Kenny Dalglish and Blackburn since shortly sought a replacement for the Manchester United migrated David May to Gale made his way into the English Northwest. Just three days after his commitment he graduated at Wembley the Charity Shield match against Manchester United ( 0-2) and also in the first competitive games, he helped out with his experience and good positional play, before him successively younger Ian Pearce replaced. Nevertheless, he had accumulated a total of 15 league games and for that he received after winning the Premier League official championship medal. Since the prospects for Gale in Blackburn was limited from the outset, it surprised a little that he left the club after just one year. He returned to London and hired in September 1995 free transfer to the second division club Crystal Palace.
Recent career stations (1995-1997)
In Crystal Palace, however, the suffering from injuries Gale spent more time on the treatment table than on the pitch, so he came in just three competitive games in January and February 1996 on the course. Already a month on his new club let him pull back and let Gale end his career at unterklassigen Maidenhead United in the Isthmian League until the end of 1997.
After retiring from active competition, he began to work more frequently as part of the television coverage as an expert and here primarily for the British broadcaster Sky Sports. To this end, he began to get involved in amateur football for the Walton Casuals as sports director.
Title / Awards
- English Championship ( 1): 1995