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Michael Gash

Michael Gash
Gash playing for York City in 2010
Personal information
Full name Michael Edward Gash[1]
Date of birth (1986-09-03) 3 September 1986 (age 38)[2]
Place of birth Rinteln, West Germany
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
Peterborough Sports
Youth career
1999–2002 Peterborough United
2002–2003 Cambridge United
2003–2005 Cambridge City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2006 Cambridge City Reserves 36 (17)
2003–2006 Cambridge City 38 (11)
2006–2007 Cambridge United 16 (2)
2006–2007Cambridge City (loan) 19 (3)
2007–2008 Cambridge City 35 (23)
2008–2009 Ebbsfleet United 40 (10)
2009–2011 York City 53 (8)
2010–2011Rushden & Diamonds (loan) 18 (6)
2011–2013 Cambridge United 67 (20)
2012Braintree Town (loan) 6 (1)
2013Kidderminster Harriers (loan) 11 (6)
2013–2015 Kidderminster Harriers 52 (14)
2014–2015Nuneaton Town (loan) 11 (1)
2015–2017 Barnet 51 (12)
2017–2021 King's Lynn Town 139 (40)
2021– Peterborough Sports 116 (15)
International career
2010 England C 1 (0)
Managerial career
2023– Peterborough Sports
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:34, 28 August 2024 (UTC)

Michael Edward Gash (born 3 September 1986) is an English footballer who is player manager for National League North side Peterborough Sports, where he plays as a striker.

Gash's nomadic career has seen him play primarily in the Football Conference, though he finally made the step up to the Football League with Barnet in 2015.

Club career

Gash was born in Rinteln, Germany as his father was stationed there as a head teacher in the British Army.[3] Gash began his career in the youth system of Cambridge City,[4] making his first-team debut on 7 October 2003 when starting and scoring in a 12–0 home win over Waterbeach in the Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup.[5] Upon establishing himself in the first team, a one-in-three strike rate in the 2005–06 season saw him join city rivals Cambridge United for 2006–07.[6]

In September 2006, Gash was loaned back to the Lilywhites, having failed to hold down a first-team spot. After one season with the U's, in which he scored only two goals, Gash re-joined City on a permanent basis in July 2007. The 2007–08 season saw Gash flourish in the Conference South, scoring 27 goals in all competitions. City's demotion to the Southern League hastened his departure from the Lilywhites, and he was sold to Ebbsfleet United in August 2008 in a deal worth £20k plus a sell-on fee.[7]

Gash's second crack at the top division of non-league football was more successful, as he scored 11 times across the course of the season, which again saw him attract transfer interest. In July 2009, MyFootballClub members voted (94.2% for, 5.8% against) to sell Gash to an unnamed bidder in a deal worth £55,000, this bidder later turned out to be York City. The deal also included a 20% sell-on, 30% of which would go to Cambridge City, who received £7,000 from the sale to the Minstermen.[8]

Gash's spell in Yorkshire proved to be disappointing, with only 8 goals in 63 games in all competitions, though he was called up to the England C squad in September 2010.[9] He was loaned to Rushden & Diamonds in December 2010, where he was far more successful, scoring six times in 19 games. In June 2011, Gash re-joined Cambridge United on a free transfer. After an unspectacular 2011–12 season, in which he scored 7 goals in 42 games, Gash was loaned to Braintree Town in August 2012.[10] Following his return from loan, Gash was far more prolific, scoring 15 times in 30 games, which attracted interest from other clubs in the league – a bid from an unnamed club was rejected in January 2013. He joined Kidderminster Harriers on loan in March 2013 for the rest of the season. Director of football Jez George said, immediately following the loan agreement, that loaning out Gash was the best scenario financially for the U's, with Gash's salary demands scuppering chances of agreeing a new contract at the Abbey Stadium.[11][12] Gash joined the Harriers permanently at the end of the season on a two-year deal after scoring six times in 11 games for Kiddy – taking his league tally for the season to 21 overall, making him the joint-second top scorer in the division.[13] He scored 22 goals in 72 games for the U's.

Gash scored 15 goals in 42 games during his first full season as a Kidderminster player, including two goals in a 4–2 win over Newport County in the FA Cup second round, which earned him the Player of the Round award from The Football Association,[14] as well the opener in their away upset win over Peterborough United in round three.[15] The following season, Gash scored only three goals in 17 games between August and November and was loaned out to Nuneaton Town with Harriers needing to reduce their wage bill.[16] He scored only once in 11 games for the Boro, and following the expiry of his loan, left Kidderminster by mutual consent in January 2015.[17]

Six days later, Gash joined Barnet, despite manager Martin Allen stating that "He has got an attitude, there is no doubt about it, and I do not think it is always a good one... I told him straight exactly what his position would be – it would be sub."[18] Less than a month later, following his performance in a home win over Woking, Allen then said that "He is a better player than I thought, to be honest. I always thought he was half decent but in training the last couple of weeks he has lost a lot of weight and improved his level of fitness. He is a tremendous character around the group and he is a good player."[19]

Gash signed a new one-year deal at Barnet for the 2015–16 season.[20] He made his Football League debut against Leyton Orient on 8 August 2015.[21] Following four goals in five games in September, Gash was named League Two Player of the Month.[22] In August 2016, Gash injured his cruciate ligament, putting him out for the rest of the season, and he was released following the expiry of his contract.[23]

In an effort to get his career back on track, he signed for King's Lynn Town of the seventh tier of the English football pyramid in July 2017.[24] After 14 goals in his first season, in which the Linnets lost the Southern Football League play-off final to Slough Town, Gash scored nine league goals in his second season and followed this up with a goal in the Southern League Premier Central play-off final win against Alvechurch, and then scored the winner in extra time in the super play-off against Warrington Town to secure promotion to the National League North.[6] After four seasons at the club that included back-to-back promotions as King's Lynn reached the fifth tier of English football for the first time, Gash departed the club at the end of the 2020–21 season, citing his full time job as a tree-surgeon as the reason for not wanting to continue his time with the club.[25] In his last match for the club he scored in a dramatic 4–4 draw with Aldershot Town.[26]

Gash signed for Southern League Premier Division Central side Peterborough Sports on 8 June 2021. Following a recommendation from his great friend and mentor, Jonny Hansen, Gash took the vacant managerial role at Sports alongside former Manchester United and Panathinaikos goalkeeper Luke Steele.[27]

International career

Gash was capped once by the England national C team, in a 2–2 away draw with Wales on 5 September 2010.[28]

Career statistics

Gash playing for York City in 2009
As of 20 August 2022
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Cambridge City Reserves 2003–04[29] ECFL Division One 24 12 3[a] 4 27 16
2005–06[30] ECFL Premier Division 12 5 2[a] 1 14 6
Total 36 17 5 5 41 22
Cambridge City 2003–04[31] Southern League Premier Division 0 0 1 0 3[b] 1 4 1
2004–05[32] Conference South 17 4 0 0 9[c] 2 26 6
2005–06[33] Conference South 21 7 5 1 4[d] 2 30 10
Total 38 11 6 1 16 5 60 17
Cambridge United 2006–07[34] Conference National 16 2 1 0 1[d] 0 18 2
Cambridge City (loan) 2006–07[35] Conference South 19 3 3[e] 3 22 6
Cambridge City 2007–08[36] Conference South 35 23 2 1 6[f] 2 43 26
Total 54 26 2 1 9 5 65 32
Ebbsfleet United 2008–09[37] Conference Premier 40 10 3 0 8[g] 2 51 12
York City 2009–10[38] Conference Premier 36 7 1 0 9[h] 0 46 7
2010–11[39] Conference Premier 17 1 1 0 0 0 18 1
Total 53 8 2 0 9 0 64 8
Rushden & Diamonds (loan) 2010–11[40] Conference Premier 18 6 18 6
Cambridge United 2011–12[41] Conference Premier 40 7 3 0 1[d] 0 44 7
2012–13[42] Conference Premier 27 13 1 0 2[d] 1 30 14
Total 67 20 4 0 3 1 74 21
Braintree Town (loan) 2012–13[42] Conference Premier 6 1 6 1
Kidderminster Harriers (loan) 2012–13[42] Conference Premier 11 6 2[i] 1 13 7
Kidderminster Harriers 2013–14[42] Conference Premier 36 11 5 3 1[d] 1 42 15
2014–15[42] Conference Premier 16 3 1 0 17 3
Total 63 20 6 3 3 2 72 25
Nuneaton Town (loan) 2014–15[42] Conference Premier 11 1 11 1
Barnet 2014–15[42] Conference Premier 15 3 15 3
2015–16[43] League Two 34 9 2 1 1 0 0 0 37 10
2016–17[44] League Two 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0
Total 51 12 2 1 2 0 0 0 55 13
King's Lynn Town 2017–18[6] Southern League Premier Division 42 14 2 0 3[j] 0 47 14
2018–19[6] Southern League Premier Division Central 37 9 1 0 5[k] 3 43 12
2019–20[42] National League North 31 10 1 0 2[d] 0 34 10
2020–21[42] National League 29 7 1 0 1[d] 0 31 7
Total 139 40 5 0 0 0 11 3 155 40
Peterborough Sports 2021–22[45] Southern League Premier Division Central 33 5 3 1 2[l] 0 38 6
2022–23[42] National League North 4 1 0 0 0 0 4 1
Total 37 6 3 1 0 0 2 0 42 7
Career total 632 186 34 7 2 0 67 23 732 216
  1. ^ a b Appearances in Eastern Counties Football League League Cup
  2. ^ One appearance and one goal in Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup, one appearance in FA Trophy, one in Southern Football League Cup
  3. ^ One appearance in Conference Cup, four appearances and one goal in FA Trophy, three appearances and one goal in Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup, one appearance in Conference South play-offs
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
  5. ^ Appearances in Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup
  6. ^ One appearance in Conference League Cup, three appearances and one goal in FA Trophy, two appearances and one goal in Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup
  7. ^ One appearance in Conference League Cup, seven appearances and two goals in FA Trophy
  8. ^ Six appearances in FA Trophy, three in Conference Premier play-offs
  9. ^ Appearances in Conference Premier play-offs
  10. ^ One appearance in FA Trophy, two appearances in Southern Football League play-offs
  11. ^ Two appearances and one goal in FA Trophy, two appearances and one goal in Southern Football League play-offs, one appearance and one goal in Step 3 super play-offs
  12. ^ One appearance in Northamptonshire Senior Cup, one appearance in Southern Football League play-offs

Honours

Barnet

References

  1. ^ "EFL: Club retained and released lists published". English Football League. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  2. ^ "Michael Gash". ESPN FC. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  3. ^ Bodell, Tom (27 April 2015). "Michael Gash says winning promotion with Barnet is the best moment of his career after the Bees secured the Conference title on Saturday". Times Series. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  4. ^ Mosley, Debbie (29 July 2009). "Statement from the Board and Gary Roberts re Michael Gash". Cambridge City F.C. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  5. ^ "Cambridge City 12 Waterbeach 0". Cambridge City F.C. 7 October 2003. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d Player profile: Michael Gash
  7. ^ Statement from the Board and Gary Roberts re Michael Gash
  8. ^ Fleet agree Gash sale
  9. ^ York City striker Michael Gash wins England 'C' call-up
  10. ^ Michael Gash joins Braintree on loan from Cambridge
  11. ^ Michael Gash departs Cambridge for Kidderminster
  12. ^ Cambridge United: Michael Gash departure 'best for club'
  13. ^ Kidderminster Harriers: Michael Gash signs two-year deal
  14. ^ Michael Gash voted latest FA Cup Player of the Round
  15. ^ Peterborough 2–3 Kidderminster
  16. ^ Kidderminster Harriers: Nuneaton Town sign Michael Gash on loan
  17. ^ Kidderminster: Michael Gash leaves club by mutual consent
  18. ^ Barnet have signed former Kidderminster Harriers and Cambridge United striker Michael Gash on a short-term deal
  19. ^ Barnet boss Martin Allen admits new signing Michael Gash has taken him by surprise and is a better player than he expected
  20. ^ Striker Michael Gash has committed to Barnet for the 2015/16 season
  21. ^ Leyton Orient 2 – 0 Barnet
  22. ^ Michael Gash named Sky Bet League 2 Player of the Month
  23. ^ Michael Gash: Barnet striker suffers serious knee injury
  24. ^ "King's Lynn Town brush aside Gorleston in penultimate summer friendly". Lynn News. 31 July 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  25. ^ "Gash and Jarvis to depart". www.kltown.co.uk. 27 May 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  26. ^ "King's Lynn Town 4–4 Aldershot Town". BBC Sport. 29 May 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  27. ^ "NEW SIGNING ALERT..........LANDMARK SIGNING AS GASH JOINS THE TURBINES". PSLFC.com. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  28. ^ Williams; Williams (eds.). Non-League Club Directory 2013. pp. 1003, 1005, 1007.
  29. ^ "2003–2004 season: All competitions: Player's appearances – Gash Michael Edward". football.mitoo. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  30. ^ "2005–2006 season: All competitions: Player's appearances – Gash Michael Edward". football.mitoo. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
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  32. ^ "Season 2004–05". Cambridge City F.C. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  33. ^ "Season 2005–06 05/06". Cambridge City F.C. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
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  35. ^ "Season 2006–07". Cambridge City F.C. Archived from the original on 11 September 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  36. ^ "2007–08". Cambridge City F.C. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  37. ^ Williams, Tony; Wright, James, eds. (2009). Non-League Club Directory 2010. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 68–69. ISBN 978-1-869833-66-4.
  38. ^ Williams, Tony; Wright, James, eds. (2010). Non-League Club Directory 2011. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 160–161. ISBN 978-1-869833-68-8.
    Flett, Dave (26 April 2010). "Stevenage 1, York City 0". The Press. York. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
    Flett, Dave (27 January 2010). "York City 1, Newport County 0 – FA Trophy replay". The Press. York. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  39. ^ Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2011). Non-League Club Directory 2012. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 156–157. ISBN 978-1-869833-70-1.
  40. ^ Williams; Williams (eds.). Non-League Club Directory 2012. pp. 164–165.
  41. ^ Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2012). Non-League Club Directory 2013. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 46–47. ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0.
  42. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "M. Gash". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  43. ^ "Games played by Michael Gash in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  44. ^ "Games played by Michael Gash in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  45. ^ "Google".