Michael Gault

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Michael Gault

|image = Linfield vs Ballymena 18114.jpg

|image_size = 250

|caption = Gault playing for Linfield in 2014.

|fullname =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|4|15|df=y}}

|birth_place = Lisburn, Northern Ireland

|height =

|position = Midfielder

|currentclub = Linfield

|years1 = 2001–2014

|clubs1 = Linfield

|caps1 = 480

|goals1 = 12

|years2 = 2014–2016

|clubs2 = Portadown

|caps2 = 56

|goals2 = 2

|years3 = 2016–2017

|clubs3 = Crusaders

|caps3 = 23

|goals3 = 0

|years4 = 2017–2018

|clubs4 = Ballymena United

|caps4 = 10

|goals4 = 0

|years5 = 2018–2019

|clubs5 = Annagh United

|caps5 = 18

|goals5 = 1

|years6 = 2019–2020

|clubs6 = Ballymacash Rangers

|caps6 = 17

|goals6 = 0

|nationalyears1 = 2008

|nationalteam1 = Northern Ireland

|nationalcaps1 = 1

|nationalgoals1 = 0

|manageryears1 = 2019–2020

|managerclubs1 = Ballymacash Rangers

|manageryears2 = 2020–

|managerclubs2 = Linfield Swifts

}}

Michael Gault (born 15 April 1983) is a Northern Irish football former player who manages Linfield Swifts. He previously managed Ballymacash Rangers from 2019 to 2020.

Club career

Born in Lisburn, Gault began his senior career with Linfield in the 2001–02 season.{{cite web |url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/25427.html |title=Player profile |website=National-Football-Teams.com |access-date=15 March 2016}} He signed a professional three-and-a-half-year contract in April 2003,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/2905825.stm|title=Gault agrees professional terms|date=1 April 2003|accessdate=15 March 2016|publisher=BBC Sport}} signing extensions in May 2006,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/4996114.stm|title=Gault goes full-time at Linfield|date=18 May 2006|accessdate=15 March 2016|publisher=BBC Sport}} May 2009,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/8069568.stm|title=Gault signs new Linfield contract|date=27 May 2009|accessdate=15 March 2016|publisher=BBC Sport}} and March 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/17247641|title=Michael Gault signs two-year extension to Linfield contract|date=3 March 2012|accessdate=15 March 2016|publisher=BBC Sport}} During the 2012 extension Gault, who was club captain, lost his full-time professional status.

He was released by Linfield in May 2014,{{cite web|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/northern-ireland/linfield/axe-falls-on-michael-gault-in-warren-feeney-clearout-30258362.html|title=Axe falls on Michael Gault in Warren Feeney clear-out|date=9 May 2014|accessdate=15 March 2016|author=Stuart McKinley|publisher=Belfast Telegraph}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/27339021|title=Gault among five players released by new Linfield boss Feeney|date=9 May 2014|accessdate=15 March 2016|publisher=BBC Sport}} signing for Portadown later that month.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/27409026|title=Former Linfield duo McAllister and Gault sign for Ports|date=15 May 2014|accessdate=15 March 2016|publisher=BBC Sport}} He received a total of 21 yellow cards in 29 games in the 2015/16 season. In January 2016 it was announced he would leave the club in the summer after he signed a pre-contract agreement with Crusaders.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35365618|title=Portadown midfielder Gault to join Crusaders|date=20 January 2016|accessdate=15 March 2016|publisher=BBC Sport}}

In July 2019, Michael Gault was appointed player manager of Mid-Ulster Football League club Ballymacash Rangers F.C.

Michael made 17 appearances playing for Ballymacash Rangers F.C. before retiring in August 2020 to focus on management.

Managerial career

Michael Gault took his first steps into management in July 2019 when he was appointed player manager of Ballymacash Rangers F.C.

Michael retired from playing in August 2020 and his sole responsibility at the club was then management. In his first season, which was brought to an early finish in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael led his side to a 2nd placed finish in the Mid-Ulster Football League Intermediate A division and a domestic cup final.

Michael stepped down from his role at The Bluebell to take up a role with Linfield as Manager of their Under 18 side. Gault is now manager of Linfield Swifts.

International career

Gault was called up to the Northern Ireland national team for the first time in October 2008.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7667166.stm|title=Gault called into N Ireland squad|date=13 October 2008|accessdate=15 March 2016|publisher=BBC Sport}} He made his international debut in a friendly match against Georgia in March 2008; Michael O'Connor also made his international debut in the same match.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7312886.stm|title=Northern Ireland 4-1 Georgia|date=25 March 2008|accessdate=15 March 2016|author=Alvin McCaig|publisher=BBC Sport}}

Personal life

In 2003 Gault was studying computers at Ulster University;{{cite web |date=6 April 2003 |title=Gault wins monthly honour |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/2922445.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |accessdate=15 March 2016}} by 2006 he was studying sports science at their Jordanstown campus. Michael Gault is a qualified PE teacher and also a fully qualified Financial Advisor

Honours

=Team=

Linfield
Irish League: 7
2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12
Irish Cup: 6
2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12
Irish League Cup: 3
2001–02, 2005–06, 2007–08
County Antrim Shield: 5
2000–01, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2013–14
Setanta Cup: 1
2005

=Individual=

Irish League Player of the Month (2): March 2003, January 2006{{cite web |date=7 February 2006 |title=Blues' Gault takes monthly award |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/4690526.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |accessdate=15 March 2016}}
Linfield Player of the Year (1): 2010–11{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=16 May 2022 |title=Linfield FC Player of the Year 2021-22 award presentation |url=https://www.linfieldfc.com/latestnews.aspx?id=26286 |access-date=2022-05-29 |website=Linfield FC |language=en}}
Northern Ireland Football Writers Player of the Year (1): 2007–08{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/7397722.stm|title=Gault picks up NI Writers award|date=13 May 2008|accessdate=15 March 2016|publisher=BBC Sport}}