Tommy Gaynor

{{Short description|Irish footballer}}

{{EngvarB|date=July 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Tommy Gaynor

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Thomas Gaynor

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1963|1|29}}

| birth_place = Limerick, Ireland

| height =

| position = Forward

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1981–1982 | clubs1 = Limerick United | caps1 = 25 | goals1 = 7

| years2 = 1982–1983 | clubs2 = Shamrock Rovers | caps2 = 22 | goals2 = 7

| years3 = 1983–1984 | clubs3 = Dundalk | caps3 = 22 | goals3 = 4

| years4 = 1984–1986 | clubs4 = Limerick City | caps4 = 58 | goals4 = 35

| years5 = 1986–1987 | clubs5 = Doncaster Rovers | caps5 = 33 | goals5 = 7

| years6 = 1987–1992 | clubs6 = Nottingham Forest | caps6 = 57 | goals6 = 10

| years7 = 1990–1991 | clubs7 = → Newcastle United (loan) | caps7 = 4 | goals7 = 1

| years8 = 1992–1993 | clubs8 = Millwall | caps8 = 3 | goals8 = 0

| years9 = 1993–1994 | clubs9 = Derry City | caps9 = 29 | goals9 = 11

| years10 = 1994–1995 | clubs10 = Cork City | caps10 = 27 | goals10 = 7

| years11 = 1995–1996 | clubs11 = Athlone Town | caps11 = 27 | goals11 = 12

| years12 = 1996–1997 | clubs12 = Cork City | caps12 = ? | goals12 = ?

| years13 = 1996–1997 | clubs13 = Athlone Town | caps13 = ? | goals13 = ?

| years14 = 1997 | clubs14 = Bohemians | caps14 = 7 | goals14 = 2

| years15 = 1997–1998 | clubs15 = St Patrick's Athletic | caps15 = 11 | goals15 = 1

| years16 = 1998–1999 | clubs16 = Limerick | caps16 = ? | goals16 = ?

| years17 = 1998–1999 | clubs17 = Kilkenny City | caps17 = ? | goals17 = ?

| nationalyears1 = 1986

| nationalteam1 = League of Ireland XI

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| manageryears1 = 2007 | managerclubs1 = Kilkenny City

}}

Tommy Gaynor (born 29 January 1963 in Limerick) was an Irish soccer player during the 1980s and 1990s.

He made his League of Ireland debut on 13 September 1981 for Limerick United before signing for Shamrock Rovers in 1982. He scored 2 goals in 3 appearances for the club in the UEFA Cup.[http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/history/european-results#1982] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120625194032/http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/history/european-results |date=25 June 2012 }}. He left to sign for Dundalk in 1983. Moved back to Limerick where he was joint top scorer in 1984–85 and top scorer in 1985–86.{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/iertops.html |title=Ireland – List of Topscorers |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation |date=24 December 2012}}

He signed for Nottingham Forest in 1987 spending 5 years there before signing for Millwall in 1992.

At the City Ground he helped Forest win the Football League Cup and Full Members' Cup in 1989, when they also finished third in the Football League First Division. However, he was left out of the side for the League Cup final of 1990, when Forest retained their trophy.

In his time at the City Ground, Gaynor was one of the Forest players who had to cope with the horrors of the Hillsborough disaster during the opening minutes of their FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool. Gaynor played in the rescheduled game at Old Trafford, which Liverpool won 3–1. Despite scoring regularly for the Forest first team he spent the majority of his time as a reserve player, often behind considerably less prolific strikers.

He then returned to his homeland and despite guesting for Shelbourne in a friendly against Tottenham Hotspur he signed for Cork City in August 1993, initially on a months loan.{{cite web |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1993/0814/Pg017.html#Ar01705 |title=The Irish Times – Saturday, August 14, 1993 – Page 017 |website=The Irish Times |access-date=14 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022211127/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1993/0814/Pg017.html#Ar01705 |archive-date=22 October 2012 |url-status=dead}} This deal became permanent but Gaynor had a turbulent relationship with the then Bishopstown based club. In December 1994 he failed to turn up for a league game.{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1994/1216/Pg023.html|title=Cork expected to issue statement on Gaynor | newspaper=The Irish Times | date=16 December 1994 | page=23 | first=Peter | last=Byrne | accessdate=23 November 2024}}

He signed for Athlone Town in October 1995 and scored twice on his debut.{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1995/1007/Pg017.html|title=The Irish Times – Saturday, October 7, 1995 – Page 17|website=The Irish Times}} He was Athlone's top scorer that season with 12 league goals. Rejoined Cork in September 1996 but was back playing for Athlone in early 1997.

Gaynor transferred to Bohemians in February 1997 and again scored on his debut.{{cite web |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1997/0203/Pg031.html#Ar03108 |title=The Irish Times – Monday, February 3, 1997 – Page 031 |website=The Irish Times |access-date=14 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022211733/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1997/0203/Pg031.html#Ar03108 |archive-date=22 October 2012 |url-status=dead}}

He had further spells with St Patrick's Athletic, where he scored against Celtic in a friendly,{{cite web|url=http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/1997-07-18:+St+Pat's+1-1+Celtic,+Amstel+Challenge |title=1997-07-18: St Pat's 1–1 Celtic, Amstel Challenge |publisher=The Celtic Wiki }} Limerick and Kilkenny City.

He was appointed Kilkenny City manager on 11 July 2007.{{cite web |url=http://www.kilkennycityfc.ie/website/index.php |title=Kilkenny City FC – Home |accessdate=2007-07-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070716093038/http://www.kilkennycityfc.ie/website/index.php |archivedate=16 July 2007 }}.

Gaynor became the first player to win the League Cup in Ireland and England.