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Gareth Graham

{{Short description|Northern Irish footballer (born 1978)}}

{{use British English|date=June 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Gareth Graham

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| fullname = Gareth Lee Graham{{Hugman|7556|accessdate=13 May 2016}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|12|06|df=y}}

| birth_place = Belfast, Northern Ireland

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=7}}

| position = Midfielder, right back

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Dungoyne Boys

| youthyears2 =

| youthclubs2 = Glentoran

| youthyears3 = {{0|0000}}–1997

| youthclubs3 = Crystal Palace

| years1 = 1997–1999

| clubs1 = Crystal Palace

| caps1 = 1

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1998

| clubs2 = → Merthyr Tydfil (loan)

| caps2 = 3

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1999

| clubs3 = → Brentford (loan)

| caps3 = 0

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1999–2001

| clubs4 = Brentford

| caps4 = 14

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 1999

| clubs5 = → Crawley Town (loan)

| caps5 =

| goals5 =

| years6 = 2001

| clubs6 = Woking

| caps6 = 6

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2001–2002

| clubs7 = Margate

| caps7 = 26

| goals7 = 1

| years8 = 2002

| clubs8 = ÍBV

| caps8 = 7

| goals8 = 1

| years9 = 2002–2003

| clubs9 = Whyteleafe

| caps9 = 22

| goals9 = 2

| years10 = 2003–2005

| clubs10 = AFC Wimbledon

| caps10 = 38

| goals10 = 2

| years11 = 2004

| clubs11 = → Whyteleafe (loan)

| caps11 = 4

| goals11 = 0

| years12 = 2005–2006

| clubs12 = Whyteleafe

| caps12 = 19

| goals12 = 2

| years13 = 2006–2007

| clubs13 = Croydon Athletic

| caps13 = 27

| goals13 = 5

| years14 = 2007

| clubs14 = Cray Wanderers

| caps14 = 20

| goals14 = 0

| years15 = 2007

| clubs15 = Kingstonian

| caps15 = 2

| goals15 = 0

| years16 = 2007–2008

| clubs16 = Croydon Athletic

| caps16 = 16

| goals16 = 1

| years17 = 2008

| clubs17 = Leatherhead

| caps17 = 16

| goals17 = 0

| years18 = 2008–2009

| clubs18 = Chertsey Town

| caps18 = 18

| goals18 = 2

| years19 = 2009–2010

| clubs19 = Chipstead

| caps19 = 14

| goals19 = 1

| years20 = 2010

| clubs20 = Whyteleafe

| caps20 = 12

| goals20 = 1

| years21 = 2010

| clubs21 = Warlingham (dual-registration)

| caps21 = 2

| goals21 = 1

| years22 = 2010–2011

| clubs22 = Croydon

| caps22 = 24

| goals22 = 2

| years23 = 2011

| clubs23 = Merstham

| caps23 = 18

| goals23 = 0

| years24 = 2011–2014

| clubs24 = Lingfield

| caps24 = 67

| goals24 = 13

| years25 = 2012–2013

| clubs25 = → AFC Croydon Athletic (dual-registration)

| caps25 = 2

| goals25 = 0

| totalcaps = 378 | totalgoals = 34

| nationalyears1 = 1999

| nationalteam1 = Northern Ireland U21

| nationalcaps1 = 5

| nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

Gareth Lee Graham (born 6 December 1978) is a Northern Irish retired footballer who played as a midfielder or right back. He began his career in the Football League at Crystal Palace before transferring to Brentford in 1999. Upon his release from Brentford, Graham embarked on a nomadic career in non-League football. He represented Northern Ireland U21 at the international level. He was known by the nickname "Ginge".{{Cite web |date=18 March 2011 |title=Combined Counties League Premier Division |url=http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/gill-slams-trams-shows/story-11361544-detail/story.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923211617/http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Gill-slams-Trams-shows/story-11361544-detail/story.html |archive-date=23 September 2015 |access-date=8 April 2014 |publisher=Croydon Advertiser}}{{Cite web |title=AFC Wimbledon | Player Profile | Gareth Graham |url=http://wimbledonheritage.co.uk/players.php?Psection_id=3&Psub_section_id=3&apps=1&player_id=27&squad=37&position=Midfielder |access-date=8 April 2014 |publisher=Wimbledonheritage.co.uk}}

Club career

= Crystal Palace =

Graham began his career in his native Northern Ireland with Dungoyne Boys and Glentoran before moving to England to join the youth system at Crystal Palace.{{Cite web |date=9 March 2014 |title=Player Profile – Gareth Graham – The Eagles Beak |url=https://theeaglesbeak.com/2014/03/09/player-profile-gareth-graham/ |access-date=15 June 2018 |website=The Eagles Beak |language=en-GB}} He reached the final of the FA Youth Cup and won the Southern Junior Floodlit Cup with the youth team during the 1996–97 season and also made his debut for the reserve team.{{Cite web |title=Crystal Palace FC – Players – Gareth Graham |url=http://tonyd.users.netlink.co.uk/youth/squad/ggraham.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222040716/http://tonyd.users.netlink.co.uk/youth/squad/ggraham.htm |archive-date=22 February 2014 |access-date=8 April 2014 |publisher=Tonyd.users.netlink.co.uk}} Graham signed his first professional contract in March 1997 and broke into the reserve team during the early part of the 1997–98 season.{{Cite book |last1=Croxford |first1=Mark |title=The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties |last2=Lane |first2=David |last3=Waterman |first3=Greville |publisher=Legends Publishing |year=2013 |isbn=9781906796723 |location=Sunbury, Middlesex |pages=440–441}}

A broken leg suffered in a Surrey Senior Cup match for the reserve team in late 1997 hampered Graham's progress. Graham returned to match play with the reserve team early in the 1998–99 season, and to regain fitness, Graham and teammate Andy Martin joined Southern League Premier Division club Merthyr Tydfil on loan in December 1998.{{Cite news |date=6 December 1998 |title=Football: Loans/trials – Sport |work=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-loanstrials-1189531.html |access-date=8 April 2014}} He made his Crystal Palace debut away to Watford on 24 April 1999, as a substitute for Steven Thomson after 77 minutes of the 2–1 defeat.{{Soccerbase season|10562|1998|access-date=8 April 2014}} Graham failed to receive a call into the first team during the early months of the 1999–00 season and departed the club in October 1999.{{Soccerbase}}

= Brentford =

Graham joined Second Division club Brentford on loan on 28 September 1999, and the move was made permanent on 6 October.{{Soccerbase season|10562|1999|access-date=8 April 2014}} Following a loan at Southern League Premier Division club Crawley Town,{{Cite web |title=A first-half penalty by Ian Payne secured resurgent Crawley Town their fourth Premier Division win |url=http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/5165798.A_first_half_penalty_by__Ian_Payne_secured_resurgent_Crawley_Town_their_fourth_Premier_Divsion_win_i/ |access-date=8 April 2014 |publisher=The Argus}}{{Cite web |title=Angry Crawley manager Billy Smith accused his side of an "unacceptable performance" as they were dum |url=http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/5166018.ANGRY_Crawley_manager_Billy_Smith_accused_his_side_of_an__unacceptable_performance__as_they_were_dum/ |access-date=8 April 2014 |publisher=The Argus}} Graham finally made his Brentford debut on 18 December,{{Cite book |title=Brentford Matchday Magazine versus Wigan Athletic |date=1 April 2000 |publisher=Morganprint Blackheath Ltd |page=2}} as a late substitute for Martin Rowlands in a 1–0 defeat to Wigan Athletic. Graham broke into the team on a regular basis in March 2000 and finished the 1999–00 season with 13 appearances.

Graham was out of favor under new manager Ray Lewington during the 2000–01 season, but a buildup of games in hand (due to bad weather and Brentford's run to the 2001 Football League Trophy Final) saw the squad stretched during the second half of the season, and Graham was a regular unused substitute.{{Cite book |ref={{harvid|TW8|2001}} |title=TW8: Brentford FC Official Matchday Programme versus Luton Town |date=3 May 2001 |publisher=Morganprint |location=Charlton, London |pages=5}}{{Sfn|TW8|2001|p=24-25}} He made his only appearance of the season as a late substitute for Jay Tabb in a 2–2 draw with Luton Town on 3 May 2001.{{Soccerbase season|10562|2000|access-date=8 April 2014}} Graham was released at the end of the 2000–01 season,{{Cite web |last=Trice |first=Jeff |title=Gareth Graham |url=https://www.margatefootballclubhistory.com/players-profile/?profile=481&player=Gareth_Graham |access-date=2 May 2017 |website=www.margatefootballclubhistory.com}} after making just 14 appearances during his time with the Bees.

= Non-League football =

Aside from a spell in Iceland with Úrvalsdeild club ÍBV in 2002, Graham played in non-League football between 2001 and his retirement in 2014. He played the majority of his football in the Isthmian and Combined Counties leagues, and his most notable spell was with AFC Wimbledon, with whom he won consecutive promotions during the 2003–04 and 2004–05 seasons. He had two spells with Croydon Athletic and four with Whyteleafe and captained both clubs.{{Cite web |date=22 June 2010 |title=Whyteleafe chairman backs new manager English |url=http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/8232556.print/ |access-date=8 April 2014 |publisher=Bournemouth Echo}} His last club was Lingfield, for whom he made the final appearance of his career early in the 2014–15 season.{{Cite web |title=Gareth Graham – Lingfield 1st Team |url=http://www.lingfieldfc.com/teams/71415/player/gareth-graham-930897/25072 |access-date=9 November 2016 |website=Lingfield Football Club}}

International career

Graham won five caps for Northern Ireland at U21 level.{{Cite web |date=6 August 2008 |title=Gareth Graham |url=http://nifootball.blogspot.co.uk/2008/08/gareth-graham.html |access-date=8 April 2014 |publisher=NIFG}} He made his debut in a 1–1 1999 International Triangular Tournament draw with Scotland on 4 June 1999. He made three appearances during Northern Ireland's unsuccessful 2000 European U21 Championship qualifying campaign, and the last of his caps came in a 2–1 defeat to Finland on 8 October 1999.

Personal life

Graham was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He lives in Croydon and works in film, media, and entertainment insurance.{{Cite web |title=Performance Film & Media Insurance |url=https://www.astonlark.com/performance/homepage |access-date=9 September 2020 |website=Performance |language=en}} He is a Tottenham Hotspur supporter.{{Cite web |title=Gareth Graham (gramper78) on Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/gramper78 |access-date=8 April 2014 |publisher=Twitter.com}}

Career statistics

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

! rowspan="2" |Club

! rowspan="2" |Season

! colspan="3" |League

! colspan="2" |National cup{{efn|Includes FA Cup, Icelandic Cup}}

! colspan="2" |League cup{{efn|Includes Football League Cup}}

! colspan="2" |Other

! colspan="2" |Total

Division

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

Crystal Palace

|1998–99

|First Division

|1

|0

|0

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|1

|0

rowspan="3" |Brentford

|1999–00

|Second Division

|13

|0

|0

|0

|0

|0

|0

|0

|13

|0

2000–01

|Second Division

|1

|0

|0

|0

|0

|0

|0

|0

|1

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!14

!0

!0

!0

!0

!0

!0

!0

!14

!0

ÍBV

|2002{{Cite web |title=Leikmaður – Gareth Graham |url=https://www.ksi.is/mot/leikmadur/$PlayerDetails/Games/?leikmadur=147487&fra=01.01.2002&til=31.12.2002 |access-date=15 June 2018 |website=www.ksi.is |language=is}}

|Úrvalsdeild

|7

|1

|3

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|10

|1

rowspan="4" |AFC Wimbledon

|2002–03

|Combined Counties League

|9

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|9

|0

2003–04

|Combined Counties League Premier Division

|13

|2

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|32 appearances in Combined Counties League Premier Challenge Cup, 1 appearance in FA Vase

|0

|16

|2

2004–05

|Isthmian League First Division

|16

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|21 appearance and 1 goal in Isthmian League Cup, 1 appearance in Surrey Senior Cup

|1

|18

|1

colspan="2" |Total

!38

!2

!0

!0

! colspan="2" |—

!4

!1

!43

!3

Whyteleafe

|2005–06{{Cite web |title=All Competitions : Player's Appearances – Graham Gareth Lee |url=http://football.mitoo.co.uk/PlayersHistory2.cfm?PI=68559&LeagueCode=ISTH2005 |access-date=18 January 2017 |website=Football.mitoo}}

|Isthmian League First Division

|19

|2

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|0

|0

|19

|2

Croydon Athletic

|2006–07{{Cite web |title=All Competitions : Player's Appearances – Graham Gareth Lee |url=http://football.mitoo.co.uk/PlayersHistory2.cfm?PI=98316&LeagueCode=ISTH2006 |access-date=18 January 2017 |website=Football.mitoo}}

|Isthmian League First Division South

|19

|5

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|2Appearances in Isthmian League Cup

|2

|21

|7

Cray Wanderers

|2006–07

|Isthmian League First Division South

|20

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|20

|0

Kingstonian

|2007–08{{Cite web |title=Appearances |url=http://www.kingstonian.net/appearances.jsp?player=331 |access-date=8 April 2014 |publisher=kingstonian.net}}

|Isthmian League First Division South

|2

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|1Appearance in London Senior Cup

|0

|3

|0

rowspan="2" |Croydon Athletic

|2007–08{{Cite web |title=All Competitions : Player's Appearances – Graham Gareth Lee |url=http://football.mitoo.co.uk/PlayersHistory2.cfm?PI=137843&LeagueCode=ISTH2007 |access-date=18 January 2017 |website=Football.mitoo}}

|Isthmian League First Division South

|13

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|13

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!32

!5

!0

!0

! colspan="2" |—

!2

!2

!34

!7

rowspan="3" |Leatherhead

|2007–08

|Isthmian League First Division South

|13

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|13

|0

2008–09{{Cite web |title=All Competitions : Player's Appearances – Graham Gareth Lee |url=http://football.mitoo.co.uk/PlayersHistory2.cfm?PI=202136&LeagueCode=ISTH2008 |access-date=18 January 2017 |website=Football.mitoo}}

|Isthmian League First Division South

|5

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|5

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!18

!0

! colspan="2" |—

! colspan="2" |—

! colspan="2" |—

!18

!0

Chertsey Town

|2008–09{{Cite web |title=All Competitions : Player's Appearances – Graham Gareth Lee |url=http://football.mitoo.co.uk/PlayersHistory2.cfm?PI=140181&LeagueCode=COMC2008 |access-date=8 April 2014 |publisher=Football.mitoo}}

|Combined Counties League Premier Division

|18

|2

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|1Appearances in Combined Counties League Premier Challenge Cup

|0

|19

|2

Chipstead

|2009–10{{Cite web |title=All Competitions : Player's Appearances – Graham Gareth Lee |url=http://football.mitoo.co.uk/PlayersHistory2.cfm?PI=501233&LeagueCode=ISTH2009 |access-date=18 January 2017 |website=Football.mitoo}}

|Isthmian League First Division South

|16

|2

|2

|1

| colspan="2" |—

|43 appearances in FA Trophy, 1 appearance in Isthmian League Cup

|0

|22

|3

rowspan="3" |Whyteleafe

|2009–10

|Isthmian League First Division South

|7

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|7

|0

2010–11{{Cite web |title=All Competitions : Player's Appearances – Graham Gareth Lee |url=http://football.mitoo.co.uk/PlayersHistory2.cfm?PI=789366&LeagueCode=ISTH2010 |access-date=8 April 2014 |publisher=Football.mitoo}}

|Isthmian League First Division South

|4

|1

|1

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|5

|1

colspan="2" |Total

!30

!3

!1

!0

! colspan="2" |—

!0

!0

!31

!3

Warlingham (dual-registration)

|2010–11{{Cite web |title=All Competitions : Player's Appearances – Graham Gareth |url=http://football.mitoo.co.uk/PlayersHistory2.cfm?PI=700429&LeagueCode=COMC2010 |access-date=8 April 2014 |publisher=Football.mitoo}}

|Combined Counties League First Division

|2

|1

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|2

|1

Croydon

|2010–11

|Combined Counties League Premier Division

|24

|1

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|2

|0

|26

|1

rowspan="3" |Merstham

|2010–11

|Isthmian League First Division South

|8

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|8

|0

2011–12{{Cite web |title=All Competitions : Player's Appearances – Graham Garetu Lee |url=http://football.mitoo.co.uk/PlayersHistory2.cfm?PI=1107438&LeagueCode=ISTH2011 |access-date=18 January 2017 |website=Football.mitoo}}

|Isthmian League First Division South

|9

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|1

|0

|10

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!17

!0

!0

!0

! colspan="2" |—

!1

!0

!18

!0

AFC Croydon Athletic

|2012–13{{Cite web |title=All Competitions : Player's Appearances – Graham Gareth |url=http://football.mitoo.co.uk/PlayersHistory2.cfm?PI=310090&LeagueCode=COMC2012 |access-date=8 April 2014 |publisher=Football.mitoo}}

|Combined Counties League First Division

|1

|0

| colspan="2" |—

| colspan="2" |—

|1

|0

|2

|0

rowspan="3" |Lingfield

|2013–14{{Cite web |title=Gareth Graham – Lingfield 1st Team |url=http://www.lingfieldfc.com/teams/71415/player/gareth-graham-930897/20770 |access-date=9 November 2016 |website=Lingfield Football Club}}

|Sussex County League First Division

|26

|3

|1

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|43 appearances and 1 goal in FA Vase, 1 appearance in Surrey Senior Cup

|1

|31

|4

2014–15

|Southern Counties East League

|4

|0

|0

|0

| colspan="2" |—

|0

|0

|4

|0

colspan="2" |Total

!30

!3

!1

!0

! colspan="2" |—

!4

!1

!35

!4

colspan="3" |Career total

!289

!20

!7

!1

!0

!0

!20

!4

!316

!25

{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

Honours

AFC Wimbledon

References

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

External links

  • {{Soccerbase}}
  • {{KSÍ player|147487}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Graham, Gareth}}

Category:1978 births

Category:Living people

Category:Association footballers from Belfast

Category:Men's association footballers from Northern Ireland

Category:Brentford F.C. players

Category:Whyteleafe F.C. players

Category:Íþróttabandalag Vestmannaeyja players

Category:Crystal Palace F.C. players

Category:Lingfield F.C. players

Category:AFC Croydon Athletic players

Category:AFC Wimbledon players

Category:Croydon Athletic F.C. players

Category:Cray Wanderers F.C. players

Category:Kingstonian F.C. players

Category:Merstham F.C. players

Category:Croydon F.C. players

Category:Chipstead F.C. players

Category:Chertsey Town F.C. players

Category:Leatherhead F.C. players

Category:Merthyr Tydfil F.C. players

Category:Crawley Town F.C. players

Category:Woking F.C. players

Category:Margate F.C. players

Category:English Football League players

Category:Northern Ireland men's under-21 international footballers

Category:Northern Ireland men's youth international footballers

Category:Southern Football League players

Category:National League (English football) players

Category:Úrvalsdeild karla (football) players

Category:Isthmian League players

Category:Men's association football midfielders

Category:Men's association football fullbacks