Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Gary Paul Colin Childs | ||
Date of birth | 19 April 1964 | ||
Place of birth | Birmingham, England | ||
Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
Playing position | Midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Grimsby Town (community coach) | ||
Youth career | |||
1980–1982 | West Bromwich Albion | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
1982–1983 | West Bromwich Albion | 3 | (0) |
1983–1987 | Walsall | 131 | (17) |
1987–1989 | Birmingham City | 55 | (2) |
1989–1997 | Grimsby Town | 233 | (26) |
1997–1998 | Wisbech Town | ||
1998–2000 | Boston United | 46 | (6) |
Teams managed | |||
1997–1998 | Wisbech Town (player-manager) | ||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
Gary Paul Colin Childs (born 19 April 1964) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.[1] He made 422 appearances and scored 45 goals in the Football League playing for West Bromwich Albion, Walsall, Birmingham City and Grimsby Town.[2]
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Childs was born in Kings Heath, Birmingham. He started his football career as a trainee with West Bromwich Albion, moving on for a fee of £15,000[1] to Walsall where he played 180 games in all competitions.[3] A move to Birmingham City followed for a fee of £21,500, and two seasons later he joined Grimsby Town.He helped Grimsby to two successive promotions, from the Fourth Division in the 1989–90 season and from the Third Division the following year.[1]
Released by Grimsby after eight years and nearly 300 games,[3] Childs was appointed player-manager of Wisbech Town, newly elected to the Southern League Midland Division. He led the club to fifth place in the league and the second round proper of the FA Cup[4] before poor form led to his dismissal.[5] He then joined Boston United where he stayed until the end of the 1999–2000 season.[6]
He is a qualified coach,[3] Community Officer at Grimsby Town F.C.,[7] and Sports Development Manager at Grimsby Institute of Further & Higher Education.[8]