Roly Gregoire

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Roly Gregoire

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Roland Barry Gregoire{{Hugman|7766|accessdate=28 February 2019}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|11|23|df=y}}

| birth_place = Liverpool, England

| height =

| position = Striker

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Halifax Town

| years1 = 1977–1978

| clubs1 = Halifax Town

| caps1 = 5

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1978–1980

| clubs2 = Sunderland

| caps2 = 9

| goals2 = 1

| totalcaps = 14

| totalgoals = 1

}}

Roland Barry Gregoire (born 23 November 1958) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker.

Career

Born in Liverpool, Gregoire was educated at St Bede's Grammar School in Bradford.{{Cite web|url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/559a3f9be4b0d2540b7167de/t/563a4918e4b0eeb224d43393/1446660376853/1973+07+St+Bede%27s+Magazine.pdf|title=St Bede's Magazine Bradford - Summer 1973|last=|first=|date=1973|website=Squarespace|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=18 April 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/559a3f9be4b0d2540b7167de/t/563a493be4b026d940f1177f/1446660411615/1974+07+St+Bede%27s+Magazine.pdf|title=St Bede's Magazine Bradford - Summer 1974|last=|first=|date=1974|website=Squarespace|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=18 April 2020}}{{Cite web|url=http://members.pcug.org.au/~mdinn/StBedes/1975mag.pdf|title=St Bede's Magazine Bradford - Summer 1975|last=|first=|date=1975|website=pcug.org.au|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=18 April 2020}} He began his career with Halifax Town, making five league appearances in the 1977–78 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/halifax/halifax.html|title=HALIFAX TOWN : 1946/47 - 1992/93 & 1998/99 - 2001/02|accessdate=18 September 2009|publisher=Post War English & Scottish Football League A — Z Player's Database}} Gregoire moved to Sunderland for £5,000 in January 1978, becoming the first black player to play for them.{{cite web|url=http://www.epltalk.com/first-black-footballers-to-play-for-premier-league-clubs/3430|title=First Black Footballers To Play For Premier League Clubs|accessdate=18 September 2009|date=14 October 2008|publisher=EPL Talk|archive-date=1 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110201142326/http://www.epltalk.com/first-black-footballers-to-play-for-premier-league-clubs/3430|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.a-love-supreme.com/S%20and%20C%20archive/S&Carchive035.html|title=Minority Report|accessdate=18 September 2009|publisher=A Love Supreme}}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Whilst playing for Halifax reserves, Gregoire scored a hat-trick against Sunderland reserves to prompt Sunderland manager Jimmy Adamson into signing him.{{cite book|last1=Dykes|first1=Garth|last2=Lamming|first2= Doug|title=All the lads: A complete who's who of Sunderland A.F.C.|publisher=Polar Print Group Ltd|date=November 2000|page=312|isbn=978-1-899538-14-0}} He made his debut for Sunderland against Hull City due to injuries to other first team strikers. Gregoire spent two seasons with Sunderland — scoring one goal in nine league appearances — before retiring in 1980 due to injury.{{cite web|url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/sunderland/sunderland.html|title=SUNDERLAND : 1946/47 - 2008/09|accessdate=18 September 2009|publisher=Post War English & Scottish Football League A — Z Player's Database}}{{cite web|url=http://archive.thenorthernecho.co.uk/2003/7/21/84188.html|title=Joanna presents strong challenge|accessdate=18 September 2009|date=21 July 2003|publisher=The Northern Echo}}

References

Category:1958 births

Category:Living people

Category:English men's footballers

Category:Halifax Town A.F.C. players

Category:Sunderland A.F.C. players

Category:English Football League players

Category:Men's association football forwards

Category:People educated at St. Bede's Grammar School

Category:Footballers from Liverpool