Full name Shaun Michael Gale 1988–1994 Portsmouth Position Defender Years Team Height 1.83 m | Playing position Role Footballer Place of birth Reading, England Name Shaun Gale | |
Date of birth (1969-10-08) 8 October 1969 (age 46) | ||
Shaun Michael Gale (born Reading 8 October 1969) is an English former footballer and manager.
Career
He started his playing career at Portsmouth as a trainee in July 1988, but only made a handful of appearances in six years before moving to Barnet in 1994. At Barnet he became a regular starter making over 130 appearances in three seasons.
In June 1997, Exeter City manager Peter Fox paid £10,000 to bring Gale to St James Park, where he was again a regular starter before a series of injuries started to interrupt his career.
In August 2000, he moved on a free transfer to Havant & Waterlooville, where he made over 100 appearances in his first two seasons. He sustained a broken arm during a friendly in August 2003 and the repercussions kept him off the pitch for the whole of the 2003–04 season, eventually forcing his retirement from playing. In February 2004 he took up the position as David Leworthy's right-hand man and remained in the role under Ian Baird.
In October 2007, he was appointed as manager to The Hawks following Ian Baird's departure to Conference South rivals Eastleigh.
In the 2007–08 FA Cup, the Gale-led Hawks beat Bognor Regis, Fleet Town, Leighton Town, York City and Notts County, before causing a shock by defeating League One side Swansea City 4–2 in a third round replay. In the fourth round they played Premier League Liverpool at Anfield, and caused a sensation by leading twice before losing 5–2.
The 2011–12 season was a poor one for Havant & Waterlooville, and after dropping to second from bottom in the league following a defeat at Basingstoke Town, Gale was sacked on 1 April. He has since been appointed as assistant manager at the club.