Gordon Simms
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gordon Henry Simms | ||
| Date of birth | 23 March 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Larne | |||
| 1997–2000 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2001 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0 | (0) |
| 2001–2003 | Hartlepool United | 11 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Derry City | ? | (?) |
| 2004 | → Ballymena United (loan) | 10 | (2) |
| 2004–2007 | Ballymena United | 40 | (3) |
| 2007 | Finn Harps | 8 | (1) |
| 2007–2008 | Hednesford Town | ? | (?) |
| International career | |||
| 2001–2003 | Northern Ireland U21 | 14 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Gordon Henry Simms (born 23 March 1981) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer who played as a defender. He played in the Football League for Hartlepool United.
Career
[edit]Simms made his Irish League debut aged 15 for his hometown club Larne, before his performances soon earned him a move to England. He signed for English First Division side Wolverhampton Wanderers in Summer 1997 for £40,000.
After almost four years at Molineux, he failed to make a first team appearance and departed for Third Division Hartlepool United on a free transfer in March 2001 after completing a trial with them.[1]
The defender made his Football League debut on 15 September 2001 when he came on as a substitute during a goalless draw at Southend United.[2] This was the first of eleven appearances during the season as the club reached the play-offs. However, he made only two appearances further appearances during the following season, the last being in a 0–5 exit from the Football League Trophy at the hands of Tranmere.
During this he won fourteen caps for the Northern Ireland under-21 side. The first coming on 27 March 2001 in a European qualifier against Bulgaria.[3] He had previously represented them at schoolboy, under-18 and under-16 level.
Simms was released by Hartlepool at the end of the 2002–03 season and returned to his native Northern Ireland to join Derry City.[4] However, he soon departed on loan to Ballymena United in early 2004;[5] a move made permanent that summer.[6]
After two and a half years at The Showgrounds, he signed a short-term deal with Finn Harps in the League of Ireland First Division in January 2007.[7] At the conclusion of this he returned to English football by signing for non-league club Hednesford Town for the 2007–08 season.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Turner takes Simms on trial". BBC Sport. 21 February 2001.
- ^ "Southend 0–0 Hartlepool". BBC Sport. 15 September 2001.
- ^ "U21 International: Ireland unable to bridge class gap". The Daily Telegraph. London. 27 March 2001.
- ^ "Keely snaps up duo". BBC Sport. 21 August 2003.
- ^ "Leeman agrees Glens deal". BBC Sport. 28 January 2004.
- ^ "Simms agrees Ballymena deal". BBC Sport. 26 May 2004.
- ^ "Simms agrees terms at Finn Harps". BBC Sport. 1 February 2007.
- ^ "Hednesford complete Simms signing". BBC Sport. 25 June 2007.
External links
[edit]- Gordon Simms at Soccerbase
- Profile at Northern Ireland's Football Greats
- 1981 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Larne
- Association footballers from County Antrim
- Men's association footballers from Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland men's under-21 international footballers
- Men's association football defenders
- Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players
- Hartlepool United F.C. players
- Ballymena United F.C. players
- Finn Harps F.C. players
- Hednesford Town F.C. players
- English Football League players
- League of Ireland players
- NIFL Premiership players
- Northern Premier League players
- 21st-century British sportsmen