Gary Walsh (English footballer)

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Personal information
Gary WALSH
Full name	Gary Walsh
Date of birth	March 21, 1968
Place of birth	Wigan, England
Position	Goalkeeping coach (Goalkeeper as a player)
Club information
Current club	Wigan Athletic
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (goals)
1985–1995 1988 1993–1994 1995–1997 1997 1997–2003 2000 2003–2006	Manchester United →Airdrieonians (on loan) →Oldham Athletic (on loan) Middlesbrough →Bradford City (on loan) Bradford City →Middlesbrough (on loan) Wigan Athletic	50 (0) 3 (0) 6 (0) 44 (0) 5 (0) 128 (0) 3 (0) 3 (0)
* Professional club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Gary Walsh (born 21 March 1968 in Wigan) is a retired goalkeeper and currently goalkeeping coach at Wigan Athletic.

[edit] Playing career

Walsh began his playing career at Manchester United, working his way to the top through the club's hugely successful youth policy. However he was unfortunate in that he found himself competing with Peter Schmeichel, arguably then the best goalkeeper in the world, for the number one jersey at Old Trafford. While at Old Trafford, Walsh went on loan to Airdrieonians and Oldham Athletic.

A little frustrated at the lack of first team opportunities available to him, Walsh moved first to Middlesbrough where he played over 50 league and cup games. Then joining Valley Parade outfit Bradford City on a short loan deal before making the deal permanent, for a fee of around half a million pounds in October 1997.

Walsh produced his best form in a number of years in the 1997-98 season and crowned a superb campaign by picking up the club's Player of the Year award. However, injury and the arrival of Matt Clarke saw Walsh slip from the limelight a little.

After several troubled months, he emerged at the start of the 2000-01 season campaign fully fit and ready to fight for his place (he also went on loan to former club Middlesbrough during this time). He featured strongly over the next few years before joining Wigan Athletic in 2003 as back-up to John Filan. In May 2005 he was given a new one-year contract with the FA Premier League new-boys.

[edit] Coaching career

Walsh started his goalkeeping coach role during his playing time at "The Latics", before taking it up on a permanent basis after he retired at the end of the 2005-06 season.