SAFC legend Marco Gabbiadini has decided to call time on his football career after almost 19 years.
The Nottingham-born striker, who celebrates his 36th birthday tomorrow (Tues), has failed to recover fully from a knee operation last November, which also forced him to miss the Sunderland-Hartlepool FA Cup clash earlier this month – so the player has reluctantly taken the advice of medical staff and hung up his boots.
Gabbiadini said, “I have been trying to put the possibility of retirement to the back of my mind – but I think it is realisation time now.
And Monkey Hangers’ manager Neale Cooper said it was a sad day for both Marco and the club.
“He will definitely be a big miss for us – the part he played here was an important one.
“It’s obviously a big blow for him to have to retire but he’s had a good innings and been a very good player.”
Marco signed for Sunderland in September 1987 for £80,000, arriving only three months after Denis Smith, and his red and white debut was in a 2-0 home defeat against Chester. Sunderland were third division champions that season and Gabbiadini the club’s top scorer on 21 – a title which he retained the following season. In 1989 he scored 3 of the goals in our 4-0 defeat of Watford at Roker Park (Gordon Armstrong getting the other), the then Hornets’ manager Glenn Roeder singled out Marco’s performance, suggesting the hat-trick was one of the best he’d seen. For the promotion play-offs, Sunderland were drawn against Newcastle; it was 0-0 after the first leg at Roker Park, but Gabbiadini and Eric Gates struck in the second leg at St James’s Park. Gatesy put Sunderland 1-0 up in the early stages. Later, Warren Hawke broke down the left wing and passed to Gabbiadini who in turn passed to Gates, who carried on his run in plenty of space, received the ball back from Gates to slot away Sunderland’s second. Newcastle supporters invaded the pitch, getting the match stopped by referee George Courtney. Recalling the moment, Gabbiadini said the team were “ecstatic” in the dressing room waiting for the restart, and “almost ready to open the champagne”. Sunderland lost to Swindon Town in the final at Wembley, but were still promoted when it was revealed Swindon were guilty of financial irregularities, but Marco had booked his place as a Sunderland legend.
Marco said having represented Sunderland was a great experience for him and that ever since then, whenever he sees supporters – Newcastle, as well as Sunderland – his goal at St James’s is often the first thing they mention.
CAREER DETAILS
York City: Sept 85 to Sept 87 (from apprentice)
18 goals from 71 appearances
SUNDERLAND AFC: Sept 87 to Oct 91 (Fee £80,000)
87 goals from 185 appearances
Crystal Palace: Oct 91 to Jan 92 (Fee £1.8m)
7 goals in 25 appearances
Derby County: Jan 92 to May 97 (Fee £1.0m)
68 goals in 227 appearances
Birmingham City: 14.10.86 – 18.10.86 (On loan from Derby)
0 goals in 2 appearances
Oxford: Jan 97 to March 97 (On loan from Derby)
1 goal in 5 appearances
Stoke City: Dec 97 to July 98
1 goal in 9 appearances
York City: Feb 98 to May 98 (On loan from Stoke City)
1 goal in 7 appearances
Darlington: July 98 to June 2000 (Free transfer)
53 goals in 96 appearances
Northampton Town: June 00 to July 03 (Free transfer)
30 goals in 136 appearances
Hartlepool Utd: July 03 to Jan 04 (Free transfer)
7 goals in 18 appearances
Capped by England at Under 21 and England ‘B’ level.
Stats courtesy of Soccerbase.com
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