Roland Barry Gregoire (born 23 November 1958) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker.

Roly Gregoire
Personal information
Full name Roland Barry Gregoire[1]
Date of birth (1958-11-23) 23 November 1958 (age 65)
Place of birth Liverpool, England
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Halifax Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1978 Halifax Town 5 (0)
1978–1980 Sunderland 9 (1)
Total 14 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Born in Liverpool, Gregoire was educated at St Bede's Grammar School in Bradford.[2][3][4] He began his career with Halifax Town, making five league appearances in the 1977–78 season.[5] Gregoire moved to Sunderland for £5,000 in January 1978, becoming the first black player to play for them.[6][7] Whilst playing for Halifax reserves, Gregoire scored a hat-trick against Sunderland reserves to prompt Sunderland manager Jimmy Adamson into signing him.[8] He made his debut for Sunderland against Hull City due to injuries to other first team strikers.[8] Gregoire spent two seasons with Sunderland — scoring one goal in nine league appearances — before retiring in 1980 due to injury.[9][10]

References

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  1. ^ "Roly Gregoire". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  2. ^ "St Bede's Magazine Bradford - Summer 1973" (PDF). Squarespace. 1973. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  3. ^ "St Bede's Magazine Bradford - Summer 1974" (PDF). Squarespace. 1974. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  4. ^ "St Bede's Magazine Bradford - Summer 1975" (PDF). pcug.org.au. 1975. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  5. ^ "HALIFAX TOWN : 1946/47 - 1992/93 & 1998/99 - 2001/02". Post War English & Scottish Football League A — Z Player's Database. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
  6. ^ "First Black Footballers To Play For Premier League Clubs". EPL Talk. 14 October 2008. Archived from the original on 1 February 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
  7. ^ "Minority Report". A Love Supreme. Retrieved 18 September 2009.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ a b Dykes, Garth; Lamming, Doug (November 2000). All the lads: A complete who's who of Sunderland A.F.C. Polar Print Group Ltd. p. 312. ISBN 978-1-899538-14-0.
  9. ^ "SUNDERLAND : 1946/47 - 2008/09". Post War English & Scottish Football League A — Z Player's Database. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
  10. ^ "Joanna presents strong challenge". The Northern Echo. 21 July 2003. Retrieved 18 September 2009.