Gavin Worboys

Gavin Anthony Worboys (born 14 July 1974) is an English former footballer who scored 12 goals from 65 appearances in the Football League playing as a forward for Doncaster Rovers, Exeter City, Darlington and Northampton Town. He was on the books of Notts County, without playing for them in the League, and went on to play non-league football for clubs including Bradford Park Avenue, Hatfield Main, Armthorpe Welfare, Eastwood Town and Hucknall Town.[1][2]

Gavin Worboys
Personal information
Full name Gavin Anthony Worboys[1]
Date of birth (1974-07-14)14 July 1974[2]
Place of birth Doncaster,[2] England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[3]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
– Doncaster Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1992 Doncaster Rovers 7 (2)
1992–1994 Notts County 0 (0)
1993–1994 → Exeter City (loan) 4 (1)
1994–1996 Darlington 41 (8)
1996 Northampton Town 13 (1)
– Bradford Park Avenue
– Hatfield Main
– Armthorpe Welfare
199?–2001 Eastwood Town
2001–20?? Hucknall Town
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

Worboys was born in Doncaster,[2] and began his football career with Doncaster Rovers. He made his debut on 8 February 1992 in a 2–1 home defeat to Cardiff City in the Fourth Division, and after seven appearances and two goals[1] – in a 3–2 win against Scunthorpe United[4] and a 2–0 victory over Rochdale[5] – the 17-year-old Worboys signed for Notts County, about to be relegated from the First Division, for a fee of £100,000.[3][6] He never played first-team football for Notts County. He spent time on loan at Division Two club Exeter City[7] before dropping down a division to sign for Darlington in late 1994. He appeared more regularly for Darlington, with 8 league goals from 41 matches over 14 months with the club, although towards the end of that time his appearances were more often from the substitutes' bench.[8] Against Cardiff City in September 1995, he took over in goal after Mike Pollitt was sent off and Darlington had no goalkeeper on the bench; he could not stop the resulting penalty, but that was the only goal he did concede.[9] His Football League career ended at Northampton Town, with whom he spent the last few months of the 1995–96 season, taking his totals to 12 goals from 65 matches.[3] He was still only 21.

He continued playing in non-league football with clubs including Bradford Park Avenue, Hatfield Main, Armthorpe Welfare[1] and Eastwood Town. In the 1997–98 season, he and strike partner Glenn Kirkwood produced 35 goals between them in the Northern Premier League First Division.[10] In 1999–2000, he helped the club reach the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in their history, in which they faced his former club Exeter City,[11] and scored 24 goals over the season.[12] He also found himself in goal again, in September 1999, this time replacing an injured goalkeeper at half-time with his team 1–0 down to Accrington Stanley. He let in just one goal, from a free kick awarded when he handled the ball outside the penalty area, and his teammates scored twice to secure a draw.[13] He joined South Yorkshire Police during the 2000 close season,[14] and although his job did not prevent his continuing to play for Eastwood, it did impact on his availability.[15] In August 2001, he signed for Hucknall Town.[16]

References
  1. "Gavin Worboys". doncasterrovers.co.uk. Forward Productions. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  2. "Gavin Worboys". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Players Database. Neil Brown. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  3. "Gavin Worboys". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  4. "Football results, teams and tables". The Observer. London. 12 April 1992. p. 47.
  5. "Results". The Guardian. London. 21 April 1992. p. 16.
  6. "Sport in Short: Football". The Independent. London. 2 May 1992. p. 55.
  7. "Sport: On the Move – Transfers". The Independent. London. 12 December 1993. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  8. Tweddle, Frank (2000). The Definitive Darlington F.C. Nottingham: SoccerData. pp. 91–92. ISBN 978-1-899468-15-7.
  9. "Ten-man Quakers count cost". The Journal. Newcastle. 4 December 1995. p. 17.
  10. "Sport: Football". Nottingham Evening Post. 2 May 1998. p. 19.
  11. "Worboys: We can shock City". Express & Echo. Exeter. 29 October 1999. p. 44.
  12. Reece, James (16 May 2000). "Duo's race for the Conference". Nottingham Evening Post.
  13. "Non-league soccer: Accrington 2, Eastwood 2". Lancashire Telegraph. 13 September 1999. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  14. "Chambers delighted after opening win". Nottingham Evening Post. 26 August 2000. p. 24.
  15. "Injury to Smith hits Chambers". Nottingham Evening Post. 21 August 2000. The huge blow was softened by a call from Gavin Worboys saying he was free of constabulary duties today and would play, if needed, against Gretna.
  16. "Local teams set off on Cup quest". Nottingham Evening Post. 31 August 2001. p. 52.
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