Name: Gavin Mark John Melaugh
Born: 9 July 1981, Londonderry
Height: 5.07 ft
Weight: 9.07 st
Position: Midfielder
Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 11 Under-21 Caps / 1 Goal (2002-2003).
Club Honours: (with Glentoran) Irish League Champion 2004/05; Irish Cup Winner 2003/04, Runner-Up 2005/06.
Club Career:
Biography:
Gavin Melaugh was a reglar in the Aston Villa reserves during his time as Northern Ireland Under-21 captain, though he was destined never to make the Villa firstteam. In April 2002 he was an unused substitute for a weakened senior Northern Ireland team for a friendly against Spain.
In November 2002 Melaugh joined Rochdale on loan where he teamed-up with two Northern Ireland Under-21 colleagues, Pat McCourt and Lee McEvilly. He made his League debut in a 2-0 defeat at Oxford establishing himself immediately as a firstteam regular. So impressive were his performances that when his loan spell expired Dale offered him a contract for the remainder of the season which he duly accepted. His inclusion, along with McCourt and McEvilly, in the Northern Ireland Under-21 squad would force the postponement of a Rochdale fixture - an historic first for the club!
February 2003 proved a golden month for Melaugh. He scored his first senior goal in a 2-1 win in the return game against Oxford, scored for the Northern Ireland Under-21s as they defeated Finland 3-1 and so bringing to an end an eleven game winless streak and then he scored the equaliser for Dale in their televised FA Cup fifth round clash with Wolves. All this earned him the accolade of Rochdale Player of the Month.
Although Melaugh lost his Rochdale place for a spell late in the season, he was surprised not to be offered a long-term deal at Spotland. After a trial spell at Partick Thistle he returned to Northern Ireland to join Glentoran. With Glentoran Melaugh played on the wing, in central midfield and at full-back, collecting League and Cup winner's medals. After his contract at the Oval expired he briefly played with Donegal Celtic in 2006 before two-and-a-half seasons at Ballymena United and was Player of the Year in 2008.
Transfer-listed during the 2008/09 season, in June 2009 Melaugh was signed by Distillery, managed by former Glentoran assistant-manager Jimmy Brown.
More details to follow.
Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:
12-02-2002 Germany. H L 0-1 FR
06-09-2002 Scotland A D 1-1 FR
11-10-2002 Spain... A L 0-1 ECQ
15-10-2002 Ukraine. H D 1-1 ECQ
11-02-2003 Finland. H W 3-1 FR. 1 Goal
28-03-2003 Armenia. A L 0-2 ECQ
01-04-2003 Greece.. H L 2-6 ECQ
10-06-2003 Spain... H L 1-4 ECQ
05-09-2003 Ukraine. A L 0-1 ECQ
09-09-2003 Armenia. H W 3-1 ECQ
10-10-2003 Greece.. A W 1-0 ECQ
Summary: 11/1. Won 3, Drew 2, Lost 6.
Born: 9 July 1981, Londonderry
Height: 5.07 ft
Weight: 9.07 st
Position: Midfielder
Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 11 Under-21 Caps / 1 Goal (2002-2003).
Club Honours: (with Glentoran) Irish League Champion 2004/05; Irish Cup Winner 2003/04, Runner-Up 2005/06.
Club Career:
|
Teams
|
Seasons
|
Signed
|
Fee
|
League
|
FA Cup
|
FL Cup
|
Europe
|
Other
|
|
Aston
Villa
|
-
|
Jul-98
|
Youth
|
0(0/0
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Rochdale
|
02/03
|
Nov-02
|
Free
|
17(2)/1
|
5(0)/1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Glentoran
|
03/04-05/06
|
Jul-03
|
Free
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Donegal
Celtic
|
06/07
|
Jul-06
|
Free
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Ballymena
United
|
06/07-08/09
|
Jan-07
|
-
|
56(2)/4
|
6(1)/0
|
4(0)/0
|
-
|
4(0)/0
|
|
Lisburn
Distillery
|
09/10
|
Jun-09
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
TOTALS
|
-
|
£-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Biography:
Gavin Melaugh was a reglar in the Aston Villa reserves during his time as Northern Ireland Under-21 captain, though he was destined never to make the Villa firstteam. In April 2002 he was an unused substitute for a weakened senior Northern Ireland team for a friendly against Spain.
In November 2002 Melaugh joined Rochdale on loan where he teamed-up with two Northern Ireland Under-21 colleagues, Pat McCourt and Lee McEvilly. He made his League debut in a 2-0 defeat at Oxford establishing himself immediately as a firstteam regular. So impressive were his performances that when his loan spell expired Dale offered him a contract for the remainder of the season which he duly accepted. His inclusion, along with McCourt and McEvilly, in the Northern Ireland Under-21 squad would force the postponement of a Rochdale fixture - an historic first for the club!
February 2003 proved a golden month for Melaugh. He scored his first senior goal in a 2-1 win in the return game against Oxford, scored for the Northern Ireland Under-21s as they defeated Finland 3-1 and so bringing to an end an eleven game winless streak and then he scored the equaliser for Dale in their televised FA Cup fifth round clash with Wolves. All this earned him the accolade of Rochdale Player of the Month.
Although Melaugh lost his Rochdale place for a spell late in the season, he was surprised not to be offered a long-term deal at Spotland. After a trial spell at Partick Thistle he returned to Northern Ireland to join Glentoran. With Glentoran Melaugh played on the wing, in central midfield and at full-back, collecting League and Cup winner's medals. After his contract at the Oval expired he briefly played with Donegal Celtic in 2006 before two-and-a-half seasons at Ballymena United and was Player of the Year in 2008.
Transfer-listed during the 2008/09 season, in June 2009 Melaugh was signed by Distillery, managed by former Glentoran assistant-manager Jimmy Brown.
More details to follow.
Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:
12-02-2002 Germany. H L 0-1 FR
06-09-2002 Scotland A D 1-1 FR
11-10-2002 Spain... A L 0-1 ECQ
15-10-2002 Ukraine. H D 1-1 ECQ
11-02-2003 Finland. H W 3-1 FR. 1 Goal
28-03-2003 Armenia. A L 0-2 ECQ
01-04-2003 Greece.. H L 2-6 ECQ
10-06-2003 Spain... H L 1-4 ECQ
05-09-2003 Ukraine. A L 0-1 ECQ
09-09-2003 Armenia. H W 3-1 ECQ
10-10-2003 Greece.. A W 1-0 ECQ
Summary: 11/1. Won 3, Drew 2, Lost 6.
Comments