Stephen George Gammon (born 24 September 1939) is a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

former professional footballer. A Welsh under-23 international, Gammon's spent seven years with

Cardiff City Cardiff City Football Club ( cy, Clwb Pêl-droed Dinas Caerdydd) is a professional association football club based in Cardiff, Wales. It competes in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1899 as R ...

before a broken leg ended his professional career in 1965.

Career

Gammon was born in

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe). The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...

, but began his career at

, after being spotted playing for Mumbles Boys Club at the age of sixteen. He was handed a professional contract on his seventeenth birthday, making his debut, alongside fellow debutant

Derek Tapscott Derek Robert Tapscott (30 June 1932 – 12 June 2008) was a Welsh professional footballer who played as a forward. Tapscott played for Barry Town, Arsenal, Cardiff City, Newport County, Cinderford Town, Haverfordwest County and Carmarthen ...

, soon after in a 4–1 victory over Grimsby Town in September 1958 and his performances earned him a call up to the Wales under-23 side. The following season he scored his first, and only, goal for Cardiff in a 4–4 draw with

Stoke City Stoke City Football Club is a professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, which competes in the . Founded as Stoke Ramblers in 1863, it changed its name to Stoke in 1878 and then to Stoke City in 1925 after Stoke ...

and helped the club gain promotion to

Division One The Football League First Division was a division of the Football League in England from 1888 until 2004. It was the top division in the English football league system from the season 1888–89 until 1991–92, a century in which the First ...

. In February 1961, he suffered a major fracture in his leg after colliding with

Denis Law Denis Law (born 24 February 1940) is a Scottish former footballer who played as a forward. His career as a football player began at Second Division Huddersfield Town in 1956. After four years at Huddersfield, he was signed by Manchester City ...

during a league match against

Manchester City Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The tw ...

. He attempted several comebacks after the injury but broke the same leg twice in the following three seasons and subsequently dropped out of professional football, joining

Southern Football League The Southern League is a men's football competition featuring semi-professional clubs from the South and Midlands of England. Together with the Isthmian League and the Northern Premier League it forms levels seven and eight of the English fo ...

side

Kettering Town Kettering Town Football Club is a football club based in Burton Latimer, Northamptonshire, England. They are currently members of and play at Latimer Park in Burton Latimer. Kettering were the first club to wear sponsorship on their shirts in ...

where he took over as manager of the side three months after his arrival. Gammon went on to make over 300 appearances in all competitions for Kettering. He left the club in December 1971, stepping down as manager after six years at Rockingham Road, being replaced by Ron Atkinson.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gammon, Steve 1939 births Living people Footballers from Swansea Welsh footballers Welsh football managers Wales under-23 international footballers Cardiff City F.C. players Kettering Town F.C. players English Football League players Kettering Town F.C. managers Association football midfielders