 Gayle playing in a charity match forLiverpool in 2010 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Howard Anthony Gayle[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1958-05-18)18 May 1958 (age 66)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Toxteth, Liverpool, England[1] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward,winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1974–1977 | Liverpool | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1977–1983 | Liverpool | 4 | (1) |
| 1980 | →Fulham (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 1982–1983 | →Newcastle United (loan) | 8 | (2) |
| 1983–1984 | Birmingham City | 46 | (9) |
| 1984–1986 | Sunderland | 48 | (4) |
| 1986–1987 | Dallas Sidekicks (indoor) | 30 | (6) |
| 1987 | Stoke City | 6 | (2) |
| 1987–1992 | Blackburn Rovers | 116 | (29) |
| 1992–1993 | Halifax Town | 5 | (0) |
| Total | 277 | (53) | |
| International career | |||
| 1984 | England U21 | 3 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Howard Anthony Gayle (born 18 May 1958) is an English formerfootballer who played forBirmingham City,Blackburn Rovers,Fulham,Halifax Town,Liverpool,Newcastle United,Sunderland andStoke City.[1]
Gayle began his career withLiverpool, becoming the first black player to play for the team. After loan spells withFulham andNewcastle United he joinedBirmingham City in search of regular first team football. He then played forSunderland and had a short spell in the United States playing indoor football with theDallas Sidekicks. He returned to England and played forStoke City,Blackburn Rovers and ended his career withHalifax Town.
Gayle was born inToxteth and joined the youth ranks at local sideLiverpool in 1974. He signed a professional contract with the club in 1977, becoming the first black player to play for Liverpool, which was seen as a "victory" for the black community in Liverpool.[3]
"It was constantly in the press that I was the first black player to play for Liverpool. It was a landmark as far as black people were concerned, and I was proud to represent the black community of Liverpool"
— Gayle on his important landmark.[4]
His finest hour for Liverpool came in the1980–81 European Cup semi-final second leg away atBayern Munich when he came on as an early substitute to help Liverpool draw 1–1 and progress to the final on theaway goals rule. Although he was a non-playing substitute inthe final, he was rewarded with a winner's medal. After loan spells atFulham andNewcastle United he leftAnfield after making just five appearances. While at Newcastle he became the first Black player to represent them in the Football League when he made his debut against Cambridge United on 27 November 1982.[3]
Gayle joinedBirmingham City where he played in the1982–83 season scoring once against West Ham and then he hit 10 in 45 during the1983–84 campaign. Gayle then signed forLen Ashurst'sSunderland, where he became a popular player playing in two seasons before moving to the United States to play forDallas Sidekicks in theMajor Indoor Soccer League.[1] He returned to England in April 1987 to play forStoke City, playing six matches at the end of the1986–87 season, scoring twice in a 3–2 defeat againstBradford City.[1]
He then spent five years atBlackburn Rovers, where he was that club's first black player, the third club where he had achieved this milestone.[5] He signed for them in 1987 and was a regular striker in their quest for top-flight football. However, by the time Blackburn were promoted to the newly createdPremier League in 1992, Gayle had fallen down the pecking order in favour of expensive new signingsMike Newell andDavid Speedie, and with the arrival of national record signingAlan Shearer that summer, it was clear that Blackburn managerKenny Dalglish felt that Gayle was surplus to requirements atEwood Park.
Gayle joinedHalifax Town in the newly renamedDivision Three but managed just five league appearances as they were relegated to theFootball Conference. After leaving Halifax he had a brief trial atCarlisle United, before retiring from football.
As an overage player, he helped England win the1984 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, in which he scored a goal in the final against Spain.
Gayle was born to a father fromSierra Leone and a mother fromGhana.[6] In August 2016, it was reported that Gayle hadturned down a nomination for anMBE for his work with "Show Racism the Red Card", saying it would be "a betrayal to all of the Africans who have lost their lives, or who have suffered as a result of Empire."[7]
He released his autobiography in October 2016 titled61 Minutes in Munich.[8]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Liverpool | 1979–80 | First Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980–81 | First Division | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
| 1981–82 | First Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1982–83 | First Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | ||
| Fulham (loan) | 1979–80 | Second Division | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Newcastle United (loan) | 1982–83 | Second Division | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 |
| Birmingham City | 1982–83 | First Division | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| 1983–84 | First Division | 33 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 10 | |
| Total | 46 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 11 | ||
| Sunderland | 1984–85 | First Division | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 3 |
| 1985–86 | Second Division | 23 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 28 | 2 | |
| Total | 48 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 61 | 5 | ||
| Dallas Sidekicks | 1986–87[10] | MISL | 30 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 6 |
| Stoke City | 1986–87 | Second Division | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 1987–88 | Second Division | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| 1988–89 | Second Division | 45 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6[d] | 3 | 58 | 23 | |
| 1989–90 | Second Division | 30 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[e] | 1 | 36 | 6 | |
| 1990–91 | Second Division | 24 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 4 | |
| 1991–92 | Second Division | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Total | 116 | 29 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 144 | 34 | ||
| Halifax Town | 1992–93 | Third Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Career total | 277 | 53 | 15 | 0 | 25 | 4 | 15 | 3 | 332 | 61 | ||
Liverpool
Sunderland
England under-21