Gary Charles
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gary Charles | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender (retired) | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Bolehall Swifts (under 15 manager) | ||
Gary Charles (born 13 April 1970 in Newham, London) is an English former footballer who played at right-back.
Playing career
Charles won two caps for the England team and turned out at club level for Nottingham Forest, Derby County, Aston Villa, S.L. Benfica, and finally West Ham United. Charles was famously fouled by Paul Gascoigne in the 1991 FA Cup Final. This was the challenge that caused Gascoigne's cruciate ligaments to tear, forcing him out of the game for several months.
Personal life
After the end of his playing career, Charles struggled with alcoholism. He was twice imprisoned — first for drunken driving and soon afterwards for cutting off his electronic tag to go on holiday to the Costa del Sol. In September 2005, he was arrested and convicted for assaulting a woman in a taxi office in Clay Cross , north east Derbyshire.[1] After the jury was unable to reach a verdict, a retrial was ordered. Between the trials Charles was jailed for turning up to court drunk[2] At the later hearing, he admitted he had an on-going drink problem.[3] He was subsequently fined and given a suspended sentence and a community service order.[4]
Charles was jailed for 12 months in December 2006 after committing a public order offence whilst serving his suspended sentence.[5]
In 2005, it was reported that Charles was in the process of writing his autobiography[6]. However, as of January 2009, this book has not been published.
Honours
- Full Members Cup winners: 1992
References
- ^ BBC NEWS | England | Derbyshire | Ex-player sentenced for assault
- ^ BBC NEWS | England | Derbyshire | Retrial for ex-England footballer
- ^ BBC NEWS | England | Derbyshire | Footballer admits to drink battle
- ^ BBC NEWS | England | Derbyshire | Ex-England player set free again
- ^ Former England footballer jailed
- ^ http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,1541725,00.html Observer Sport Monthly profile
External links
- Gary Charles at Soccerbase
- English footballers
- English expatriate footballers
- England international footballers
- England under-21 international footballers
- Aston Villa F.C. players
- Derby County F.C. players
- Association football fullbacks
- Nottingham Forest F.C. players
- West Ham United F.C. players
- Premier League players
- 1970 births
- Living people
- People convicted of alcohol-related driving offenses
- British people convicted of assault