{{Short description|Irish footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} {{Infobox football biography |name = Paddy Gavin |fullname = Patrick Joseph Gavin |birth_date = {{birth date|1929|6|6|df=y}} |birth_place = Drogheda, Ireland |death_date = {{death date and age|2006|4|8|1929|6|6|df=y}} |death_place = Doncaster, England |position = Left back | youthyears1 = 1943–1948 | youthclubs1 = Naomh Mhuire | youthyears2 = 1948–1949 | youthclubs2 = Wolfe Tones | youthyears3 = 1948–1949 | youthclubs3 = Louth GAA Minors | years1 = 1948–1949 | clubs1 = Louth GAA | caps1 = 1 | goals1 = 1 | years2 = 1949–1953 | clubs2 = Dundalk | caps2 = 54 | goals2 = 3 | years3 = 1953–1960 | clubs3 = Doncaster Rovers | caps3 = 147 | goals3 = 5 | years4 = 1960– | clubs4 = Doncaster United | caps4 = | goals4 = | totalcaps = | totalgoals = | nationalyears1 = 1957 | nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland B | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0 }}
'''Patrick Joseph Gavin''' (6 June 1929 – 8 April 2006) was a footballer who played for Dundalk and Doncaster Rovers, mainly as a left back. He also appeared in two international matches, for The League of Ireland, and for Ireland B.<ref name=dun/><ref name=Bluff/>
==Club career== ===Dundalk=== Coming from a family engaged with Gaelic football, as a junior Gavin initially played for Naomh Mhuire, and then for a 1947 cup winning Wolfe Tones team, and in the same year for Louth GAA Minors and soon for the senior side.<ref name=indep/> After his first senior game in the National League he was signed up by Dundalk and into the world of football. Initially he played in the reserves, making his full debut against Transport on 9 April 1949.<ref name=dun/>
===Doncaster Rovers=== Peter Doherty signed him for second division club Doncaster Rovers in October 1949. There was a large Irish contingent at the club at that time including Harry Gregg who he shared digs with, and whom became a long-term friend.<ref name=dun/>
It wasn't until 15 February 1954 that Gavin broke into the first 11 following an injury to Len Graham, making his debut in a 0–1 home defeat by Bury.<ref name=donny/> He played six more league games that season, and seventeen the following season often as a replacement for Graham at left back, but also filling in at half back.<ref name=Bluff/>
In 1955–56, he was again second in line behind Graham, only playing twelve games, however he did score his only Doncaster goal in that season. It was during a home game against Lincoln City on 27 December, the day after playing them away at Sincil Bank, and Rovers were winning 1–0 when a penalty was awarded. The regular penalty taker, Bobby Herbert, wasn't playing so Gavin took it and scored in front of the 18,323 Belle Vue crowd.<ref name=Bluff/>
The following season he played 38 League games, filling in for the injured Morgan Hunt at right half, and then similarly in the left half position, scoring four times, three of those from the penalty spot.<ref name=Bluff/> In 1957–58 he played mainly at left half in 35 League matches scoring no goals, not helped by Tommy Cavanagh having the penalty taker role, and it being a poor season for Doncaster who ended up at the bottom of the league, and relegated. The next season, in the newly formed Division Three, Rovers ended up third to the bottom and relegated again. He played 38 League games that season.<ref name=Bluff/>
Gavin's final season at Doncaster was in Division Four. He only played 9 times, his last appearance being a 0–2 home defeat against Rochdale on 6 February 1960 in front of 3,740 fans.<ref name=Bluff/> Before retiring to amateur football at the end of the season, he had made 156 League and FA Cup appearances for the club, scoring 5 goals.<ref name=Bluff/>
On leaving Rovers, he continued playing football as an amateur for Doncaster United until an ankle injury ended his playing career.<ref name=dun/>
==International career== In 1953, Gavin was in a League of Ireland team, marking Tom Finney, that lost 0–2 against an English Football League side in front of 40,000 at Dalymount Park, Dublin.<ref name=dun/> Gavin appeared in the very first Irish B team in an international friendly against Romania B on 20 October 1957, which was drawn 1–1.
==Personal life== Despite having completed his coaching course at Lillisall in 1956, Gavin did not pursue coaching after his playing career ended.<ref name=indep/>
In 1958 he married Maureen Massarella, niece of Ronnie Massarella OBE, ice cream magnate and manager of the British Show Jumping Team.<ref name=indep/><ref name=dun/> On retiring from playing professional football, Gavin was invited to manage Yeovil Town but instead he opted to work in his father in law's business, managing a depot in Chesterfield.<ref name=dun/> Later, he managed and developed a couple of grocery stores in Doncaster until his retirement at the age of 68.<ref name=dun/><ref name=indep/>
==References== <references>
<ref name=Bluff>{{cite book|last=Bluff|first=Tony|title=Doncaster Rovers F.C.: The Complete History (1879-2010)|year=2010|publisher=Yore Publications|isbn=9780956410375}}</ref> <ref name=donny>{{Cite web |url=http://www.doncasterrovers.co.uk/players/GtoJ/Gavin,Paddy.htm |title=Paddy Gavin profile |access-date=2 June 2017 |archive-date=5 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605034100/http://www.doncasterrovers.co.uk/players/GtoJ/Gavin,Paddy.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> <ref name=dun>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dundalkfcwhoswho.com/player.php?id=155|title=Paddy Gavin | History of Dundalk F.C.|website=Dundalkwhoswho.com|accessdate=7 July 2022}}</ref> <ref name=indep>{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/news/traffic-congestion-and-parking-problems-are-first-things-noticed-by-returned-emigrant-paddy-gavin-27124476.html|title=Traffic congestion and parking problems are first things noticed by returned emigrant Paddy Gavin|website=Independent.ie}}</ref>
</references>
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gavin, Paddy}} Category:1929 births Category:2006 deaths Category:Association footballers from Drogheda Category:Men's association football full-backs Category:Republic of Ireland men's association footballers Category:Dundalk F.C. players Category:Doncaster Rovers F.C. players Category:Republic of Ireland men's B international footballers Category:League of Ireland players Category:English Football League players Category:Gaelic footballers who switched code Category:20th-century Irish sportsmen