Player Database - Garry Birtles

Gary joined Nottingham Forest from Long Eaton United in 1977. He soon established himself as a regular in the first team and a goalscoring record of 32 goals in 87 league games was enough to earn him three full England caps. He was also a member of the Forest European Cup winning sides of 1978/79 and 1979/80.

The following season saw him transferred to Manchester United for a reported £1million fee.
After 58 games and 11 goals he move back to Forest where he played a further 125 games, scoring 38 more goals. Then came spells with Notts County and Grimsby Town before injuries forced him to retire from the full-time game.
He became Assistant-Manager at Gresley Rovers part-way through the 1995/96 season and in that first season Gresley won the Derbyshire Senior Cup and reached the quarter finals of the FA Trophy.

The following season was even better as in addition to retaining the Senior Cup Gresley won the Premier Division of the Dr Martens League. When Manager Paul Futcher left in the summer of 1997, Garry was promoted from Assistant Manager to Manager.

Played for Gresley First team in the fund raising game
v Manchester United XI 26th February 1998

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