GARY GILL INTERVIEW 17-5-05

Gary Gill is best remembered for representing Boro 84 times between 1983 and 1990 under four different managers. Gary now works in television and radio and very kindly took time out to speak to us.

ComeOnBoro.com - You were a member of the first ever Middlesbrough schoolboy side to win a trophy. Please tell us all about the experience.

It was a wonderful experience and well deserved. We had a fantastic side with nine of the team on Middlesbrough's books. Lads like Stephen Bell, Stewart McPhee and Micky Condan were all great players with Belly easily the pick of the bunch. We had a great team spirit, we were mature above our tender years (on the pitch!!!) but probably the key to our success was our manager, a guy called Steve Smelt who later became Willie Maddren's assistant at the Club. He was inspirational.

ComeOnBoro.com - How difficult was it for you to break into the Boro first team and how did it all come about?

It was harder for me to break into the youth side funnily enough. In fact I'd already played for the reserves before I got a decent run with the juniors. Once I got into the youth side and played regularly and did well I became a regular in the reserves. From there the first team debut came quite quickly. I was only eighteen when I made my big breakthrough.


Picture courtesy of Boro TV

ComeOnBoro.com - You played under a variety of Boro managers. Can you give us an insight into how you rate them and what their particular management style was.

Bobby Murdoch; I was only an apprentice when he was there so I couldn't tell you much about him. Great player though!!!

Malcolm Allison; Outstanding coach, ahead of his time with his ideas and creative thinking. A real personality with a larger than life persona. More of a coach than a Manager.

Willie Maddren; Really unlucky when in charge. Had to get rid of a lot of "deadwood" which he did. Had a load of good kids that weren't quite ready and had he been able to stay twelve months longer, I feel sure he would have enjoyed success. Bruce inherited a good situation that Willie was largely responsible for. Very passionate about the club, great sense of humour, good coach and an excellent man manager. I loved playing for him though sometimes the football we played was a bit too direct and not great to watch.

Bruce Rioch; Strict disciplinarian who was similar in manner to an Army Officer. His way or no way!!! I personally wasn't a great fan of his management style but he had a great assistant in Colin Todd who was a good foil for Bruce. I have to say that Bruce was easily the best coach and most knowledgeable man I've ever worked with in Football. His organization, training methods and style of football were a pleasure to be involved with. The football we played for him was exciting, creative and a joy to be a part of...it must have been some of the best played at Ayresome!!!

Colin Todd; Not a Manager of mine. I'd just left when he took over which was a shame because I always thought he rated me more than Bruce. Great assistant to Bruce, the 'good cop'. Always laughing and joking and hammering someone, mostly Paul Proudlock!!

ComeOnBoro.com - There is a story that back in 1989, you broke a leg but physio Tommy Johnston told you to play on. It must have hurt a bit?

Just a bit!!! In fairness to Tommy, he couldn't have known it was broke at first and I was desperate to stay on after just having got in the side and doing really well. It was my ambition been fulfilled, to play in the top flight for the team I supported, so I wasn't going to give the moment away easily!

ComeOnBoro.com - In Willie Maddren's book, he says the following about you: "Although not an obvious crowd pleaser, Gary was invaluable in that much of his work was unseen by supporters but greatly appreciated by me." Would you say that is an accurate assessment?

Yes. I had a role that at times was appreciated more by the coaching staff and my team-mates than the crowd. At first I had a role that was defensive, rarely getting forward to score goals and rarely getting a chance to get involved at the end of attacking moves. Instead, I was destroying and disrupting the opposition moves. Later in my career I was encouraged to 'play' more, get forward more and grab a few of the headlines myself. That was more enjoyable for obvious reasons but I was a team player and would do what was best for the side at any given moment.

ComeOnBoro.com - How did you feel when the chips went down in 1986? What was the experience like for you personally?

Special. We didn't realise things were as bad as they turned out to be and I never thought the club could fold, although afterwards, had we known at the time what we later found out, I think we'd have struggled to sleep at night!! The whole experience brought a group of talented local kids together and with great guidance we went onto create a special chapter in the club's history and for me personally, and I know the rest of the lads too, a special period in all of our lives. I think everyone now knows the story.

ComeOnBoro.com - Any anecdotes about those weird weeks that we were locked out? For example, is it true that Bruce Rioch parked his car over a manhole to stop the electricity being turned off?

Don't know about that one. We did have to wash our own kit and didn't get paid for ages (6-8 weeks?). We trained in Albert Park or any other piece of grassland we could fit on!!! It didn't harm us at all but when Bruce ordered us to start pinching footballs from kids playing near us in Stewarts Park I realized we might be in trouble.....only joking!!!!

ComeOnBoro.com - You played alongside some real Boro legends. Which of your former colleagues deserve special mentions?

Stephen Pears, Tony Mowbray, Gary Hamilton, Stuart Ripley, Tony McAndrew, Mark Burke, Colin Cooper, Paul Proudlock, Wolfman and Gary Pallister, the best player I ever played with.

ComeOnBoro.com - What was the high point of your Boro playing career?

Playing some of my best football in the first division and making my full debut at Ayresome Park. And some of our end of season trips!!!

ComeOnBoro.com - Can you tell us more about your debut please? Also, who was your toughest opponent in the then First Division and which opponent surprised you the most?

I had a very low key full debut against Charlton towards the end of the 1983-84 season I think.... the game lacked any real importance for either side and there weren't many there but it was special for me for obvious reasons.

Toughest opponent....easy. The whole of the Wimbledon team at Plough Lane. I made the mistake of topping Dennis Wise and the rest of the 'Crazy Gang' made the afternoon very interesting. Off the ball incidents, threats, spitting on you etc. Big Fash, Vinny Jones were all at it. End of the game, give them their due, everyone shook hands and a bit of respect was shown. In fact I later found out that their Manager Bobby Gould tried to sign me after the game. For the record we drew 1-1.

Individually, my toughest opponent was Mick Harford at Luton Town.

ComeOnBoro.com - Any good stories from those end of season trips? Can you give us a 'high jinx' tale?

"Boys will be Boys!!!"

ComeOnBoro.com - OK. We'll use our imaginations... What was the low point of your Boro career?

Too many injuries that wrecked my career, particularly the broken leg. It was not my worst injury but the timing wrecked my season and we ended up going down from the top flight.

ComeOnBoro.com - What was the worst injury? How did you sustain it and how long were you out for?

I slipped two discs when I was just gone nineteen whilst playing a game at Ayresome Park. I was out for nearly a year. I got back for a pre-season game against Scarborough and tore a cruciate ligament before half time. Those really were dark days for me!!

ComeOnBoro.com - Did you ever suffer the indignity of walking the Ayresome Park chicken run?

Playing in front of the Chicken run was a test. Even if they liked you they still got on your back, every chance they got. They were always the first to get behing you and always turned up to games no matter how bad things got. They were tough, really tough but true Boro fans who cared.

ComeOnBoro.com - And finally, can you tell us about the work that you do with Boro TV and Radio Cleveland.

From next season I will be doing all the Boro games for Radio Cleveland alongside Paul Addison, which I'm really looking forward to. I've been presenting a show called Premiership Preview on Boro TV with Gary Philipson which has been well received and due to run again next season. I have been involved in the media side for a long time, twelve or so years, but had to pack it all in a few years ago after I was laid up for about eighteen months following a serious car accident. But fortunately, things have now improved for me a lot and I'm delighted to be back involved again.

ComeOnBoro.com - Thanks for taking the time to talk to us Gary and we look forward to seeing more of you on Boro TV.

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