Gerry Crossley
Irish footballer (born 1980)

Gerry Crossley
Personal information
Full name Gerard Michael Crossley
Date of birth (1980-02-05) 5 February 1980 (age 45)
Place of birth Belfast, Ireland
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position Midfielder
Youth career
Rosario
1994–1996 Celtic Boys Club
1996–1999 Celtic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2000 Hamilton Academical 17 (1)
2000–2001 Galway United 43 (2)
2001 Shelbourne 1 (0)
2002–2005 Cliftonville 26 (3)
2006–2007 Larne 8 (0)
International career
1995 Northern Ireland U15
Republic of Ireland U16
Republic of Ireland U18
1999 Republic of Ireland U20
2000 Republic of Ireland U21 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Gerard Michael Crossley (born 5 February 1980) is an Irish football coach and former player.

Playing career

Club career

Celtic

Crossley joined Celtic at youth level and made a first team debut in May 1996, as a substitute in Celtic's 3–0 defeat by a Republic of Ireland XI in Mick McCarthy's testimonial match at Lansdowne Road, Dublin.[1][2]

In November 1998 Crossley was an unused substitute in Celtic's 4–2 defeat by FC Zürich at Letzigrund in the 1998–99 UEFA Cup second round.[3] He was among 11 young players to be released by the club in May 1999.[4]

Hamilton Academical

Crossley spent preseason training with Derby County, then signed a one-month contract with Grimsby Town on 4 August 1999.[5] In October 1999 Crossley returned to Scotland to join Hamilton Academical. He made 17 appearances in the 1999–2000 Scottish Second Division, scoring one goal.[6][7]

In April 2000 the Hamilton players voted to strike over unpaid wages, failing to fulfil a fixture at Stenhousemuir which incurred a 15-point deduction and ensured relegation to the Scottish Football League Third Division.[8] Crossley left the club in a subsequent player "exodus".[9]

Galway United

In July 2000 Crossley agreed a two-year contract with Galway United of the League of Ireland Premier Division. Coach Don O'Riordan enthused: "Ger's a player of immense calibre".[10]

Cliftonville

Crossley was ruled out for at least six months with a back injury in June 2003.[11] In July 2004 Crossley broke his leg in a pre-season game while attempting to come back after missing 18 months with the previous injury.[12]

International career

Youth

Northern Ireland

In 1995 while attending De La Salle College, Belfast, Crossley made 11 appearances for the Northern Ireland national schoolboy team, including at the Victory Shield.[13]

Republic of Ireland

Crossley switched to playing for the Republic of Ireland and featured at the 1996 UEFA European Under-16 Championship. He became a valued player in Brian Kerr's national youth teams which won the 1998 edition of the UEFA European Under-18 Championship and finished third in 1999.[14][15]

He also played at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship in Nigeria and won one cap for the Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team in April 2000.

Senior

In May 1998 Crossley was selected by Mick McCarthy in the senior Republic of Ireland squad for a home friendly against Mexico,[16] but did not participate in the match. He did make a substitute appearance for Ireland in Paul McGrath's testimonial against a Jack Charlton XI on 16 May 1998.[17]

Coaching career

When Marty Tabb was named the new manager of Donegal Celtic in June 2010, he appointed Crossley and Frankie Wilson to his coaching team.[18] All three departed when Tabb was sacked 74 days later.[19]

Crossley served as Wilson's assistant manager at Bangor from September 2010 and the pair guided the County Down club to the Steel & Sons Cup in December 2011. When both left by mutual consent in January 2013, the club also released their playing registrations.[20]

In 2022 Crossley was the coach of St Oliver Plunkett FC's women's team.[21]

Personal life

Crossley's brother Jim was murdered by his partner in a domestic violence incident in 2022.[22]

References

  1. ^ "International Bright Young Things". Andersonstown News. 8 August 1998. Archived from the original on 10 October 1999. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  2. ^ Cahill, Jackie (4 March 2001). "FOOTBALL: ACROSS A GREAT DIVIDE; Crossley: I don't regret quitting Northern Ireland". Sunday People. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  3. ^ "3 Nov 1998 Second round 2nd leg". UEFA. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  4. ^ Griffiths, Wyn (6 May 1999). "FOOTBALL: Mahe apologies for Old Firm fracas". The Independent. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  5. ^ McDermott, Gerry (25 August 1999). "FAI draw a Euro blank". Irish Independent. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  6. ^ Brown, Neil. "Hamilton Academical : 1946/47 - 2013/14". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  7. ^ "Crossley, Gerard (1999)". Hamilton Academical Memory Bank. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  8. ^ "Accies down as appeal fails". BBC Sport. 5 May 2000. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  9. ^ "The Mass Exodus Continues". Archived from the original on 8 June 2000. Retrieved 4 January 2026. The 12 players who've left are : Chris Reid, Darren Henderson, Steve McCormick, Ian McAulay, Jose Quitongo, Dean Muir, Gerry Crossley, Eddie Cunnington, Bill Davidson, Martin Bonnar, Michael Martin and Ian Ferguson.
  10. ^ Walker, Paul (18 July 2000). "Redknapp's injury jinx strikes again". Irish Independent. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  11. ^ "Ferguson signs new Linfield deal". BBC Sport. 3 June 2003. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  12. ^ Beacom, Steven (2 August 2004). "Reds ace vows to battle back". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  13. ^ "U15/16 International Player Records". Northern Ireland Schools Football Association. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  14. ^ "Former Celt Crossley to help Tribe's quest". Irish Independent. 11 August 2000. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  15. ^ "Into the West in search of glory". The Irish Times. 11 August 2000. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  16. ^ McDermott, Gerry (20 May 1998). "McCarthy in need of a victory". Irish Independent. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  17. ^ Morrison, Neil (2 February 2005). "1998 Matches - Other Matches". RSSSF. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  18. ^ "Marty Tabb named as new Donegal Celtic manager". BBC Sport. 29 June 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  19. ^ "Donegal Celtic sack manager Marty Tabb". BBC Sport. 10 September 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  20. ^ "06/01/2013 - Frankie Wilson steps down". Bangor F.C. 6 January 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  21. ^ McCann, Lauren (26 August 2022). "Soccer: Plunkett boss targeting League Cup final success". Belfast Media Group. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  22. ^ "Funeral held for murdered Jim Crossley in Belfast". ITV News. 7 March 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  • Gerry Crossley at BDFutbol
  • Gerry Crossley at Soccerbase
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