David Harry Gregory (born 6 October 1951) is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Blackburn Rovers, Bury, Peterborough United, Portsmouth, Stoke City and Wrexham.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David Harry Gregory[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 6 October 1951[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Peterborough, England[1] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1973–1977 | Peterborough United | 142 | (32) |
| 1977–1978 | Stoke City | 23 | (3) |
| 1978 | Blackburn Rovers | 5 | (3) |
| 1978–1979 | Bury | 52 | (13) |
| 1979–1982 | Portsmouth | 74 | (18) |
| 1982–1986 | Wrexham | 153 | (31) |
| 1986–1987 | Peterborough United | 31 | (8) |
| Total | 480 | (108) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
editGregory was born in Peterborough and began his career with the local club Peterborough United. In his first season with the "Posh" he made 13 appearances mostly from the bench as he slowly adjusted to life in professional football. He became a useful forward for Peterborough in the Third Division scoring 40 goals in three seasons which attracted the attention of bigger clubs.[1] He was signed by George Eastham at Stoke City and there were high hopes that he would make the step up a division.[1] However, he struggled to adapt to the change in level and managed just four goals for the "Potters" in 1977–78 and was sold to Blackburn Rovers in August 1978.[1] Despite scoring four goals in his first six matches for Rovers he was moved on to Bury.[1]
He re-found his scoring form in the third tier scoring 16 times in 1978–79 and seven times in 1979–80. He moved to Portsmouth in December 1980 and his six goals helped "Pompey" gain promotion to the Third Division. He scored 15 goals in 1980–81 but he failed to find the target in 1981–82 and left for Welsh side Wrexham. He scored just five goals in 1982–83 as the "Dragons" suffered relegation to the Fourth Division. Wrexham had a poor 1983–84 season as they finished in 20th position but Gregory scored a career best of 20 goals and helped Wrexham reach the final of the Welsh Cup, which at the time allowed entrance into European competitions. He played in both legs as Fourth Division Wrexham overcame Portuguese club FC Porto but Italian side AS Roma proved too strong. He remained at Wrexham until the summer of 1986 and ended his career with a season at his first club, Peterborough United.
Career statistics
editSource:[3]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other[A] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Peterborough United | 1973–74 | Fourth Division | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| 1974–75 | Third Division | 41 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 14 | |
| 1975–76 | Third Division | 46 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 17 | |
| 1976–77 | Third Division | 43 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 9 | |
| Total | 142 | 32 | 14 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 167 | 40 | ||
| Stoke City | 1977–78 | Second Division | 23 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 4 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 1978–79 | Second Division | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 |
| Bury | 1978–79 | Third Division | 36 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 16 |
| 1979–80 | Third Division | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 7 | |
| Total | 52 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 61 | 23 | ||
| Portsmouth | 1979–80 | Fourth Division | 21 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 6 |
| 1980–81 | Third Division | 39 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 15 | |
| 1981–82 | Third Division | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| Total | 74 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 87 | 21 | ||
| Wrexham | 1982–83 | Third Division | 41 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 5 |
| 1983–84 | Fourth Division | 44 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 50 | 20 | |
| 1984–85 | Fourth Division | 30 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 36 | 5 | |
| 1985–86 | Fourth Division | 38 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 7 | |
| Total | 153 | 31 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 178 | 37 | ||
| Peterborough United | 1986–87 | Fourth Division | 31 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 37 | 9 |
| Career Total | 480 | 108 | 31 | 16 | 36 | 9 | 14 | 5 | 560 | 138 | ||
- A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Anglo-Scottish Cup, Football League Trophy, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
Honours
edit- Peterborough United
- Football League Fourth Division champions: 1973–74
- Portsmouth
- Football League Fourth Division fourth-place promotion: 1979–80
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
- ^ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 314. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
- ^ David Gregory at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)