Gordon Simms

{{Infobox football biography

| name =Gordon Simms

| image =

| fullname =Gordon Henry Simms

| height =

| birth_date ={{birth date and age|1981|3|23|df=yes}}

| birth_place=Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

| position =Defender

| youthyears1=

| youthclubs1=Larne

| youthyears2=1997–2000

| youthclubs2=Wolverhampton Wanderers

| years1 = 2000–2001

| years2 = 2001–2003

| years3 = 2003–2004

| years4 = 2004

| years5 = 2004–2007

| years6 = 2007

| years7 = 2007–2008

| clubs1 = Wolverhampton Wanderers

| clubs2 = Hartlepool United

| clubs3 = Derry City

| clubs4 = → Ballymena United (loan)

| clubs5 = Ballymena United

| clubs6 = Finn Harps

| clubs7 = Hednesford Town

| caps1 = 0

| goals1 = 0

| caps2 =11

| goals2 = 0

| caps3 = ?

| goals3 = ?

| caps4 = 10

| goals4 = 2

| caps5 = 40

| goals5 = 3

| caps6 = 8

| goals6 = 1

| caps7 = ?

| goals7 = ?

| nationalyears1 = 2001–2003

| nationalteam1 = Northern Ireland U21

| nationalcaps1 = 14

| nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

Gordon Henry Simms (born 23 March 1981) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer who played as a defender. He played in the Football League for Hartlepool United.

Career

Simms made his Irish League debut aged 15 for his hometown club Larne, before his performances soon earned him a move to England. He signed for English First Division side Wolverhampton Wanderers in Summer 1997 for £40,000.

After almost four years at Molineux, he failed to make a first team appearance and departed for Third Division Hartlepool United on a free transfer in March 2001 after completing a trial with them.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bristol_rovers/1182148.stm |title=Turner takes Simms on trial|publisher=BBC Sport |date=21 February 2001}}

The defender made his Football League debut on 15 September 2001 when he came on as a substitute during a goalless draw at Southend United.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/1542132.stm |title=Southend 0–0 Hartlepool|publisher=BBC Sport |date=15 September 2001}} This was the first of eleven appearances during the season as the club reached the play-offs. However, he made only two appearances further appearances during the following season, the last being in a 0–5 exit from the Football League Trophy at the hands of Tranmere.

During this he won fourteen caps for the Northern Ireland under-21 side. The first coming on 27 March 2001 in a European qualifier against Bulgaria.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/northern-ireland/3001833/U21-International-Ireland-unable-to-bridge-class-gap.html|title=U21 International: Ireland unable to bridge class gap|work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London|date=27 March 2001}} He had previously represented them at schoolboy, under-18 and under-16 level.

Simms was released by Hartlepool at the end of the 2002–03 season and returned to his native Northern Ireland to join Derry City.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/3169449.stm |title=Keely snaps up duo|publisher=BBC Sport |date=21 August 2003}} However, he soon departed on loan to Ballymena United in early 2004;{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/3436525.stm |title=Leeman agrees Glens deal|publisher=BBC Sport |date=28 January 2004}} a move made permanent that summer.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/3750709.stm |title=Simms agrees Ballymena deal|publisher=BBC Sport |date=26 May 2004}}

After two and a half years at The Showgrounds, he signed a short-term deal with Finn Harps in the League of Ireland First Division in January 2007.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/6321769.stm |title=Simms agrees terms at Finn Harps|publisher=BBC Sport |date=1 February 2007}} At the conclusion of this he returned to English football by signing for non-league club Hednesford Town for the 2007–08 season.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/6235596.stm |title=Hednesford complete Simms signing|publisher=BBC Sport |date=25 June 2007}}