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Personal
Name: Gerard Michael Crossley
Date of Birth: 5 February 1980
Nationality: Irish
Height: 5′ 9″ (175cm)
Position: Central Midfield
Signed: Pro in July 1996
International Caps: 0
International Goals: 0
Celtic Career Review
Gerry Crossley was one of a number of Youths who had been scouted and spotted by the network of youth scouts in Ireland. This dedicated bunch came over to play for the Celtic Boys Club at the weekends. He played CBC U14 in Ayr International Youth Tournament in June ’94 and was an S-Form signing to the club during season 94/95; he joined the club full time at the start of the 95/96 season and played Youth & Reserve Team football aged just 15. He made a sub appearance in Mick McCarthy’s Testimonial against the Republic of Ireland on 26/5/96. He went with the U18’s to win John Moran Memorial Tournament in Ireland at the end of the season then to the Bourg Blanc Tournament in France. Subsequently made the subs bench 3/8/98 v FC Zurich (A) in a much depleted team but didn’t play; released fr contract 21/6/99 on his request; trial w Galway Utd and Derby Co. (27/7/99); linked w Reading; was at Hamilton Accies from 14/10/99; then, despite a link to Bolton Wanderers who expressed an interest in taking him south, he went to Galway Utd and afterwards onto play for Cliftonville.
Gerry earned 6 Rep. Of Ireland U16 app. & several U18 & U21 app. after playing for NI’s schoolboy (U15) team. He was the prototype Darron Gibson in being Northern-born but opting to play for the Republic and was an ever-present midfield dynamo in the 1998 Ireland U18 Euro-winning team starring Dunne, Duff and Keane. Sat on the subs’ bench for Ireland’s full international friendly with Mexico 23/5/98 but never went on to hit the heights of his team-mates.
Spent time trialling at Grimsby Town before his move to Accies which ended in acrimony when the squad went on strike and earned a 15 point deduction and relegation. Spent a short time on the books at Farum BK in Denmark before getting a better offer from Galway United. Failed to fire at Galway under Don O’Riordan and was shunted to full back before finding himself back in his native West Belfast with Cliftonville, via a short spell in Dublin with Shels. 18 months out with a back injury sustained at work was then compounded by a broken leg two minutes into his comeback in 2004.
Latterly played some games for Larne alongside brother Jim, albeit mostly for the ‘Olympic’ [ie. reserve] team.
He moved into coaching and after spells with Larne and Lurgan Celtic, became part of Donegal Celtic’s backroom team in June 2010, under his boss at Cliftonville Marty Tabb. Left on 10.9.10 when Tabb was bombed out after only 74 days.
Was not out of work for long, getting a gig as Bangor assistant boss on 30.9.10. Scored for Bangor in a 3-1 home friendly win over Dundela on 16 October 2010.
Playing Career
| League Appearances | League Goals | ||
| 1995/96 | Celtic | 0 | 0 |
| 1996/97 | Celtic |
0 | 0 |
| 1997/98 | Celtic | 0 | 0 |
| 1998/99 | Celtic | 0 | 0 |
| Reading (T) | 0 | 0 | |
| 1999/00 | Derby County (T) |
0 | 0 |
| FC Aarhus (?) (T) | ? | ? | |
| Hamilton Academical | 18 | 1 | |
| 2000/01 | Galway United |
32 | 1 |
| 2001/02 | Galway United | 11 | 1 |
| Shelbourne | 1 | 0 | |
| Cliftonville | 7 | 1 | |
| 2002/03 | Cliftonville | 19 | 2 |
| 2003/04 | Cliftonville | 0 | 0 |
| 2004/05 | Cliftonville | 0 | 0 |
| 2005/06 | Cliftonville | 0 | 0 |
| 2006/07 | Larne | 8 | 0 |
Awards
Republic of Ireland U16, U18 & U21 Internationalist
Northern Ireland U15 Internationalist
Won European U18 Championship with Ireland in 1998.
Further Links
IFA Bemoan Crossley Opting for the Republic
Pictures
Media
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