Greg Fleming (footballer)

Greg Fleming
Personal information
Full name Greg William Edward Fleming[1]
Date of birth (1986-09-27) 27 September 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Annan Athletic (Goalkeeper coach/player)
Youth career
Woodside BC (Glenrothes)
2001–2005 Livingston
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2008 Gretna 30 (0)
2008–2011 Oldham Athletic 18 (0)
2009–2010 → Dunfermline Athletic (loan) 26 (0)
2011 Galway United 21 (0)
2011–2012 Chesterfield 10 (0)
2012–2013 Grimsby Town 3 (0)
2013–2014 Carlisle United 4 (0)
2014 Celtic Nation 0 (0)
2014–2015 Stenhousemuir 18 (0)
2015–2017 Ayr United 72 (0)
2017–2020 Peterhead 99 (0)
2020–2021 Stranraer 22 (0)
2021– Annan Athletic 99 (0)
International career
2008 Scotland U21 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:19, 6 May 2023 (UTC)

Greg William Edward Fleming (born 27 September 1986) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Scottish League One club Annan Athletic.

He has previously played for Livingston, Gretna, Oldham Athletic, Dunfermline Athletic, Galway United, Chesterfield, Grimsby Town, Carlisle United, Celtic Nation, Stenhousemuir, Ayr United, Peterhead and Stranraer.

Club career

Early career

Fleming was born on 27 September 1986, in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. He attended Dunfermline High School where Craig Wilson was in the same year group. Fleming started his career with Livingston as part of the youth system,[2] but he did not make a first-team appearance. He signed for Gretna in the summer of 2005. Fleming started to become a first-team regular during Gretna's only season in the Scottish Premier League. During October 2007, Fleming's contract was extended by Gretna and he was selected by the Scotland Under-21 side.[2][3]

On 19 May 2008, however, Fleming was part of the remaining 40 staff members who were released by Gretna[4] due to their severe financial problems.

England and Ireland club career

After leaving Gretna, Greg was not out of work long as Oldham Athletic signed him to a three-year contract on 21 May.[5] He joined Dunfermline Athletic on a one-year loan deal in July 2009.[2][6]

In July 2010 he was transfer-listed by the club, along with five other first team players.[7]

On 31 January 2011, Fleming was released by Oldham Athletic.[8]

Fleming found a new club, signing for Galway United on a deal until the end of the season.[9]

On 29 July 2011 he signed a 12-month contract to be Tommy Lee's understudy at Chesterfield. He was released by the club in May 2012 after not being offered a new deal.[10]

On 21 July 2012 Fleming joined Grimsby Town on trial and played in the club's 0–0 draw with Hull City.[11] On 24 July 2012 he accepted an offer from Grimsby and signed a one-year contract to compete with the club's first choice keeper James McKeown.[12] Despite being handed the number 1 shirt for the season Fleming become the second choice at Blundell Park and didn't make his league debut until 22 January 2013 in a 2–0 victory over Hyde United.[13] Fleming was released by Grimsby on 3 May 2013.[14]

In July 2013 Fleming joined Workington on trial.[15] Having played against Carlisle United for Workington he earned a trial with Carlisle United. On 2 August 2013, he signed a short-term deal with the club[16] before being released at the end of the season. On 17 June 2014, Fleming signed for Carlisle's Northern League side Celtic Nation.[17]

Return to Scotland

Fleming signed for Scottish League One club Stenhousemuir on 15 August 2014, having been released by Celtic Nation following their financial problems.[18] He made his debut the following day, in a 1–0 defeat against Brechin City.[19] After just one season with The Warriors, Fleming transferred to Scottish League One rivals Ayr United.[20] Since signing for Ayr United, Fleming has saved 12 out of the 14 penalties he has faced, including 3 from 4 in the 2015–16 Scottish Championship play off win over Stranraer.[citation needed]

Following Ayr's relegation back to Scottish League One, and their decision to become a full-time club from the beginning of 2017–18 season, Fleming departed Somerset Park in June 2017 due to work commitments that meant he would be unable to train and play with the club on a full-time basis.[21] Fleming subsequently signed with Scottish League Two side Peterhead.[21]

After leaving Peterhead, Fleming signed for Stranraer. He made 31 appearances for the club in all competitions.

At the start of the 2021–22 season, Fleming signed for Scottish League Two club Annan Athletic. In April 2022, he signed a new contract with the club to take him through to the 2022–23 season.[22] Following Annan's promotion to Scottish League One, he signed a new contract in June 2023.[23] In a 1–1 draw against Stirling Albion on 4 May 2024, Fleming made his 550th career appearance in all competitions.[24] The result also meant that Annan had stayed up from relegation.

International career

In 2007, he was selected by the Scotland under-21 side.[2][3]

Honours

Chesterfield

Stenhousemuir

Ayr United

Annan Athletic

References

  1. ^ "Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/07/2010 & 31/07/2010" (PDF). The Football Association. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d "Past Players – Greg Fleming". Dunfermline Football Club. 30 April 2008. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Fleming wins deal and Scots call". BBC Sport. 13 October 2007. Retrieved 25 April 2008.
  4. ^ "Gretna lay off remaining 40 staff". BBC Sport. 19 May 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
  5. ^ "Goalkeeper Fleming signs up". Oldham Athletic A.F.C. 21 May 2008. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2008.
  6. ^ "Dunfermline seal loan deal for Oldham keeper Greg Fleming". Daily Record. 10 July 2009. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  7. ^ "Transfer-listed Players". Oldham Athletic A.F.C. 26 July 2010. Archived from the original on 28 July 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  8. ^ "Fleming Contract Terminated". Oldham Athletic A.F.C. 31 January 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
  9. ^ "Galway United sign new keeper". Galway United Football Club. 3 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 March 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  10. ^ "Spireites issue retained list". Chesterfield FC. 9 May 2012. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  11. ^ "Full Time: : Grimsby Town 0 Hull City 0". Grimsby Town Football Club. 20 July 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
  12. ^ "Stopper Agrees To Join Town". Grimsby Town Football Club. 24 July 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  13. ^ "Grimsby Town at Cambridge United: Greg Fleming to retain place between sticks | This is Grimsby". Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  14. ^ "The Retained List".
  15. ^ http://www.workingtonafc.com/news/the-heed-will-provide-a-tough-989569.html [dead link‍]
  16. ^ "Cumberland News | Keeper Fleming signs month-long deal with Carlisle Utd". Archived from the original on 5 August 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  17. ^ "Celtic Nation FC". celticnation.com. Archived from the original on 8 September 2013.
  18. ^ Bulloch, Terry (15 August 2014). "Warriors Sign New Keeper". Stenhousemuir F.C. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  19. ^ "Brechin City 1 v 0 Stenhousemuir". Stenhousemuir F.C. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
  20. ^ "Goalie the next new signing". ayrunitedfc.co.uk. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  21. ^ a b Law, Callum (24 June 2017). "Fleming is 'league's best keeper' says Peterhead boss McInally". Evening Express. Aberdeen Journals Ltd. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  22. ^ "Greg Fleming Signs Contract Extension". 16 April 2022.
  23. ^ "CONTRACT EXTENSION: Greg Fleming". 1 June 2023.
  24. ^ "Congratulations to Greg Fleming who made his 550th appearance on Saturday against Stirling Albion!". Retrieved 6 May 2024 – via Twitter.
  25. ^ "Starting Lineups - Chesterfield vs Swindon". Sky Sports. 25 March 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2024.