Gavin: Mark Wilson (Mark)

1980-1985 (Leeds Player Details) (Player Details)

Outside Left

Born: Baillieston, Nr Glasgow: 10-12-1963

Debut v Cambridge United (h) (substitute): 02-10-1982

5’8” 10st 7lb (1985)

Gavin played for High Tunstall School, Hartlepool, Cleveland and Durham Boys and had Scottish Youth trials. He joined Leeds in May 1980, but in the summer of 1982 he was freed by Allan Clarke. After Allan Clarke was dismissed, Eddie Gray re-signed he speed-merchant winger. He was one of the many young exciting players given a chance to shine at that time by Eddie Gray, but he did not live up to his early promise and, found himself used sparingly, with three starts and four games from the bench in 1982-83 as Kevin Hird and Arthur Graham had a firm hold on the two wing berths. In the following season, with the departure of Arthur Graham, Peter Barnes was re-installed on the left wing, but Gavin managed ten starts and two games from the bench when the former England winger was injured. After Scott Sellars had taken over on the left wing for the start of the 1984-85 season, he broke back into the first team making seven starts and four substitute appearances, before giving way to the emerging Frankie Gray. After a seven match loan spell with Hartlepool United, starting in March 1985, where he scored once in seven games, he was signed on a free transfer by Carlisle United in July 1985. After twelve starts and one substitute appearance and one goal, in the League, and one goal in two League Cup starts and one other game, he moved to Bolton Wanderers in March 1986 for £10,000, where he scored three times in forty-eight starts and one game as a substitute, in the League and one goal in five F.A. Cup starts, one start in the League Cup and one goal in ten other games. He then rejoined his old mentor, Eddie Gray, at Rochdale in July 1987 for £20,000. There he scored six goals in twenty-three starts in the League and one F.A. Cup, three League Cup and two starts in other games before moving on to Hearts for £30,000 in February 1988. After five starts and four games from the bench in the Scottish League and three starts and four substitute appearances in friendlies at Tynecastle he then joined Bristol City in October 1988 for £30,000. He shone at Ashton Gate, playing sixty-nine League games, seven of which were from the bench, and scoring six goals, while he also featured with one goal in thirteen F.A. Cup starts, made eight starts in the League Cup, without scoring, as well as one goal from six starts in other games and this resulted in a £250,000 move, which included the Part-Exchange of Wayne Allison, that took him to Watford in October 1990. Gavin never settled at Vicarage Road, making only eight run-on and five substitute League appearances without scoring, before returning to Bristol City in December 1991 for £60,000. In the League made thirty-four starts and seven substitute appearances and scored seven goals, while making four F.A. Cup starts and one game from the bench in the League Cup and four starts in other games, without scoring, in his second sojourn at Ashton Gate before moving to Exeter City in February 1994. He made seventy-three starts and four substitute appearances, in the League, scoring four times, as well as starting three F.A. Cup, three League Cup and five other games, without scoring, but in August 1996 he joined Scunthorpe United, where he failed to score in eleven League appearances, of which one was from the bench, and one League Cup start. He then returned to Hartlepool United in September 1997 but only managed three substitute appearances and after playing his final game, as a substitute, on 21st October 1997 at home to Peterborough, he was freed in June 1998. He joined Morton where he made one start before retiring.