 Gunning (right) playing forDundee United in the2014 Scottish Cup final. | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gavin Jude Gunning[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1991-01-26)26 January 1991 (age 35)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Dublin, Ireland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[3] | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Swindon Town (first-team pathways coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2004 | St. Joseph's Boys | ||
| 2004–2006 | Crumlin United | ||
| 2006–2008 | Blackburn Rovers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2011 | Blackburn Rovers | 0 | (0) |
| 2009 | →Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2010 | →Rotherham United (loan) | 21 | (0) |
| 2010 | →Bury (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2011 | →Motherwell (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2011–2014 | Dundee United | 83 | (8) |
| 2014–2015 | Birmingham City | 0 | (0) |
| 2015 | Oldham Athletic | 0 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | Dundee United | 19 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Greenock Morton | 10 | (2) |
| 2017 | Grimsby Town | 14 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Port Vale | 19 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Forest Green Rovers | 63 | (2) |
| 2019 | Billericay Town | 7 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | Solihull Moors | 15 | (1) |
| 2020–2021 | Gloucester City | 11 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Chesterfield | 38 | (3) |
| Total | 322 | (15) | |
| International career | |||
| Republic of Ireland U17 | |||
| 2009 | Republic of Ireland U19 | 3 | (0) |
| 2009–2012 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 7 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2023 | Swindon Town (interim) | ||
| 2023 | Swindon Town (interim) | ||
| 2024 | Swindon Town (interim) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Gavin Jude Gunning (born 26 January 1991) is an Irish formerfootballer who is first-team pathways coach atSwindon Town. He has represented the Republic of Ireland atunder-21 andyouth team levels.
Gunning playedGaelic football and association football in his youth before moving to England in February 2006 after being signed byBlackburn Rovers fromCrumlin United. He never played a first-team game for Blackburn. However, he did have loan spells atTranmere Rovers,Rotherham United,Bury, andMotherwell. He played in the2011 Scottish Cup final. Hetransferred toDundee United in August 2011 and went on to be named on thePFA Scotland Team of the Year for2011–12. He left the club in June 2014 after featuring in the2014 Scottish Cup final and subsequently joinedBirmingham City, though he missed the 2014–15 season due to injury. He joinedOldham Athletic for a brief stay in August 2015 before returning to Dundee United three months later. He left United in April 2016 and signed a short-term deal withGreenock Morton five months later. He joinedGrimsby Town in January 2017 and then moved on toPort Vale six months later. He switched toForest Green Rovers in January 2018 and then moved intonon-League football withBillericay Town in July 2019. He left Billericay forSolihull Moors in September 2019 before moving on toGloucester City in March 2020 and thenChesterfield ten months later.
He began coaching at Swindon Town in July 2022 and was appointed interimhead coach in January 2023, May 2023, and January 2024.
Gunning was born inDublin on 26 January 1991 and attendedSt Benildus College in theKilmacud area of the city. As a youth, he playedGaelic football forNaomh Ólaf andKilmacud Crokes and association football for Ballyogan Celtic, St. Joseph Boys andCrumlin United.
Gunning joined Blackburn Rovers from Crumlin United in January 2006 at the age of 15; it was reported as a "major coup" for BlackburnmanagerMark Hughes as league championsChelsea had also expressed an interest.[4][5] After featuring in the academy andreserve teams, Gunning was described as "one of the most promising prospects fromBlackburn Rovers' Academy" and in 2008, signed a two-year professionalcontract.[6] He was given the number 29 shirt by Rovers managerSam Allardyce for the2009–10 season, having been given number 42 the previous season, though it was thought to be likely that he would be sent out on loan.[7] On 6 August 2009, he moved toTranmere Rovers on a one-month loan.[8] He made his first-team debut two days later, in a 2–0 defeat atYeovil Town.[9] He went on to make a total of sixLeague One appearances whilst atPrenton Park.
On 22 January 2010, Gunning started his second loan spell during that season when he joinedLeague Two clubRotherham United on an initial one-month emergency loan.[10] After making two appearances, his loan was extended until the end of the season.[11] In the second leg of the2009–10 League Two Play-offs againstAldershot Town, Gunning set up a goal forAdam Le Fondre, as Rotherham won 3–0 onaggregate.[12] Gunning was in the starting line-up in theplay-offs finals atWembley Stadium, however, Rotherham were defeated 3–2 byDagenham & Redbridge.[13]
In November 2010, Gunning joined League Two sideBury on loan until 11 December 2010,[14] before the deal was extended until the end of January 2011.[15] He played just twice during his stay atGigg Lane. On 28 January 2011, Gunning joinedScottish Premier League clubMotherwell on loan until the end of the2010–11 season.[16] He made his debut for the club on 2 February, coming on as asubstitute forSteven Hammell in a 1–0 defeat toKilmarnock.[17] On 27 February, heassisted one ofJohn Sutton's two goals, as Motherwell beatCeltic 2–0 atFir Park,[18] Gunning started theScottish Cup final againstCeltic and struck a terrific long-rangeshot in the 35th minute which bounced off the crossbar; Celtic went on to win the match 3–0.[19] At the end of the season, he returned to Blackburn Rovers.[20]
Ahead of the 2011–12 season, Gunning was linked with a return to Motherwell and a move toAberdeen as loan deals.[21] He then went on trial atScunthorpe United.[22] After playing in afriendly match against Rotherham United, managerAlan Knill said he was satisfied with Gunning's performance, but thought that he, along with other players on trial with the club, needed to do more to get a contract.[23] After playing for Scunthorpe in another friendly, Knill said he was hoping to get Gunning signed on a permanent contract.[24]
"It was put in my head every day just how good I was. So I started smelling myself. Some days, my attitude was so bad I wouldn't even turn up for training. I got to a point where I was being paid a lot of money at a young age and just couldn't deal with it. I'd been away from home from the age of 14. That was tough. But at no point did someone grab hold of me. That was the disappointing thing. They'd given me a big contract at a young age so maybe they should have done more."
— In an October 2016 interview, Gunning admitted that his poor attitude meant he never fulfilled his potential at Blackburn.[25]
Having reportedly already rejected a move toDundee United in July, as part of a swap deal involvingDavid Goodwillie moving to Blackburn,[26] managerPeter Houston then said that the club were hopeful of completing the signing of Gunning.[27][28] On 12 August 2011, Gunning joined Dundee United on a three-year contract.[29] Upon signing, he said he was very excited to be joining the club and he revealed he'd had other options in England and Scotland.[30] He made his debut for the club in a 5–1 defeat to Celtic on 13 August, coming on as a substitute forWillo Flood in the 78th minute.[31] He scored his first goal for the club againstSt Johnstone on 27 August, his goal levelling the score at 3–3.[32] He scored his second goal of the season on 5 February, scoring with a powerfulheader, as Dundee United beatRangers 2–0 in the fifth round of theScottish Cup.[33] His third goal for the club came on 24 February, as Dundee United beatHearts 2–0, his goal coming after he had earlier cleared an effort off his owngoal line.[34] At the end of the2011–12 season, Gunning was one of five Dundee United players alongsidePaul Dixon,Gary Mackay-Steven,Johnny Russell andJon Daly to be named in thePFA Scotland Team of the Year.[35] He was linked with a summer move toIpswich Town, but that was dismissed by Dundee United.[36]
In the2012–13 season, Gunning appeared in both legs of the third qualifying round of theEuropa League, as Dundee United faced the Russian clubDynamo Moscow. After a 2–2 draw in the first leg atTannadice,[37] United lost the second leg 5–0, going out 7–2 on aggregate.[38] He scored his first goal of the season againstDundee on 17 August 2012, as Dundee United won theDundee derby 3–0.[39] Gunning scored two goals in three games between 26 December and 2 January againstSt Johnstone[40] andAberdeen.[41] On 9 February, Gunning sustained an injury in a game against Hearts which ruled him out of action for the rest of the season.[42] Speaking in July 2013, Gunning said that Dundee United should have finished the season higher than they did, with the squad they had available.[43]
Gunning returned from injury on 17 August 2013 in a 1–1 draw againstHibernian. However, he wassent off along withKevin Thomson in the 65th-minute after anoff the ball incident between the pair following afoul by Gunning.[44] While Hibernian unsuccessfully appealed Thomson'sred card, Dundee United decided not to appeal the red card shown to Gunning.[45] On 4 September, Gunning was offered a three-match ban by theSFA after an incident involving Celtic'sVirgil van Dijk, where he was alleged to have kicked out at his opponent.[46] Dundee United appealed the ban, but the SFA's judicial panel rejected this.[47] Following this incident, Dundee United officials banned both theBBC andSTV from further interviews with the club, feeling that the BBC's highlighting of the incident had led to the suspension.[48]
In December 2013, Gunning said that he was looking at signing a new contract with Dundee United.[49] On 29 January 2014, Gunning suffered a knee injury during training.[50] He made his return against Motherwell on 21 February, where he scored twice as Dundee United won 3–1.[51] This was the start of a run of four goals in three games for Gunning as he followed up those two with a goal on 28 February, in a 3–1 win over Hibernian[52] and then another one in thequarter-final of the Scottish Cup, in a 5–0 win overInverness Caledonian Thistle on 9 March.[53] In theScottish Cup semi-final against Rangers, Gunning set up Dundee United's first goal, scored byStuart Armstrong, in a 3–1 win.[54] In theScottish Cup final, Gunning started at centre-back, alongsideSeán Dillon, as Dundee United lost 2–0 to St Johnstone atCeltic Park.[55]
With his contract due to expire at the end of the2013–14 season, Gunning was linked with a pre-contract move away from the club throughout the season, with Rangers amongst those mentioned, although Dundee United ManagerJackie McNamara said there had been no contact from them.[56] In April, Gunning stated he would be willing to stay at the club, although he was uncertain about his future at Dundee United.[57] After the Scottish Cup final though, he said that he had probably played his last game for the club and that he would be leaving at the end of his contract.[58] Dundee United confirmed on 4 June 2014, that Gunning had left the club at the end of his contract.[59]
After leaving Dundee United, Gunning was initially set to sign forSheffield Wednesday, but the deal fell through after he failed a medical.[60] On 12 June 2014, Gunning then signed a one-year contract withChampionship clubBirmingham City.[61] He made his debut in the first-roundLeague Cup match againstCambridge United atSt Andrew's, but was leaving the field injured just as Cambridge scored anequaliser; Birmingham won 3–1 afterextra time.[62] The injury was diagnosed asposterior cruciate ligament damage,[63] and kept him out for the rest of the2014–15 season. The club chose not to take up their option for another year and confirmed that he would be released when his contract expired.[64]
Gunning joined League One clubOldham Athletic on a short-term deal on 6 August 2015.[65] He was released when the contract expired on 28 August, having made only one appearance for Oldham, againstMiddlesbrough in the League Cup atBoundary Park.[66]
Gunning returned to Dundee United in November 2015, signing a contract for the rest of the2015–16 season.[67] On 12 April 2016, Dundee United announced that Gunning had left the club by mutual consent, describing the decision as "a private matter". This came three days after a match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Tannadice, during which Gunning, described by the media as "a bizarre incident," had picked up the ball during play and walked off the pitch. He subsequently returned to the field to receive treatment for an injury before being substituted.[68] It was reported that he had "sarcastically applauded" fans who verbally abused him over his conduct.[69] Despite the club statement, managerMixu Paatelainen subsequently clarified that while Gunning would not be considered for selection, he remained a Dundee United player and could return to training if he wished "or take an early summer holiday".[70]
Gunning had a trial atSouthend United in July 2016.[71] He signed a short-term deal withScottish Championship sideGreenock Morton in September 2016.[72] ManagerJim Duffy tried to secure him on a longer stay atCappielow, but was unable to compete with the money offered by clubs in England.[73]
After he chose not to extend his contract with Morton, Gunning returned to England and signed forEFL League Two clubGrimsby Town on 5 January 2017 until the end of the2016–17 season.[74][75] After making 14 league appearances the club released him on 10 May 2017.[76][77] He later admitted he was overweight during his time atBlundell Park and that he did not enjoy his time with the "Mariners".[78]
Gunning signed a contract of undisclosed-length at newly-relegated League Two clubPort Vale in July 2017, having impressed managerMichael Brown on trial.[79][80] He was sent off on his second appearance for the "Valiants" after picking up two yellow cards in a 4–1 defeat toLeeds United in anEFL Cup first round match atElland Road on 9 August; Brown described it as an "extremely stupid" dismissal.[81] However, he impressed playing out-of-position at left-back under new managerNeil Aspin, who said his "heading and challenging has been first class".[82] He added to his popularity atVale Park with aheaded goal in a 2–0 home victory overOxford United in the first round of theFA Cup on 3 November.[83] He left the club upon the expiry of his contract on 1 January 2018.[84] Aspin revealed he had disagreed with ownerNorman Smurthwaite over the failure to secure Gunning to a new contract.[85]
On 4 January 2018, Gunning signed an 18-month contract with League TwoForest Green Rovers.[86] He made 21 appearances in the second half of the2017–18 campaign to helpMark Cooper's Green avoid relegation by a one-point margin. On 18 August 2018, Gunning was sent off in a 1–1 draw atBury for denyingGold Omotayo a clear goalscoring opportunity.[87] On 22 April 2019, he scored his first goal of the season in a 2–1 win overCambridge United atThe New Lawn and was named in the EFL Team of the Week.[88] He ended the2018–19 season with 46 appearances to his name, but was sent off in the play-off semi-final defeat atTranmere Rovers and was not retained beyond the summer.[89][90][91]
On 17 July 2019, Gunning joinedNational League South clubBillericay Town.[92] He played seven games for the "Blues". On 24 September, he left Billericay and joinedNational League sideSolihull Moors on a short-term deal in the hope of impressing managerTim Flowers enough to win a longer stay atDamson Park.[93] He went on to feature in 15 league games for the Moors during the2019–20 season, before being released on 21 January.[94] He joinedNational League North clubGloucester City on 6 March, signing a contract until the end of the2019–20 season.[95] He played just twice before the season was curtailed because of theCOVID-19 pandemic, but went on to sign a new contract in August.[96] After reportedly turning down a new contract offer,[97] on 21 January, he became the latest player to leave Gloucester forChesterfield.[98] Chesterfield qualified for the play-offs at the end of the2020–21 season, though were beaten byNotts County at the quarter-final stage.[99] Gunning was appointedcaptain for the2021–22 season and signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract in November 2021 to keep him at the club until the summer of 2024.[100] However, he struggled with injuries and missed the play-offs with injury.[101][102]
Having represented theRepublic of Ireland atunder-19 level, Gunning made hisunder-21 debut againstGeorgia in a2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification match on 9 October 2009.[103]
Gunning was appointed to thecoaching staff atSwindon Town in July 2022, withhead coachScott Lindsey stating that he would assist with coaching the team's defensive game.[104] On 11 January 2023, he was appointed co-interim head coach, alongsideSteve Mildenhall, after Lindsey left Swindon forCrawley Town.[105] He ruled himself out of getting the job permanently and returned to his assistant role whenJody Morris was appointed as the club's new manager on 31 January.[106][107] Morris was sacked on 1 May 2023, leading to Gunning and Mildenhall taking charge for the final game of the season.[108]Michael Flynn was appointed as the club's next permanent manager seven days later.[109] On 15 January 2024, Gunning was again appointed interim head coach following Flynn's departure.[110] Swindon ended the2023–24 season 19th in League Two, the lowest position in theclub's history.[111]
Following the appointment ofMark Kennedy as head coach, Gunning remained with the club in the role of first-team pathways coach, supporting players in the transition from youth to first-team football.[112] Gunning agreed a new contract in May 2025.[113]
Primarily a left-sided and left-footedcentre-back, his wholehearted approach and eccentric personality earned him the nickname "Mad Gav Gunning".[114]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Blackburn Rovers | 2008–09[115] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2009–10[116] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11[117] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 2009–10[116] | League One | 6 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | ||
| Rotherham United (loan) | 2009–10[116] | League Two | 21 | 0 | — | — | 3[c] | 0 | 24 | 0 | ||
| Bury (loan) | 2010–11[117] | League Two | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Motherwell (loan) | 2010–11[117] | Scottish Premier League | 14 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | 0 | |
| Dundee United | 2011–12[118] | Scottish Premier League | 31 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 35 | 3 | |
| 2012–13[119] | Scottish Premier League | 25 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[d] | 0 | 31 | 3 | |
| 2013–14[120] | Scottish Premiership | 27 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 33 | 4 | ||
| Total | 83 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 99 | 10 | ||
| Birmingham City | 2014–15[121] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| Oldham Athletic | 2015–16[122] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Dundee United | 2015–16[122] | Scottish Premiership | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 0 | ||
| Greenock Morton | 2016–17[76] | Scottish Championship | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | |
| Grimsby Town | 2016–17[76] | League Two | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | 14 | 0 | |||
| Port Vale | 2017–18[123] | League Two | 19 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4[e] | 0 | 27 | 1 |
| Forest Green Rovers | 2017–18[123] | League Two | 21 | 1 | — | — | — | 21 | 1 | |||
| 2018–19[124] | League Two | 42 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[f] | 0 | 46 | 1 | |
| Total | 63 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 67 | 2 | ||
| Billericay Town | 2019–20[101] | National League South | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| Solihull Moors | 2019–20[101] | National League | 15 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 1[g] | 0 | 19 | 1 | |
| Gloucester City | 2019–20[101] | National League North | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2020–21[101][125] | National League North | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | ||
| Total | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | ||
| Chesterfield | 2020–21[101] | National League | 18 | 2 | — | — | 1[h] | 0 | 19 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22[101] | National League | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | ||
| Total | 38 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 3 | ||
| Career total | 322 | 15 | 20 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 368 | 18 | ||
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Swindon Town (co-interim) | 11 January 2023 | 31 January 2023 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 050.0 | [126] |
| Swindon Town (co-interim) | 1 May 2023 | 8 May 2023 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0 | |
| Swindon Town (interim) | 15 January 2024 | 29 May 2024 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 027.8 | [126] |
| Total | 21 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 033.3 | |||
Motherwell
Dundee United
Individual awards
