Gary Twigg

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Gary Twigg

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Gary Twigg

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|3|19|df=y}}

| birth_place = Glasgow, Scotland

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| height =

| position = Striker

| youthyears1 = 2000–2002 | youthclubs1 = Derby County

| years1 = 2002–2005 | clubs1 = Derby County | caps1 = 9 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2003 | clubs2 = → Burton Albion (loan) | caps2 = 4 | goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2004 | clubs3 = → Bristol City (loan) | caps3 = 8 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2005–2007 | clubs4 = Airdrie United | caps4 = 57 | goals4 = 17

| years5 = 2007 | clubs5 = Oxford United | caps5 = 9 | goals5 = 3

| years6 = 2008 | clubs6 = Hamilton Academical | caps6 = 3 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2008–2009 | clubs7 = Brechin City | caps7 = 23 | goals7 = 12

| years8 = 2009–2012 | clubs8 = Shamrock Rovers | caps8 = 119 | goals8 = 81

| years9 = 2013–2016 | clubs9 = Portadown | caps9 = 114 | goals9 = 53

| years10 = 2016–2017 | clubs10 = Coleraine | caps10 = 6 | goals10 = 4

| totalcaps = 392

| totalgoals = 178

| nationalyears1 = | nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 =

| club-update =

| ntupdate =

}}

Gary Twigg (born 19 March 1984) is a Scottish former association footballer who played as a forward.

Career

=Derby County=

Twigg began his career in 2000 with English club Derby County, having graduated through the youth system. He made his debut for Derby at the age of 17 as a striker in a Premier League match against Sunderland in May 2002,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/1978547.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Sunderland ensure survival|date = 11 May 2002|access-date=2007-07-07}} his only appearance that season.

In the 2002–03 season, he made eight first-team appearances, seven as a substitute, branching out into the position of left wing when needed.

==Loan to Burton Albion==

In September 2003 he joined Burton Albion on loan,{{cite news|url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=12793|publisher=Non League Daily|title=Clough gets Twigg|date=26 September 2003|access-date=2007-07-07|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930014632/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=12793|archive-date=30 September 2007}} for whom he made four appearances.

=Airdrie United=

Having been released by Derby, and following an unsuccessful trial period at League of Ireland club Derry City, he placed roots at Airdrie United in August 2005,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/airdrie_united/4712589.stm |publisher=BBC Sport|title=Clough Airdrie recruit Twigg from Derby|date = 24 July 2005|access-date=2007-07-07}} where he went on to make 65 league and cup appearances in two years, scoring 18 goals.{{cite web|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=31658 |publisher=Racing Post|title=Soccerbase: Gary Twigg|access-date=2007-07-21}} He won the SFL Player of the Month award for December 2006 after scoring six goals in six games, helping Airdrie to only one defeat out of six league games.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/airdrie_united/6281195.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Diamonds' December award double |date = 19 January 2007|access-date=2007-07-21}}

=Oxford United=

Twigg signed a two-year contract with Conference National side Oxford United on 5 July 2007. Nick Merry, Oxford United chairman, said, "He's got a good record and he's very versatile too. He can play wide or down the middle and he'll be a good asset to us."{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/o/oxford_utd/6275718.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | title=Oxford Utd snap up striker Twigg | date = 5 July 2007 | access-date=2007-08-11}} He came on as a substitute on the opening day of the 2007–08 season at home against Forest Green Rovers in which he won and scored a stoppage time penalty to win the game for Oxford on his debut.{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/6931240.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | title=Oxford 1–0 Forest Green | date = 11 August 2007 | access-date=2007-08-11 }} An ankle injury that required surgery in October led to him missing seven weeks of the season before he returned to the side in December.{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/o/oxford_utd/7047615.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | title=Twigg facing a month out injured | date = 16 October 2007 | access-date=2008-01-02}} However, he was unable to settle and left at the end of December to seek a move back to Scotland.{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/o/oxford_utd/7165815.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | title=Scots striker Twigg leaves Oxford | date = 16 October 2007 | access-date=2008-01-02}} He had made 11 league and cup appearances, scoring three goals.

=Hamilton Academical=

Twigg signed for Hamilton Academical on an 18-month contract in January 2008.{{cite news|url=http://www.acciesfc.co.uk/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=436&Itemid=2 |publisher=AcciesFC |title=Gary Twigg Signs |date=2 January 2008 |access-date=2008-01-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080105110225/http://www.acciesfc.co.uk/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=436&Itemid=2 |archive-date=5 January 2008 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news|title=Twigg's lured home by Hamilton deal|date=4 January 2008 |publisher=Express, The (London)}} He made only four appearances and was transfer listed at the end of the season.{{cite news|title=Accies axe|date=22 May 2008 |work=Football: Soccer Shorts|publisher=Daily Record, The (Glasgow)}} His contract was cancelled at Twigg's request in July 2008 as he had a falling out with the manager Billy Reid.{{cite news|url=http://www.acciesfc.co.uk/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=613&Itemid=2 |publisher=AcciesFC |title=Twigg Released |date=19 July 2008 |access-date=2008-07-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723183747/http://www.acciesfc.co.uk/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=613&Itemid=2 |archive-date=23 July 2008 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news| url=http://www.setantasports.com/en/Sport/News/Football/2008/07/19/SPL-Twigg-leaves-Hamilton/?facets/sport-space/great-britain-locale/|title=Twigg leaves Accies|last=Carter|first=Jo|date=19 July 2008|publisher=Setanta Sport|access-date=2008-07-19}} Twigg then signed for Brechin City in July 2008,{{cite web| url=http://www.brechincity.com/bcfc/servlet/BCFCFrontControllerServlet?action=News&page_id=578&category=2|publisher=brechincity.com|title=City Sign Gary Twigg|access-date=23 July 2008}}

=Shamrock Rovers=

In February 2009, he followed manager Michael O'Neill from Brechin to Shamrock Rovers,{{cite news|url=http://www.setanta.com/uk/Articles/Football/2009/02/23/LOI-ONeill-adds-another-three/gnid-41587/ |title=O'Neill adds another three |last=Maher |first=Gareth |date=23 February 2009 |work=Setanta |publisher=Setanta Sport Holdings Ltd |access-date=2009-02-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090224201755/http://www.setanta.com/uk/Articles/Football/2009/02/23/LOI-ONeill-adds-another-three/gnid-41587/ |archive-date=24 February 2009 }} signing for a fee of €15,000.{{cite news|url=http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/rovers-hold-no-fear-of-rubin-2877587.html|title=Rovers hold no fear of Rubin|last=Fitzmauric|first=Aidan|date=15 September 2011 |work=The Herald|publisher=herald.ie|access-date=2011-09-15}} He scored on his debut in a friendly at Athlone Town[http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/teams/first-team/498-reporttemplate20093 Report – Athlone Town 0 Rovers 3. Friendly – Lissywollen – Sunday 1 March 2009] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027061414/http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/teams/first-team/498-reporttemplate20093 |date=27 October 2010 }}. Shamrockrovers.ie (1 March 2009). Retrieved 2011-09-25.

Twigg made his League of Ireland debut on the opening day of the 2009 League of Ireland season at Bray Wanderers.{{cite web |url=http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/34-2009-match-reports/530-report-bray-wanderers-0-rovers-0 |title=Report - Bray Wanderers 0 Rovers 0 |access-date=2012-10-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218154245/http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/34-2009-match-reports/530-report-bray-wanderers-0-rovers-0 |archive-date=18 December 2013 }} He then scored the first ever goal in the Tallaght Stadium in a 2–1 win for Shamrock Rovers over Sligo Rovers in March 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2009/0313/1224242848224.html|title=Shamrock Rovers triumph on Tallaght homecoming|date=13 March 2009|work=Irish Times|access-date=2009-03-23}} Twigg scored his 22nd league goal in a 2–1 win over Sligo Rovers.[http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/34-2009-match-reports/1031-sligo-rovers-1-2-rovers Sligo Rovers 1–2 Rovers. Rovers storming second-half performance earns the points...] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001145806/http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/34-2009-match-reports/1031-sligo-rovers-1-2-rovers |date=1 October 2009 }}. Shamrockrovers.ie (26 September 2009). Retrieved 2011-09-25. He scored his 23rd league goal at Dundalk, equalling Stephen Geoghegan's total from the 1993/94 season.[http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/34-2009-match-reports/1088-report-dundalk-2-4-rovers Report – Dundalk 2–4 Rovers. Storming finish sees Rovers emerge victorious...] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101025131833/http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/34-2009-match-reports/1088-report-dundalk-2-4-rovers |date=25 October 2010 }}. Shamrockrovers.ie (23 October 2009). Retrieved 2011-09-25. Gary was awarded the League of Ireland Player of the Month for September 2009.[http://www.loi.ie/index.php/news-center/1244-twigg-named-player-of-the-month-for-september Twigg named Player of the Month for September]{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Airtricity League. Twigg finished the 2009 season as the top scorer in the League of Ireland[http://www.soccerbot.com/frames.htm Soccerbot]. Soccerbot (8 March 2000). Retrieved 2011-09-25. with 24 goals. He also won the club Player of the Year voted by Rovers fans[http://www.shamrockrovers.ie./news/35-news/1111-player-of-year-awards-winners Player of Year Awards winners] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223193500/http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/35-news/1111-player-of-year-awards-winners |date=23 February 2012 }}. Shamrockrovers.ie. (8 November 2009). Retrieved 2011-09-25. and the PFAI Player of the Year voted for by his fellow players across the league.

He scored his tenth league goal of the 2010 season in a 3–0 defeat of Bohemians on 8 August.[http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/62-2010-first-team-match-reports/1523-rovers-30-bohemains Rovers 3:0 Bohemians] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405021220/http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/62-2010-first-team-match-reports/1523-rovers-30-bohemains |date=5 April 2012 }}. Shamrockrovers.ie (8 August 2010). Retrieved 2011-09-25. That night he was presented with the League of Ireland 2009 Player of the Year award.[http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/35-news/1524-twiggy-is-leagues-player-of-the-year Twiggy is League's Player of the Year] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405021342/http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/35-news/1524-twiggy-is-leagues-player-of-the-year |date=5 April 2012 }}. Shamrockrovers.ie (8 August 2010). Retrieved 2011-09-25. He scored his 50th goal in total for the club in a 2–2 draw with Bray Wanderers. The result was enough for Rovers to win the 2010 League of Ireland title, their first league title in 16 years.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2010/1029/1224282312632.html|title=Rovers crowned league champions|date=29 October 2010|work=Irish Times|access-date=2010-11-01}} Twigg again finished the season as the top scorer in the League of Ireland with 20 goals.

In 2011, he was again Rovers' top league goalscorer with 15 goals, helping the club to their 17th title. Twigg also played on the Shamrock Rovers team that was the first Irish club to reach the group stages of the UEFA Europa League.

In March 2012 he was awarded his third Airtricity/SWAI Player of the Month.{{cite web|title=Gary Twigg POTM|url=http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/35-news/2643-gary-twigg-potm|work=Shamrock Rovers F.C.|access-date=4 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221165745/http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/35-news/2643-gary-twigg-potm|archive-date=21 February 2014|url-status=dead}}

In October 2012 Shamrock Rovers announced that Twigg would not be signing a new contract and would be leaving at the end of the 2012 season.{{cite web|title=Gary Twigg|url=http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/35-news/3021-gary-twigg|work=Shamrock Rover F.C.|access-date=4 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019104243/http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/35-news/3021-gary-twigg|archive-date=19 October 2012|url-status=dead}} Twigg again finished the season as top scorer for the third time in his four seasons in the League of Ireland.{{cite web|title=Twigg tops Premier Division goal charts|url=http://www.extratime.ie/newsdesk/articles/9176/twigg-tops-premier-division-goal-charts/|work=Extratime.ie|access-date=4 November 2012}} He scored a total of 88 goals in 160 appearances for The Hoops. These included 15 appearances in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers and the Europa League. His 81 league goals makes Twigg the eighth highest goalscorer in the history of Shamrock Rovers. For the fourth time he was awarded the SWAI Player of the Month for October{{cite web |url=http://www.airtricityleague.ie/component/content/article/4432/4432.html |title=Airtricity League - Real Football, Real Fans |access-date=2014-01-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204011147/http://www.airtricityleague.ie/component/content/article/4432/4432.html |archive-date=4 February 2014 }}

=Portadown=

Twigg signed for NIFL Premiership side Portadown on 29 October 2012 on a three-and-a-half-year deal.{{cite web|title=Ports Confirm Gary Twigg Signing|url=http://www.portadownfc.co.uk/2012/10/29/ports-confirm-gary-twigg-signing/|work=Portadown F.C.|access-date=4 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121216093444/http://www.portadownfc.co.uk/2012/10/29/ports-confirm-gary-twigg-signing/|archive-date=16 December 2012|url-status=dead}} Twigg scored on his debut for Portadown in a match against Donegal Celtic at Shamrock Park on 5 January 2013, finishing the season with six goals from 11 league games.

Gary scored his first hat-trick for Portadown on 7 September 2013, during an 11–0 hammering of Ballinamallard United.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/24002625|title=Portadown 11-0 Ballinamallard Utd|work=BBC Sport }}

=Coleraine=

Twigg had signed a pre-contract agreement with Ballymena United with a view to joining the Sky Blues at the start of the 2016–17 NIFL Premiership season. However, the arrival of David Jeffrey as manager coincided with the cancellation of this pre-contract agreement on 1 April 2016.

On 16 July 2016 it was announced that Twigg had rejected the offer of a new contract from Portadown and would be signing for Ballymena's derby rivals Coleraine.