Players - Howard Gayle

Howard Gayle
Birthdate: 18 May 1958
Birthplace: Toxteth, Liverpool, England
Other clubs: Fulham (loan 1980), Newcastle United (loan 1982), Birmingham City (1983-84), Sunderland (1984-86), Stoke City (1987), Blackburn Rovers (1987-92), Halifax Town (1992-93)
Signed from: Local
Signed for LFC: Professional November 1977
International caps: U-21 3/0 caps/goals
Liverpool debut: 04.10.1980
Last appearance: 19.05.1981
Debut goal: 25.04.1981
Last goal: 25.04.1981
Contract expiry: 14.01.1983
Win ratio: 40% W:2 D:2 L:1
Games/goals ratio: 5
Honours: European Cup 1981
Total games/goals opposite LFC: 9 / 0
League games / goals / assists: 4 / 1 / 0
Total games / goals / assists: 5 / 1 / 0

Player Profile

Toxteth-born Gayle's shining moment for his hometown club came when he ran Bayern Munich's defenders ragged in the second leg of the European Cup semi-final on 22 April 1981 at the Olympic Stadium. Kenny Dalglish limped off early on and Gayle impressed for an hour despite being repeatedly fouled before he was replaced by Jimmy Case for fear of he would get himself sent off for retaliation. It was a performance of astonishing maturity in such a big game from the young winger and his reward was to play in three of the final four League matches of the season before the European Cup final. With key players fit again, Gayle knew he would not make the starting line-up in Paris and had to settle for a place on the bench. Gayle had made his debut for Liverpool as a substitute for David Fairclough at Maine Road in October 1980 having signed professional forms with the club three years previously. He never added to the first-team games he played for Liverpool in the 1980/81 season and spent most of time in the reserves where he scored 62 goals in 156 games. He will always be remembered for being the first black player who played for Liverpool, a really incredible fact considering the club had been in existence for 88 years! Gayle went on to have a successful career with other clubs, most notably Birmingham City, Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers. He even enjoyed a year in the Major Indoor Soccer League in 1986/87 with Dallas Sidekicks.

Gayle was often on the receiving end of racial abuse from opposing supporters as he explained in Dave Hill's book, "Out of His Skin": "I was spat at, there were monkey noises, and all sorts of racist abuse. It wasn’t pleasant, but sadly it was something I had become used to. From banana skins being thrown at me, to spit in the face at English grounds, to 70,000 Germans at Bayern Munich chanting and making the Nazi salute, it was sometimes horrific."
Appearances per season
Please note

Gayle's time at Dallas Sidekicks (1986-87) was in the Major Indoor Soccer League and therefore not included in his other clubs.

Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 4 0 0 1 0 5
1979-1980 0 0 0 0 0 0
1980-1981 4 0 0 1 0 5
1981-1982 0 0 0 0 0 0
1982-1983 0 0 0 0 0 0
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
2 111 Manchester City
1 90 Tottenham
1 61 Bayern Munich
1 57 Sunderland
Total Started/substitutions
3 Started
7 On the bench
2 Substitute
2 Substituted
Total Venue
3 Away
2 Home
Total Competition
4 League
1 European Cup
Total W D L Win % Manager
5 2 2 1 40% Bob Paisley
Goals per season
Please note

Gayle's time at Dallas Sidekicks (1986-87) was in the Major Indoor Soccer League and therefore not included in his other clubs.

Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 1 0 0 0 0 1
1979-1980 0 0 0 0 0 0
1980-1981 1 0 0 0 0 1
1981-1982 0 0 0 0 0 0
1982-1983 0 0 0 0 0 0
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Total Opponent
1 Tottenham
Total Started/substitutions
1 Started
0 Substitute
Total Competition
1 League
Total Goal minute period
1 16-30 minutes
Total Goal origin
1 Open play
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 04.10.1980 Manchester City Maine Road League
Milestone Goals
# Minute Date Against Stadium Competition
1 25 25.04.1981 Tottenham White Hart Lane League
Related Articles
Howard Gayle - A pioneer and an activist

Howie Gayle is a trailblazer, an idealistic man who tried to break through at Liverpool FC at the height of their success.

Scrapbook
A stormy 90 minutes - 5 May 1984
A stormy 90 minutes - 5 May 1984
Gayle blast followed by Hoddle humdinger - 25 April 1981
Gayle blast followed by Hoddle humdinger - 25 April 1981
Gayle lines up Anfield debut - January 1983
Gayle lines up Anfield debut - January 1983
Gayle returns to Anfield - 22 January 1983
Gayle returns to Anfield - 22 January 1983
Gayle swoop on cards - January 1983
Gayle swoop on cards - January 1983
LFC Official Matchday Magazine interview 2000/01
LFC Official Matchday Magazine interview 2000/01
Liverpool Echo report from Liverpool - Man City on 19 May 1981
Liverpool Echo report from Liverpool - Man City on 19 May 1981
Second string to Bob's bow! - 24 April 1981
Second string to Bob's bow! - 24 April 1981
Shock result for Sunderland - 2 May 1981
Shock result for Sunderland - 2 May 1981
Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
Fulham 1979-1980 England Second Division 14 0 14 0
Newcastle United 1982-1983 England Second Division 8 2 8 2
Birmingham City 1982-1983 England First Division 13 1 14 1
Birmingham City 1983-1984 England First Division 33 8 45 10
Sunderland 1984-1985 England First Division 25 2 33 3
Sunderland 1985-1986 England Second Division 23 2 26 2
Stoke City 1986-1987 England Second Division 6 2 6 2
Blackburn Rovers 1987-1988 England Second Division 13 1 16 1
Blackburn Rovers 1988-1989 England Second Division 45 19 56 22
Blackburn Rovers 1989-1990 England Second Division 30 5 35 6
Blackburn Rovers 1990-1991 England Second Division 24 4 27 4
Blackburn Rovers 1991-1992 England Second Division 4 0 6 0
Halifax Town 1992-1993 England Fourth Division 5 0 5 0
Total 243 46 291 53