Gordon Simms

Gordon Simms
Personal information
Full name Gordon Henry Simms
Date of birth (1981-03-23) 23 March 1981 (age 43)
Place of birth Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Larne
1997–2000 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2001 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 (0)
2001–2003 Hartlepool United 11 (0)
2003–2004 Derry City ? (?)
2004 → Ballymena United (loan) 10 (2)
2004–2007 Ballymena United 40 (3)
2007 Finn Harps 8 (1)
2007–2008 Hednesford Town ? (?)
International career
2001–2003 Northern Ireland U21 14 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Gordon Henry Simms (born 23 March 1981) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer who played as a defender. He played in the Football League for Hartlepool United.

Career

Simms made his Irish League debut aged 15 for his hometown club Larne, before his performances soon earned him a move to England. He signed for English First Division side Wolverhampton Wanderers in Summer 1997 for £40,000.

After almost four years at Molineux, he failed to make a first team appearance and departed for Third Division Hartlepool United on a free transfer in March 2001 after completing a trial with them.[1]

The defender made his Football League debut on 15 September 2001 when he came on as a substitute during a goalless draw at Southend United.[2] This was the first of eleven appearances during the season as the club reached the play-offs. However, he made only two appearances further appearances during the following season, the last being in a 0–5 exit from the Football League Trophy at the hands of Tranmere.

During this he won fourteen caps for the Northern Ireland under-21 side. The first coming on 27 March 2001 in a European qualifier against Bulgaria.[3] He had previously represented them at schoolboy, under-18 and under-16 level.

Simms was released by Hartlepool at the end of the 2002–03 season and returned to his native Northern Ireland to join Derry City.[4] However, he soon departed on loan to Ballymena United in early 2004;[5] a move made permanent that summer.[6]

After two and a half years at The Showgrounds, he signed a short-term deal with Finn Harps in the League of Ireland First Division in January 2007.[7] At the conclusion of this he returned to English football by signing for non-league club Hednesford Town for the 2007–08 season.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Turner takes Simms on trial". BBC Sport. 21 February 2001.
  2. ^ "Southend 0–0 Hartlepool". BBC Sport. 15 September 2001.
  3. ^ "U21 International: Ireland unable to bridge class gap". The Daily Telegraph. London. 27 March 2001.
  4. ^ "Keely snaps up duo". BBC Sport. 21 August 2003.
  5. ^ "Leeman agrees Glens deal". BBC Sport. 28 January 2004.
  6. ^ "Simms agrees Ballymena deal". BBC Sport. 26 May 2004.
  7. ^ "Simms agrees terms at Finn Harps". BBC Sport. 1 February 2007.
  8. ^ "Hednesford complete Simms signing". BBC Sport. 25 June 2007.