Brian Gayle

{{short description|English footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}

{{Use British English|date=December 2018}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Brian Gayle

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname = Brian Wilbert Gayle

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|3|6|df=y}}

| birth_place = Kingston-on-Thames, England

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}{{cite book |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 |editor-first=Peter |editor-last=Dunk |publisher=Queen Anne Press |location=London |date=1987 |page=[https://archive.org/details/rothmansfootball00lond/page/396 396] |isbn=978-0-356-14354-5 |url=https://archive.org/details/rothmansfootball00lond/page/396}}

| position = Central defender

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1984–1988

| clubs1 = Wimbledon

| caps1 = 83

| goals1 = 3

| years2 = 1984

| clubs2 = → Napier City Rovers (loan)

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| years3 = 1988–1990

| clubs3 = Manchester City

| caps3 = 55

| goals3 = 3

| years4 = 1990–1991

| clubs4 = Ipswich Town

| caps4 = 58

| goals4 = 4

| years5 = 1991–1996

| clubs5 = Sheffield United

| caps5 = 119

| goals5 = 9

| years6 = 1996

| clubs6 = Exeter City

| caps6 = 10

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 1996–1997

| clubs7 = Rotherham United

| caps7 = 20

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 1997–1997

| clubs8 = Bristol Rovers

| caps8 = 23

| goals8 = 0

| years9 = 1997

| clubs9 = → Exeter City (loan)

| caps9 = 0

| goals9 = 0

| years10 = 1997–1999

| clubs10 = Shrewsbury Town

| caps10 = 66

| goals10 = 1

| years11 = 2000–2001

| clubs11 = Telford United

| caps11 = 27

| goals11 = 0

| totalcaps = 461

| totalgoals = 20

| manageryears1 =

| managerclubs1 =

}}

Brian Wilbert Gayle (born 6 March 1965) is an English former professional footballer who played as a central defender.{{soccerbase|id=2786|name=Brian Gayle}}. Retrieved 8 December 2018.{{hugman|7109|accessdate=11 May 2020}}

Gayle began his career at Wimbledon as an apprentice, signing a full contract in October 1984.{{Cite web |title=Gayle, Brian |work=The Grecian Archive |publisher=University of Exeter |accessdate=13 December 2018 |url= http://grecianarchive.exeter.ac.uk/items/show/1634}} He spent time with New Zealand club Napier City Rovers before breaking into the first team.{{Cite web |title=Brian Gayle |work=The Historical Don |accessdate=13 December 2018 |url= http://www.historicaldons.com/player.php?od=4&id=317}}{{Cite web |title=Thirty Years of WDSA |work=Wimbledon Downunder Supporters' Association |date=31 October 2015 |accessdate=13 December 2018 |url= http://www.wdsa.com.au/2015/10/thirty-years-of-wdsa/}} He helped Wimbledon to the sixth round of the 1987–88 FA Cup, which the club ultimately won, but was given a red card for a foul on Malcolm Allen in the match, against Watford, and did not feature in later rounds.{{Cite web |title=When Wimbledon couldn't be divided |publisher=ESPN |date=29 November 2012 |accessdate=13 December 2018 |url= http://en.espn.co.uk/facupstories/sport/story/181193.html}} In July 1988, Gayle joined Manchester City for £325,000.

He was transferred to Ipswich Town for £330,000 in January 1990, and then joined Sheffield United in a £750,000 deal in September 1991. While at the Blades, in 1992, Gayle scored an own goal in a match against local rivals Leeds United, which led to a 2–3 defeat. This, coupled with Manchester United losing to Liverpool, gave Leeds the First Division title.{{cite magazine| title=Classic Match |magazine=LLL Magazine |url=http://www.jon-howe.com/pdf_files/classic_match_reports/68.69_LUvBir_classicmatch.pdf |accessdate=9 December 2018}}{{Cite web |title=Leeds lapse late again when blown off course by Gayle: Sheffield United stage late revival |first=Phil |last=Shaw |work=The Independent |date=14 March 1994 |accessdate=9 December 2018 |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-leeds-lapse-late-again-when-blown-off-course-by-gayle-sheffield-united-stage-late-revival-1429102.html}}