Tony Gale

After progressing through the youth ranks of Fulham, Gale was promoted to the first team ahead of the 1977–78 season. Making his debut for the first team aged 16 in the Anglo-Scottish Cup against Orient, he was drafted in to the senior squad to replace World Cup winning Bobby Moore following his retirement from English football. Recording 38 league appearances and eight goals in his inaugural season, Gale cemented his place in the squad during their time in the Second Division.

Suffering relegation to the Third Division after a 20th-placed finish during the 1979–80 season, Gale bounced back to the Second Division two years later. A dispute with manager Malcolm MacDonald saw Gale suspended shortly after the start of the season, but he returned to the first team set-up shortly after to make 44 league appearances as Fulham gained promotion back to the second tier.

Gale narrowly missed out on promotion to the First Division during the 1982–83 season, with Fulham finishing in fourth place and a single point behind Leicester City. After a mid-table finish the following season, Gale opted for a move away from Craven Cottage in order to play in the First Division.

In July 1984, Gale completed a £200,000 transfer to West Ham United, and went on to make 300 league appearances over a decade.[3] Finishing 16th in his first season with the club, Gale was part of the side to finish third in the First Division in 1986 while forming a notable partnership with Alvin Martin.[4] He spent all but one season in mid-table before West Ham's relegation to the Second Division following the 1988–89 season.

When playing in the 1991 FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest, Gale became the first-ever footballer in the English game to be shown a straight red card for denying an attacker a goal-scoring opportunity with a professional foul.[5] After bringing down Gary Crosby in the 22nd minute, Gale's single career dismissal by Keith Hackett was deemed as unfair by West Ham fans as they suffered a 4–0 defeat to Forest and missed out on their chances of a first FA Cup final since 1980.[6] It took the Hammers another 15 years before reaching the final once again.[7]

West Ham were promoted back to the First Division in 1991 at the second time of asking, but were relegated again after just one season back among the elite.

In 1993, West Ham returned to the top tier of English football, now rebranded as the Premier League, and finished in 13th during Gale's final season with the club. In 1994 Gale was awarded a testimonial by West Ham. He received an estimated £50,000 from the game, a 4–2 win at Upton Park against a Republic of Ireland team.[8]

After his release from West Ham in 1994, Gale trained with Barnet before receiving a call from Blackburn Rovers manager Kenny Dalglish.[3] Joining on 11 August, he made his debut three days later in the 1994 Charity Shield, suffering a 2–0 defeat to Manchester United after goals from Eric Cantona and Paul Ince. Spending a single season at Ewood Park, Gale made 15 appearances in the club's 1994–95 Premier League winning campaign and clinched the only major honour of his playing career aged 35.[3] Despite being asked by newly appointed manager Ray Harford to remain with the club for a second season, Gale opted against a coaching role while playing for the reserves. He later admitted it was a decision he regretted, after his only season playing outside of the London area.[9]

After Blackburn's title triumph, Gale signed for relegated Crystal Palace. However, his time at Selhurst Park was plagued with injuries and he managed just two league appearances for the club halfway through that season, and retired from professional football at the end of it.

Gale joined Maidenhead United – managed by his former West Ham teammate, Alan Devonshire – in 1996, continuing his playing career at non-league level for two more seasons before finally retiring from playing aged 39.