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FBC POD Episode 200: In conversation with ..... Gary Shelton [1989-94]

headhunter

By headhunter
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headhunter

headhunter

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LINK TO LISTEN: https://foreverbristolcity.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-gary-shelton-89-94-150-apps-24-goals/ [also on Spotify, Apple & Google]

For any City fan aged over 40 I don’t think I’d be wrong to say that Gary Shelton would be selected in everyone’s first X1 as an attacking midfielder - imagine him & Gow in the same team! Only 5’ 7” tall, this energetic box to box player made 150 appearances and scored 24 goals after signing in August 1989. That’s not a shabby record in front of goal when you look at the meagre returns from that area of the pitch in the present day.

Gary made his full debut with Walsall at just 17 and was signed by nearby Aston Villa before he was 20. In his first full season [78/79] at Villa Gary made 21 appearances and scored an impressive 8  goals but surprisingly he never got minutes on the pitch in Villa’s title winning season of 79/80 under Ron Saunders nor did he feature other than as a non-playing sub when Villa won the then equivalent of the Champions League under Tony Barton.

Seeking regular football Gary joined Sheffield Wednesday in 1982 under Jack Charlton and was a key member of the team that achieved promotion to the topflight with Howard Wilkinson in 1984. He made 190 appearances for The Owls before moving to Oxford United in summer 1987. Oxford’s 3 year stay in the top division ended in his first season there and roll the clock forward to summer 89 and so came the move to Bristol City in a swap deal involving later to be England manager Steve McLaren.

Shelts talks fondly of his time at City where he was a virtual ever present of the team that got promoted in his first season to what is now the Championship. We talked about his teammates, the camaraderie within the side, Joe Jordan’s leadership and departure, the sad loss of Dean Horrix, losing the title to Rovers, the thrill of beating Chelsea in the FA Cup before being dumped out by Cambridge in a 5th round 2nd replay, playing under Lumsden then Smith and being part of the caretaker trio with Mark Aizlewood & Russell Osman, the latter getting the job full time in summer 1993 and then exiting his two colleagues within a matter of months!

Gary moved to Chester playing his last league game in his 40th year which also saw his only sending off. In 2000 he took a coaching role under former Wednesday teammate Gary Megson who was in charge at West Brom. After Megson left Shelts stayed on for a short while as part of Bryan Robson’s coaching set up where a young Nigel Pearson was his Assistant.

Now virtually retired save for occasional driving work, Gary has been out of football since 2005 but remains an avid follower of the game on TV. He was a delight to talk to and he will make every effort to get to Ashton Gate this season for the game against Sheffield Wednesday.

SHELTON.jpg

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Sleepy1968

Sleepy1968

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Top man. Said 'morning' to me unprompted as he was coming into the ground whistling, complete with a morning paper from bonbons, before leaving for an away game one Saturday morning.

Scored a great last minute goal at Barnsley one season in front of the away end?

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Red_Alligator

Red_Alligator

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Very fond memories of Shelts in a City shirt. Think I remember watching him score a lovely goal away at Barnsley??

A mate of mine is a massive Sheff Weds fan and we both remember Shelts as a class act in our respective colours.  

 

Edited by Red_Alligator
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GrahamC

GrahamC

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18 hours ago, RedEd73 said:

Great player. I'm sure he got sent off for us against Barnsley new years day 1991 in a 2 nil defeat? Anyone else remember as I do?

Yes I do.

It pissed down, I got soaked & spent a lot of the game wondering why I was there.

Shelton was a great player, up there with Marvin Elliott of all of those post our time in the top flight for me.

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headhunter

headhunter

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53 minutes ago, Sleepy1968 said:

Good work @headhunterListened to the pod on my walk this morning.

Are there any more in the pipeline? (I've been getting a bit confused by @3 Peaps In A PodCast top 5's due the the number of players that get a mention ? )

Nothing booked yet but in case you missed them I did similar with Rob Newman & Dave Rennie:

 

https://foreverbristolcity.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-dave-rennie-the-player-1989-92/ 

https://foreverbristolcity.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-rob-newman/

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BS3City

BS3City

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I remember a late goal by Shelts in a midweek game at The Goldstone Ground, kept us in with a shout of the play offs I believe. Loads of City there on the terrace at the side of the pitch, and a pitch invasion I couldn't resist at the final whistle! 

Top player...?

Edited by BS3City
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3 Peaps In A PodCast

3 Peaps In A PodCast

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2 hours ago, Sleepy1968 said:

Good work @headhunterListened to the pod on my walk this morning.

Are there any more in the pipeline? (I've been getting a bit confused by @3 Peaps In A PodCast top 5's due the the number of players that get a mention ? )

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5NV4s4tci37EX2H9aiEQMw?si=BrE6WjHBSiqQsHunrtoAT

I enjoyed the chat with Gary Shelton… what a player! Here is a chat with Mellon & May in case you missed it!

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Sleepy1968

Sleepy1968

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10 minutes ago, 3 Peaps In A PodCast said:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5NV4s4tci37EX2H9aiEQMw?si=BrE6WjHBSiqQsHunrtoAT

I enjoyed the chat with Gary Shelton… what a player! Here is a chat with Mellon & May in case you missed it!

I caught this one last week. Very good as well. Got a bit of a shock when Patch eventually came in after 10 minutes.

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Red 90

Red 90

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17 hours ago, headhunter said:

Nothing booked yet but in case you missed them I did similar with Rob Newman & Dave Rennie:

 

https://foreverbristolcity.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-dave-rennie-the-player-1989-92/ 

https://foreverbristolcity.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-rob-newman/

Imagine a midfield today of Shelton, Rennie & Newman! 

Maybe the game is a bit quicker 30 years on!?

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Lanterne Rouge

Lanterne Rouge

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On 15/06/2023 at 18:06, BS3City said:

I remember a late goal by Shelts in a midweek game at The Goldstone Ground, kept us in with a shout of the play offs I believe. Loads of City there on the terrace at the side of the pitch, and a pitch invasion I couldn't resist at the final whistle! 

Top player...?

We`d been in Brighton all day back when CATS did one coach that went up early if we had a night game at the seaside. Pissed down all day and we had to walk bloody miles to the ground but Shelts made it all worthwhile.

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