Gary Crosby (b1964)
Sleaford-born Gary was a former Lincoln City and Ruston Sports player who was left languishing in the local league with Lincoln United after it was decided that he was lacking in both height and skills.
Even the legendary Brian Clough, who eventually became his gaffer, once remarked “I threw a stick for my dog and he brought Gary Crosby back!”
He was signed for Grantham Town by Martin O’Neill, after being spotted in a county representative match held at London Road and made his debut for the club in the October 1987 Westgate Insurance League Cup tie against Wellingborough Town, scoring his first goal at home to Atherstone United the following Saturday.
Four weeks later he scored again, this time the winning goal at Mile Oak Rovers, but O’Neill was well on the way to sending him on to bigger and better things.
The December 1987 league fixture against Banbury United would be his last for the club as Gary signed by Brian Clough for Nottingham Forest for what remains a club record fee of ££20,000, after cancelling a trial for Manchester United due to be held only days later.(This prompted a rather irate phone call from a certain Mr Alex Ferguson!)
Crosby’s rise to fame had been meteoric and from a personal point of view this was simply emphasised when the first trip with his new colleagues, simply as a squad member, saw Forest come away with a victory and Gary’s sudden realisation that the subsequent win bonus would be more than his previous month’s salary working as a joiner for Simon’s at Lincoln!
His inclusion in football’s elite was soon complete when he made national headlines, controversially heading the ball out of Manchester City goalkeeper, Andy Dibble’s, hands to score a goal.
In November 1988 Crosby returned to London Road with Forest to take part in a friendly, agreed as part of the transfer.
Whilewith The Reds, Gary won a League Cup winner’s medal in 1990, three ZDS Cup winner’s medals and also played in the 1991 FA Cup Final at Wembley, a match which should have seen Brian Clough finally get his hands on the elusive trophy, but which is now better remembered for Paul Gascoigne’s tackling. Gary went on to play for Grimsby Town, on loan, and Huddersfield Town, on a free transfer, which frustratingly scuppered any hopes of further funds coming Grantham’s way with a 20% clause in the initial contract.
By the end of his professional career, Gary had notched up 34 goals in a total of 282 League and Cup matches.
He then joined Rushden & Diamonds, briefly returned to Lincoln United, before joining Nigel Clough as Assistant Manager at Burton Albion, although other work commitments forced his resignation from there at the start of 2005.
However, following a short time out of the game Crosby returned to Burton Albion ahead of the 2006/07 season. By Christmas of the 2008/09 season Clough and Crosby had led Burton Albion to a 13-point lead at the top of the Conference National; however, in January 2009 Clough left Burton Albion to replace Paul Jewell as manager of Derby County.
In January 2009 Crosby followed Nigel Clough to Derby County taking the position of assistant manager. After the departure of Nigel Clough from Derby County in 2013 Crosby followed Clough to Sheffield United acting as coaching staff
Compiled with the assistance of Jon Barnes
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