Gerard Lavin


Gerard Lavin is an English born former footballer who played as a right back. He played in the English Football League for Watford, Millwall, Bristol City, Wycombe Wanderers and Northampton Town, before finishing his playing career at Southern League side Farnborough. He also played for Scotland at under-21 level.

Career

Born in the English town of Corby to Scottish parents, Lavin started his career as a schoolboy at Watford. He became an apprentice at the club upon leaving school, and signed professionally in May 1992. Over the next three years Lavin made 147 first team appearances, most of them at right back in place of injured club captain Nigel Gibbs. Lavin scored 3 goals during his time at Watford, including one after 13 seconds in a match against future club Millwall.
After Watford finished 7th in the First Division in 1994–95, Lavin was sold to Millwall for £400,000. Watford were relegated the following season. At Millwall Lavin made 87 appearances over four years, scoring once in the Football League Trophy against Brighton, before being released on a free transfer in 1999, and joining Bristol City. He made his début for City on 7 August 1999 against Reading, but was sent off for deliberately kicking the ball at Reading fans. The ball broke a Reading fan's wrist, and Lavin was later convicted of assault.
Lavin made a further 22 appearances for Bristol in 1999–2000, but struggled to make the first team the following season. He was loaned to Wycombe Wanderers, and in May 2001 joined Northampton Town. He played 3 times in the first team over the next 2 seasons, before leaving to join non-league Farnborough.