Gary Harkins
Gary Harkins (born 2 January 1985) is a Scottish professional footballer for Gartcairn F. A. Juniors. Throughout his career, Harkins has played for Blackburn Rovers, Huddersfield Town, Bury, Blackpool, Grimsby Town, Partick Thistle (two spells), Dundee (three spells), Kilmarnock, St Mirren, Oldham Athletic, Ayr United, Greenock Morton, Queen of the South, and Stenhousemuir.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Gary Harkins[1] | ||
Date of birth | 2 January 1985 | ||
Place of birth | Greenock, Scotland | ||
Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2] | ||
Playing position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Gartcairn Juniors | ||
Youth career | |||
Celtic | |||
2001–2003 | Blackburn Rovers | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2003–2006 | Blackburn Rovers | 0 | (0) |
2004 | → Huddersfield Town (loan) | 3 | (0) |
2005 | → Bury (loan) | 5 | (0) |
2005 | → Blackpool (loan) | 4 | (1) |
2006–2007 | Grimsby Town | 17 | (0) |
2007–2009 | Partick Thistle | 63 | (9) |
2009–2011 | Dundee | 76 | (22) |
2011–2013 | Kilmarnock | 46 | (3) |
2013 | Dundee | 14 | (2) |
2013–2014 | St Mirren | 15 | (1) |
2014 | → Oldham Athletic (loan) | 23 | (5) |
2014–2016 | Dundee | 58 | (8) |
2016–2017 | Ayr United | 32 | (5) |
2017–2018 | Greenock Morton | 34 | (8) |
2018 | Queen of the South | 13 | (1) |
2019–2020 | Partick Thistle | 17 | (0) |
2020 | Stenhousemuir | 3 | (0) |
2020– | Gartcairn Juniors | 0 | (0) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:21, 3 July 2020 (UTC) |
Career
Blackburn Rovers
Harkins started out as a schoolboy player with Celtic before joining Blackburn Rovers as a YTS player when he was sixteen years old.[3][4] He was appointed a trainee at Ewood Park in August 2003 but although he appeared in the academy and reserve teams, he did not play a competitive first team game for the club.[3][5] Harkins joined Huddersfield Town on loan in March 2004,[3][6] where he made only three appearances before returning to Blackburn in June.[7] The arrival of Mark Hughes as manager of Blackburn in September 2004 saw Harkins called up to play with the first team in a number of pre-season friendlies, with Hughes apparently seeing potential in his future as a central defender.[8][4] He joined Bury in February 2005,[9] for whom he played five times in a month-long spell,[10][11] and in November 2005, Harkins joined Blackpool on loan for one month,[12] where he made six appearances, scoring two goals.[13]
Grimsby Town
In July 2006, Harkins joined Grimsby Town on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract.[14][4] He made his debut on 5 August 2006 in the club's 3–2 victory over Boston United and made 20 appearances in total for Grimsby in the 2006–07 season.[15] His spell at Grimsby was an unhappy one, with factors including homesickness and a falling-out with manager Alan Buckley (who joined the club in November 2006),[16][17][4] and at the end of the 2006–07 season, Buckley allowed Harkins to look for another club.[18] Instead, Harkins was released by the club several weeks later.[19]
Partick Thistle (first spell)
Harkins then moved to his native Scotland, and after a trial signed a one-year contract with Scottish First Division club Partick Thistle in July 2007.[16][20] While he started out at Thistle playing as a defender, his move into midfield let him play in a more attacking role.[21][4] Harkins made 39 appearances in the 2007–08 season, scoring three goals,[22] and signed a one-year contract with the club in April 2008.[23] In the 2008–09 season, scoring 11 goals.[24] he was Thistle's top goalscorer with 11 goals from 40 appearances,[25] and was nominated for the First Division's Player of the Year award; he had been named the Scottish Football League Player of the Month for February 2009.[26] At the end of the season, Harkins was offered a new contract with the club,[27] but he reportedly rejected a deal, something that was denied by Ian McCall.[28]
Dundee (first spell)
After a protracted effort in which they had two offers turned down, Dundee signed Harkins in July 2009 for a fee of £150,000 plus future fees.[25][29] He made 42 appearances for Dundee in the 2009–10 season, scoring 17 goals,[30] won the SFL Player of the Month for August 2009,[31] and was nominated for Scotland's Player of the Year for the First Division.[32]
At the start of the 2010–11 season, Harkins was named captain after being given the armband by manager Gordon Chisholm.[33] Having being appointed, Harkins said he would try his best to become a captain.[34] He made a further 38 appearances, scoring five goals, in a troubled 2010–11 season for Dundee in which the club was penalised 25 points by the Scottish Football League in November 2010 after going into administration.[35][36][37] Harkins admitted that seeing Dundee in administration was the darkest day of his career.[38] At the end of the season, Harkins was nominated for SFL Player of the Year in the First Division.[39]
Kilmarnock
In June 2011, Harkins left Dundee to sign for Kilmarnock for an undisclosed fee, exercising an option to leave agreed when Dundee went into administration in the previous November.[40][41] He made his first appearance for the Ayrshire side on 24 July, in a 1–1 draw with Dundee United at Tannadice and scored his first goal for the club in a 5–0 win over Queen of the South in the Scottish League Cup 3rd round, only 90 seconds into the match. On 18 March, he played in the 2012 Scottish League Cup Final which Kilmarnock won after beating Celtic 1–0. Harkins found it difficult to reproduce the performances before his move to Kilmarnock, after sustaining to an ankle injury.[42]
In the 2012–13 season, Harkins only scored two goals. During January 2013, it was reported that he could return to Dundee; this was initially denied by manager Kenny Shiels, who claimed that Harkins was "one of the best players in the SPL".[43]
Dundee (second spell)
On 25 January 2013, it was confirmed that Harkins had rejoined Dundee for an undisclosed fee.[44] As part of the deal, the two clubs agreed that he would not play when they met the following weekend at Dens Park.[44] Harkins's first game after signing for the club on a permanent basis came on 30 January 2013, in a 1–0 loss against Hearts. Then, on 6 April 2013, the last game of the season before it split, he scored twice in a 2–0 win against his former club;[45] however, Dundee were then relegated after a draw with Aberdeen on 5 May 2013.[46] Following their relegation, Harkins said his future was uncertain as he wanted to play at the higher level[47] and soon announced his departure, citing the club's failure to agree a change of ownership.[48]
St Mirren
Harkins agreed a two-year contract with St Mirren in June 2013.[49] His debut was the opening game of the season, in a 3–0 loss against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.[50] In the next game, Harkins scored his first goal for the club, against former club Kilmarnock in a 1–1 draw.[51] During the Fourth Round Replay of the Scottish Cup, Harkins scored his second goal in a 3–0 win over Queen of the South that ensured St Mirren would progress to the fifth round.[52] Following the match, he vowed to keep his first team place.[53] A few weeks later, Harkins was criticised by manager Danny Lennon for not "working hard enough off the ball to succeed at St Mirren".[54]
Oldham Athletic (loan)
Following an unsuccessful spell at St Mirren, Harkins joined Oldham Athletic on loan until the end of season 2013–14.[55] He scored his first goals for the club in a 5–4 win against Peterborough after coming back from 3–0 down at half–time. Harkins scored the first Oldham goal to make it 3–1, bundling the ball into the back of the net after a knockdown from Jonson Clarke-Harris, and was then was involved in all of Oldham's goals, excelling on the left hand side of the pitch; he scored his second of the game with a penalty to make it 4–4 in the closing minutes and then had the final say in the match, delivering the corner from which Genseric Kusunga scored to make it 5–4 in the 96th minute. Harkins deservedly won man of the match for his performance and he gained many plaudits post-match.[56]
During his time at the club, Harkins became a fans' favourite. Upon the end of his loan and his return to his parent club he had made 24 appearances and scored 5 goals.[57] After Harkins' loan spell at Oldham Athletic came to an end, St Mirren announced on 27 June 2014 that the midfielder had his contract with the club cancelled by mutual consent.[58]
Dundee (third spell)
Harkins signed a two-year contract with Dundee in June 2014.[59] He scored against Manchester City in a pre-season friendly which Dundee went on to win 2–0.[60] He scored his first goal of his third spell at the club with a penalty as Dundee drew 1–1 with Kilmarnock on 9 August 2014.[61] In a next game against Partick Thistle on 16 August 2014, Harkins took a penalty, only for it to be saved by Paul Gallacher; the match ended 1–1.[62] In October 2014, Harkins scored two goals in two games against Aberdeen[63] and Motherwell;[64] his goal celebration against Motherwell went viral after he performed a wrestling move on teammate Jim McAlister, which met with approval from professional wrestler Randy Orton.[65] Harkins then received a red card after a second bookable offense, in a 2–1 loss against Hamilton Academical on 13 December 2014.[66] He scored his third goal of the season in a 3–3 draw against Aberdeen on 17 January 2015.[67] Towards the end of the 2014–15 season, Harkins suffered a shin injury which saw him miss one game[68] and a knee injury that caused him to miss eight matches.[69] Despite the injuries, He made thirty-one appearance and scored four times in all competitions.
Ayr United
On 12 August 2016, it was confirmed that Harkins had signed a two-year contract as a player/coach with newly promoted Scottish Championship club Ayr United.[70]
Greenock Morton
Having negotiated a release from his contract at Ayr United after only a year, in June 2017 Harkins subsequently signed a one-year deal for Scottish Championship side, Greenock Morton on 7 June 2017.[71]
Queen of the South
On 9 May 2018, Harkins signed for Dumfries club Queen of the South, initially on a one-year contract.[72] He made his debut in a 2-1 home defeat to Dundee United. On 24 December 2018, Harkins was released from his contract at the Doonhamers, after intimating that he no longer wanted to play for the club.[73]
Partick Thistle (second spell)
Harkins signed for Partick Thistle for a second spell on an 18-month contract on 27 December 2018, three days after leaving Queen of the South.[74][4] Harkins scored his first goal in his second spell at the Jags in a 4-1 win away at Stenhousemuir in the quarter final of the Scottish Challenge Cup. Harkins was then released by Partick on 29 January 2020 & became a free agent.[75]
Stenhousemuir
In February 2020 Harkins signed a contract until the end of the 2019/20 season with League Two side Stenhousemuir.[76] On 10 June 2020, Harkins announced his retirement from playing via Twitter.[77]
Gartcairn Juniors
Just over 3 weeks after announcing his retirement, Harkins returned to football after signing a deal to play with Gartcairn F. A. Juniors in the newly-established West of Scotland Football League.[78]
Personal life
Harkins was born in Greenock[79] and attended St Columba's High School, Gourock, where he played in a wide variety of positions and for various teams before signing for Blackburn Rovers. His brother, Paul is also a footballer, playing in Scottish League Two for Elgin City. In 2012, after a scan for ligament damage, Gary revealed that doctors had told him he had been playing with a broken ankle for four years.[80]
Career statistics
Honours
References
- "Gary Harkins". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- Gary Harkins at Soccerway
- "Harkins Premier signing". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 24 March 2004. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
- Jonathan Sutherland (12 March 2019). "Partick Thistle: Gary Harkins on his resurgence at Firhill". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
- "Gary Harkins". Soccerbase. Racing Post. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
- "Hudderfield sign Harkins". BBC Sport. 25 March 2004. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
- "Games played by Gary Harkins in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
- Smith, Andrew (18 March 2012). "Interview: Gary Harkins, Kilmarnock midfielder". Scotland on Sunday. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
Initially, Harkins started out at Blackburn as a defensive midfielder but "even Mark Hughes ended up playing me at centre-half in a few pre-season games".
- "Bury sign Harkins on month's loan". BBC Sport. 8 February 2005. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
- "Shakers want Fitzgerald to stay". BBC Sport. 10 March 2005. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
Blackburn midfielder Gary Harkin has not had his loan extended after making five appearances during a month-long spell at Gigg Lane.
- "Games played by Gary Harkins in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
- "Blackpool recruit Harkins on loan". BBC Sport. 16 November 2005. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
- "Games played by Gary Harkins in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
- "Grimsby swoop for veteran Beagrie". BBC Sport. 11 July 2006. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
Grimsby Town have signed veteran winger Peter Beagrie and former Blackburn Rovers midfielder Gary Harkins [...] Harkins, 21, has signed a two-year deal at Blundell Park.
- "Games played by Gary Harkins in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- "Harkins wins contract at Firhill". BBC Sport. 22 July 2007. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
I'm delighted to get back up the road to Scotland and to get back to enjoying my football again. I hadn't been happy since moving to Grimsby and was a bit homesick.
- Waddell, Gordon (18 March 2012). "Kilmarnock star Gary Harkins is happy to show what he can do after years on the defensive". Daily Record. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
I had a really tough time at Grimsby – the name says it all, really! I just had to get out, even though I had a year left on my contract. I didn't do myself any favours and didn't get on well with the manager – it was a big growing-up experience for me. The manager who signed me, Graham Rodger, got sacked after a few months then Alan Buckley came in and I just didn't get on with him.
- "Grimsby let Harkins pursue move". BBC Sport. 11 July 2007. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- "Mariners release defender". Sky Sports. 29 July 2007. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
- "Partick Thistle sign defender Harkins". Glasgow Herald. 23 July 2007. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
- Fisher, Stewart (18 March 2012). "Kilmarnock's Gary Harkins hopes to get creative in cup battle". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
- "Games played by Gary Harkins in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
- "New deals for Partick Thistle duo". BBC Sport. 18 April 2008. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
- "Games played by Gary Harkins in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
- Wilson, Fraser (2 July 2009). "Gary Harkins Exits Firhill In £150,000 Move To Dundee". Glaswegian. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
Harkins finished last season as top scorer for the Jags with 11 goals.
- "Irn-Bru Phenomenal Player and Manager of the Month Awards February 2009". Scottish Football League. 17 March 2009. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
- "Gary Harkins set to follow boss Ian McCall and pledge future to Partick Thistle". Daily Record. 13 June 2009. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
- "Partick Thistle boss Ian McCall slams Gary Harkins contract snub claims". Daily Record. 18 June 2009. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
- "Dundee capture Thistle's Harkins". BBC Sport. 2 July 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2009.
- "Games played by Gary Harkins in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
- "August prize for Dundee's Harkins". BBC Sport. 6 September 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
- "Rangers quartet vie for Player of the Year award". BBC Sport. 15 April 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
- "Gary Harkins at the front of the queue for Dundee captain's armband". Daily Record. 4 August 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
- "Dundee skipper Gary Harkins vows to nag team mates onto glory". Daily Record. 6 August 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
- "Games played by Gary Harkins in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
- "Dundee hit with 25-point penalty". BBC Sport. 1 November 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
- McDaid, David (4 November 2010). "Dundee can avoid relegation – Gary Harkins". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
- "Watching Dundee go into administration has been darkest day of my career, says Gary Harkins". Daily Record. 16 October 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
- "Scotland's player of the year awards nominees announced". BBC Sport. 14 April 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
- "Dundee's Gary Harkins signs for Kilmarnock". BBC Sport. 20 June 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
- "Harkins leaves". Dundee FC. 20 June 2011. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
- "Kilmarnock's Gary Harkins suffers broken ankle in training". BBC Sport. 2 January 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
- "Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels dismisses talk of Harkins departure". BBC Sport. 19 January 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
- "Midfielder Gary Harkins leaves Kilmarnock for Dundee". BBC Sport. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
- "Kilmarnock 1 Dundee 2: Harkins returns to haunt old club and condemn Killie to the bottom six". Daily Record. 6 April 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
- "Dundee 1 Aberdeen 1: Dundee relegated from SPL after failing to beat Aberdeen at Dens Park". Daily Record. 5 May 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
- "Dundee: Gary Harkins unsure over future". BBC Sport. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
- "Gary Harkins leaves Dundee, blaming collapsed Texan investment for his departure". Daily Record. 30 May 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
- "Midfielder Gary Harkins signs for St Mirren". BBC Sport. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
- "Inverness CT 3–0 St Mirren". BBC Sport. 3 August 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- "St Mirren 1 Kilmarnock 1: Kris Boyd sees red as Buddies make their point". Daily Record. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- "St Mirren 3 Queen of the South 0: Gary Harkins returns in style as Saints secure Scottish Cup progress". Daily Record. 11 December 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- "Gary Harkins imagines keeping St Mirren spot". The Scotsman. 12 December 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- "Gary Harkins' lack of work rate prompted departure from St Mirren". STV. 3 January 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- "Oldham sign David Worrall, Gary Harkins and Adam Lockwood". BBC Sport. 3 January 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- "Oldham Athletic 5–4 Peterborough United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
- "Loanees Return To Parent Clubs". Oldham Athletic Official Website. 7 May 2014. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
- "Gary Harkins". www.saintmirren.net. St Mirren official website. 27 June 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
- "Dundee re-sign midfielder Gary Harkins on two-year deal". BBC Sport.
- "Dundee 2–0 Manchester City: Pellegrini's side lose first friendly".
- McLeod, Liam (9 August 2014). "Dundee 1–1 Kilmarnock". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
- "Dundee 1 – 1 Partick Thistle". BBC Sport. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- "Dundee 2 – 3 Aberdeen". BBC Sport. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- "Motherwell 1 – 3 Dundee". BBC Sport. 18 October 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- "WWE star Randy Orton tweets approval of Dundee's 'RKO out of nowhere' celebration". The Independent. 19 October 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- "Hamilton Academical 2 – 1 Dundee". BBC Sport. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- "Aberdeen 3 = 3 Dundee". BBC Sport. 17 January 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- "Dundee's Iain Davidson ruled out for at least two weeks". The Courier. 28 January 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- "Dundee's Jim McAlister recovering after hernia operation". The Courier. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- "Gary Harkins signs". Ayr United FC. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
- Mitchell, Jonathan (7 June 2017). "Gary Harkins joins Morton". Greenock Morton FC. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
- "Gary Harkins Signs". Queen of the South FC. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
- Gary Harkins, Queen of the South FC, 24 December 2018
- https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/signing-news-gary-harkins-returns-to-maryhill/
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50380320
- "WARRIORS SNAP UP HARKINS". SPFL. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
- Harkins, Gary (10 June 2020). "Been a pleasure". Twitter. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- Pirie, Mark (3 July 2020). "Gary Harkins shock retirement U-turn as seventh tier Gartcairn complete incredible deal". Daily Record. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- Barnes, Paul (3 June 2013). "Dundee FC's Gary Harkins doesn't mind stick from Greenock boo boys". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
- "Kilmarnock star Gary Harkins: Docs told me I have been playing with a broken ankle.. for four years". Daily Record. 19 January 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
- Includes matches in the Football League Trophy and Scottish Challenge Cup
- Includes 1 challenge cup game not recorded on Soccerbase or Soccerway. "Ayr Utd 2–1 Partick Thistle". BBC Sport. 18 September 2007. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
- Includes 2 challenge cup games not recorded on Soccerbase or Soccerway."Partick Thistle 2–1 Queen's Park". BBC Sport. 26 July 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2016. & "Livingston 0–2 Partick Thistle". BBC Sport. 7 September 2008. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
- "Games played by Gary Harkins in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
- "Games played by Gary Harkins in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
- "Games played by Gary Harkins in 2019/20". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
External links
- Gary Harkins at Soccerbase