Pat Gavin
Patrick John Gavin is an English retired footballer. He played as a striker for several clubs, with probably his most successful spell coming at Gillingham.
Career
Gavin started out playing for non-league Hanwell [Town F.C.|Hanwell Town] whilst working as a postman before he was signed on a short-term contract by Gillingham of the Football [League Third Division] towards the end of the 1988-89 season. This was the first transfer deal for which Hanwell had ever received a fee. He scored seven goals in just thirteen games, although this was not enough to save the Gills from relegation. Impressed with his ability, Gillingham moved quickly to sign him to a permanent contract, however due to an oversight the contract was not correctly registered with the Football League. As this left Gavin technically out of contract, Football League [Division One|First Division] club Leicester City were able to sign him up. After protracted wrangling, Leicester agreed to allow him to return to Gillingham on loan for the 1989-90 season but the controversy affected his form and he scored just one goal in over thirty matches.Upon his return to Leicester he was unable to secure a first-team place and moved on to Peterborough United for a fee of £15,000. Gavin broke a club record by scoring in his first five consecutive matches, helping the Posh to promotion that season.
He later played for Northampton Town and Wigan Athletic before drifting into non-league football, starting with two seasons at Farnborough Town. During his time with Northampton Town, he scored two goals against Shrewsbury Town on the last day of the 1992-93 season which left Northampton as 3-2 winners, thus preserving their league status.
In 2005 Gavin returned to the club where he had started his career, Hanwell Town, initially as player-coach. In January 2006 he stepped up to the role of joint manager, but his tenure ended in February 2007.