# Gil Reece
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{{short description|Welsh footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Gil Reece
| image =
| fullname = Gilbert Ivor Reece
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=7}}[{{Cite web |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/other-sport/welsh-greats-pay-tribute-gil-2458945 |title=Welsh legends pay tribute to Gil the Blade |publisher=WalesOnline |date=23 December 2003 |accessdate=18 May 2016}}]
| birth_date = {{birth date|1942|07|2|df=y}}
| birth_place = [Cardiff](/source/Cardiff), Wales
| death_date = {{death date and age|2003|12|20|1942|07|2|df=y}}
| death_place = [Cardiff](/source/Cardiff), Wales
| currentclub =
| position = [Winger](/source/Midfielder)
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1961–1962
| years2 = 1962
| years3 = 1962–1963
| years4 = 1963–1965
| years5 = 1965–1973
| years6 = 1973–1976
| years7 = 1976–1977
| clubs1 = [Cardiff City](/source/Cardiff_City_F.C.)
| clubs2 = → [Ton Pentre](/source/Ton_Pentre_F.C.) (loan)
| clubs3 = [Pembroke Borough](/source/Pembroke_Borough_A.F.C.)
| clubs4 = [Newport County](/source/Newport_County_A.F.C.)
| clubs5 = [Sheffield United](/source/Sheffield_United_F.C.)
| clubs6 = [Cardiff City](/source/Cardiff_City_F.C.)
| clubs7 = [Swansea City](/source/Swansea_City_A.F.C.)
| caps1 = 0
| caps2 =
| caps3 =
| caps4 = 32
| caps5 = 210
| caps6 = 100
| caps7 = 2
| goals1 = 0
| goals2 =
| goals3 =
| goals4 = 9
| goals5 = 58
| goals6 = 23
| goals7 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 1965–1975
| nationalteam1 = [Wales](/source/Wales_national_football_team)
| nationalcaps1 = 29
| nationalgoals1 = 2
}}
'''Gilbert Ivor '"Gil" Reece''' (2 July 1942 – 20 December 2003) was a [Welsh](/source/Welsh_people) international footballer. Described by former [Wales](/source/Wales_national_football_team) manager [Mike Smith](/source/Mike_Smith_(football_manager)) as ''"a very quick player, sharp and tough"'',[ he made over 300 appearances in the [Football League](/source/Football_League) during spells with [Cardiff City](/source/Cardiff_City_F.C.), [Sheffield United](/source/Sheffield_United_F.C.), [Newport County](/source/Newport_County_A.F.C.) and [Swansea City](/source/Swansea_City_A.F.C.) and won 29 caps for [Wales](/source/Wales_national_football_team).][{{Cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/gilreece.html |title=Gil Reece |website=Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=18 May 2016}}]
==Club career==
Reece was born in [Cardiff](/source/Cardiff) and represented Wales at schoolboy level before being offered an apprenticeship at his hometown club [Cardiff City](/source/Cardiff_City_F.C.). He made his way into the reserve side before spending a period on loan at [Ton Pentre](/source/Ton_Pentre_F.C.) and was released by the club during the 1962–63 season and joined [Pembroke Borough](/source/Pembroke_Bouough_F.C.). During his time in Pembroke, Reece worked as a plumber whilst playing part-time. In 1963, [Newport County](/source/Newport_County_A.F.C.) manager [Billy Lucas](/source/Billy_Lucas) offered Reece another chance at professional football and, after just one season [Somerton Park](/source/Somerton_Park), his impressive displays convinced [Sheffield United](/source/Sheffield_United_F.C.) to pay £10,000 in April 1965 to sign him.[{{Cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/gil-reece-37691.html |title=Gil Reece |work=The Independent |date=26 December 2003 |accessdate=18 May 2016}}] Soon after he was called up to win his first cap for [Wales](/source/Wales_national_football_team) against [England](/source/England_national_football_team).
He settled quickly with the ''Blades'', helping them to a ninth-place finish in the [First Division](/source/Football_League_First_Division) during his first season but suffered a badly broken leg the following year which kept him out of the side for nearly a year. Despite this he went on to appear over 200 times for the club, establishing himself as a fan favourite with the [Bramall Lane](/source/Bramall_Lane) crowd. He returned to his hometown club Cardiff City in September 1972 alongside teammate [Dave Powell](/source/David_Powell_(footballer%2C_born_1944)) in an exchange deal for [Alan Warboys](/source/Alan_Warboys).[ Appointed club captain, he went on to play in a variety of different roles for the club and in his first two seasons his goals helped the club win the [Welsh Cup](/source/Welsh_Cup), scoring a hat-trick in the second leg of the 1973 final and once in the second leg of the 1974 final.][{{Cite web |url=http://wfda.co.uk/welshcup_final_detail.php?id=86 |title=1973 Welsh Cup final |publisher=Welsh Football Data Archive |accessdate=18 May 2016}}][{{Cite web |url=http://wfda.co.uk/welshcup_final_detail.php?id=87 |title=1974 Welsh Cup final |publisher=Welsh Football Data Archive |accessdate=18 May 2016}}] The club suffered relegation during the 1974–75 season, with Reece finishing as the club's top scorer with 8 goals, but managed to win promotion on the first time of asking the following year.[{{Cite book | title = The Who's Who of Cardiff City | first = Dean | last = Hayes | publisher = Breedon Books | year = 2006 | isbn= 1-85983-462-0}}] Reece left the club at the end of the season and joined [Swansea City](/source/Swansea_City_A.F.C.) where he spent a short time before retiring.
After 1976 Reece played for non-League [Barry Town](/source/Barry_Town_F.C.).
==After football==
On retiring from his playing career he ran a family heating business before becoming a hotelier in Cardiff, running the ''Clare Court'' hotel in [Grangetown](/source/Grangetown%2C_Cardiff). In April 2000, Reece was forced to have his right leg amputated after continually developing cysts behind his knee.[ He died in Cardiff, aged 61.
He was also the brother of Welsh boxer Leonard "Luggie" Reece, and Grandfather of Welsh Rugby League International [Lewis Reece](/source/Lewis_Reece).][
==Baseball==
Reece has the rare distinction of being a double international at baseball and football. He was capped by Wales in baseball for the annual international against England in July 1963.][ Full Internationals Wales. Welsh Baseball Archive, File 2/8 R-S] After retiring from professional football he returned to baseball playing well into his 40s. He played for the St Francis, Grange Catholics and Grange Albion baseball clubs.
==Honours==
;Cardiff City
*[Welsh Cup](/source/Welsh_Cup) winner: 1972–73, 1973–74
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reece, Gil}}
Category:1942 births
Category:2003 deaths
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:Wales men's international footballers
Category:Cardiff City F.C. players
Category:Newport County A.F.C. players
Category:Sheffield United F.C. players
Category:Swansea City A.F.C. players
Category:Barry Town United F.C. players
Category:Footballers from Cardiff
Category:English Football League players
Category:Men's association football wingers
Category:Pembroke Borough A.F.C. players
Category:20th-century Welsh sportsmen
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gil Reece](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gil_Reece) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gil_Reece?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.