Gavin Worboys

Worboys was born in Doncaster,[2] and began his football career with Doncaster Rovers. He made his debut on 8 February 1992 in a 2–1 home defeat to Cardiff City in the Fourth Division, and after seven appearances and two goals[1] – in a 3–2 win against Scunthorpe United[4] and a 2–0 victory over Rochdale[5] – the 17-year-old Worboys signed for Notts County, about to be relegated from the First Division, for a fee of £100,000.[3][6] He never played first-team football for Notts County. He spent time on loan at Division Two club Exeter City[7] before dropping down a division to sign for Darlington in late 1994. He appeared more regularly for Darlington, with 8 league goals from 41 matches over 14 months with the club, although towards the end of that time his appearances were more often from the substitutes' bench.[8] Against Cardiff City in September 1995, he took over in goal after Mike Pollitt was sent off and Darlington had no goalkeeper on the bench; he could not stop the resulting penalty, but that was the only goal he did concede.[9] His Football League career ended at Northampton Town, with whom he spent the last few months of the 1995–96 season, taking his totals to 12 goals from 65 matches.[3] He was still only 21.

He continued playing in non-league football with clubs including Gainsborough Trinity, Bradford Park Avenue, Hatfield Main, Armthorpe Welfare[1] and Eastwood Town. In the 1997–98 season, he and strike partner Glenn Kirkwood produced 35 goals between them in the Northern Premier League First Division.[10] In 1999–2000, he helped the club reach the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in their history, in which they faced his former club Exeter City,[11] and scored 24 goals over the season.[12] He also found himself in goal again, in September 1999, this time replacing an injured goalkeeper at half-time with his team 1–0 down to Accrington Stanley. He let in just one goal, from a free kick awarded when he handled the ball outside the penalty area, and his teammates scored twice to secure a draw.[13] He joined South Yorkshire Police during the 2000 close season,[14] and although his job did not prevent his continuing to play for Eastwood, it did impact on his availability.[15] In August 2001, he signed for Hucknall Town.[16]