Gareth Hall is pictured during Chelsea's 0-0 draw with
Manchester United.
Club Career: 121 League appearances (+ 18 as sub), 4 goals.
|
| Chelsea: |
1986-1987 |
Played
|
1 |
Scored |
0 |
goals |
(Division 1) |
| |
1987-1988 |
Played |
13 |
Scored |
0 |
goals |
(Division 1) |
| |
1988-1989 |
Played |
22 |
Scored |
0 |
goals |
(Division 1) |
| |
1989-1990 |
Played |
13 |
Scored |
1 |
goal |
(Division 1) |
| |
1990-1991 |
Played |
24 |
Scored |
0 |
goals |
(Division 1) |
| |
1991-1992 |
Played |
10 |
Scored |
0 |
goals |
(Division 1) |
| |
1992-1993 |
Played |
37 |
Scored |
2 |
goals |
(Premiership) |
| |
1993-1994 |
Played |
7 |
Scored |
0 |
goals |
(Premiership) |
| |
1994-1995 |
Played |
6 |
Scored |
0 |
goals |
(Premiership) |
| |
1995-1996 |
Played |
5 |
Scored |
1 |
goal |
(Premiership) |
Gareth Hall playing for Chelsea on 17th February 1990.
If life at Chelsea Football Club has all too often been something of a soap opera,
the events leading up to Gareth Hall's arrival in the Blues' first team were in keeping
with the club's reputation for chaos. Having only recently turned 18, Chelsea's youth
and reserve team captain, fresh from leading the youths to a South East Counties Cup
win just a matter of weeks earlier, made his much anticipated debut in a league match
at Plough Lane in May 1987, having featured for the reserves at Stamford Bridge earlier
in the day!
To be fair, events in SW6 had never been more farcical than during the dark days of the
John Hollins regime, and it was Gareth's misfortune to be introduced into a side in decline.
The clash with Wimbledon, in which he made his bow as a replacement for Keith Dublin,
was a typically disappointing 2-1 defeat, but for the stocky, sturdy right-back it was the
dawning of a career in and around the Chelsea first-team that would eventually run for
nine years, although for the majority of that time he remained in the shadow of the
ever-dependable Steve Clarke.
Eight starts and five substitute appearances throughout the following campaign were
supplemented by a further three appearances in the end-of-season play-offs, where he
excelled in a defensive midfield role. Sadly, though, his efforts were in vain, as the Blues
succumbed to relegation after defeat by Middlesbrough in the play-off final. New manager
Bobby Campbell, confirmed in the role as Hollins' successor, having replaced the former
Chelsea midfielder for the final two months of the relegation season, proved to be a big
fan of Hall, and the Croydon-born player - by now a full Welsh international - featured on
no less than 22 occasions as the Blues stormed back into the top-flight at the first time of asking.
For much of the following campaign, though, he remained in Clarke's shadow, until an injury
picked up on international duty ruled the Scotsman out for a month. Given the opportunity to
show what he could do, Gareth performed admirably, even scoring his first goals for the club:
a one-yard tap-in which gave Chelsea three points against Manchester United, and a neat
finish to help send the Blues to Wembley at the expense of Crystal Palace in the much-maligned
Zenith Data Systems Trophy. At the end of March, Gareth was a member of the side that lifted
the trophy in front of 76,000 fans, as Chelsea beat Middlesbrough 1-0. (Kelvin Barker).
Transferred to Sunderland in February 1996 for £300,000