1996–2001 Hibernian Position Forward 1991–1996 St. Mirren Height 1.83 m | Years Team Role Football player Playing position Name Barry Lavety | |
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Date of birth (1974-08-21) 21 August 1974 (age 41) | ||
Barry Lavety v Heart Of Midlothian April 11th 1998
Barry Lavety (born 21 August 1974) is a Scottish former footballer.
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Career
Lavety started his career with local heroes St Mirren in season 1991–92. In the following season he really began to catch the eye, as he scored 20 goals as St Mirren narrowly missed out on a return to the Scottish Premier Division. Lavety failed a drugs test for the recreational drug ecstasy in 1995.
Lavety moved to Hibernian for a transfer fee of £200,000. He scored on his debut in a 2–0 win against Brechin City in August, but injury problems dogged him and he only managed eight games in his first season at Hibs. His absence did not help a team who narrowly avoided relegation thanks to a play-off victory against Airdrieonians. Altogether he made 43 starts for Hibernian, with a further 23 sub appearances. He scored 12 goals and was top scorer with 9 goals the year Hibs were relegated to the First Division. He made his final appearance as a substitute against Falkirk on the day Hibs were presented with the First Division title, in May 1999.
Lavety moved back to St Mirren on loan, scoring 15 goals in their 1999–00 title-winning season before he was bedeviled by injury problems. Lavety was part of TeamBath, the team who became the first university side to qualify for the FA Cup proper for 122 years. He also had spells with Clydebank, Pollok, KR Reykjavik of Iceland and with Des Moines Menace in America before his return to St Mirren. He had been on trial at Love Street in the summer of 2003, and scored against Gretna before signing for two years on a part-time deal. When Gus MacPherson took over the managers job he appeared looking fitter and the magic moment finally came against Airdrie United in the Scottish Cup, when he hit a low 25-yard shot past the Airdrie goalkeeper for his only goal of the season so far. That goal took him past former Saint Mark Yardley in the post-war scorer's chart, but it was his last in Saints colours. His final game came against Ayr United towards the end of the season, and Lavety helped the side overcome a 0–1 deficit, which was turned into a 4–1 victory.
Lavety left in the summer of 2004 and signed for junior side Neilston, playing alongside fellow ex-Saints James McGuire and Chris Kerr, but left them the following summer. Lavety returned to action for St Mirren in the Selco Masters tournament on 12 June 2011.