Marco Gabbiadini (born 20 January 1968) is an English former professional footballer whose career lasted 18 years from 1985 to 2003. He played for 12 different clubs, scoring a total of 226 league goals.
Playing career
York City
Gabbiadini was born on 20 January 1968 to an English mother and an Italian father in Nottingham, and was brought up in York, where he was educated at Nunthorpe Grammar School in Southbank. He started his professional career at York City as an apprentice at the age of 16 in 1984 and made his York City debut aged 17 as a substitute against Bolton Wanderers in March 1985. His full debut came on the first day of the 1985–86 season when he scored in a home win against Plymouth Argyle. His talent was spotted immediately and by the end of the season, York City manager, Denis Smith, told England manager, Bobby Robson, to call him into the England under-21 team in order to avoid being tied to playing for Italy, the birthplace of his father. He became the youngest player to score a hat-trick for York City at the age of 18 in an Associate Members' Cup victory against Darlington in November 1986. From then on he quickly established himself in the first team and went on to notch 18 goals in 50 starts and 21 sub appearances for the Minstermen.
Sunderland
However the departure of manager and mentor Denis Smith would see him leave York in order to follow Denis Smith to Sunderland for a transfer fee of £80,000 on 23 September 1987. Sunderland had been relegated to the Third Division and needed a goalscorer to help fire them back to the Second Division and Gabbiadini was seen by Smith as the perfect signing. Despite this Gabbiadini's signing was seen as risky, as in order to raise funds to sign him, Smith had to sell one of Sunderland's most popular players, midfielder Mark Proctor, to Sheffield Wednesday. Gabbiadini made his Sunderland debut in a 2−0 defeat to Chester City at Roker Park. His first goals for Sunderland would come only three days later in a 3−0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage as he scored twice, a feat he would match in the next two games. He would quickly establish himself as a key player and a crowd favourite for Sunderland by scoring on a regular basis, and is known in Wearside folklore as part of The G-Force thanks to the partnership he struck up with Eric Gates. In his first season at the club Gabbiadini scored 21 goals in 35 league appearances to help fire Sunderland to the Third Division championship.
Gabbiadini's second season at Sunderland was just as successful in the Second Division and he proved that he could score at a higher level. However his disciplinary record was brought to light as he received his first red card in an FA Cup replay defeat to Oxford United. Months later, Gabbiadini lashed out and assaulted an Ipswich Town player while celebrating a hat-trick. Despite missing 11 games through suspension Gabbiadini finished as Sunderland's top scorer, notching 18 goals in 36 league appearances as well as 5 in 8 cup matches. He also became Sunderland's first player to win the North East Player of the Year award, which was decided by football writers.
Gabbiadini's third season on Wearside would see his prowess in front of goal continue as his 22 goals in 49 league appearances helped clinch Sunderland's place back in the top flight. Highlights of that season included a hat-trick against Watford at Roker Park on 9 September 1989, and the goal that Gabbiadini is most fondly remembered for, the 2nd in a 2–0 win over Newcastle United at St James' Park on 16 May 1990, in the play-off semi-final clinching Sunderland's place in the Wembley final, although Swindon Town won the game 1−0 through a Gary Bennett own goal, Sunderland went on to claim their place in the First Division as Swindon were refused entry due to a series of financial irregularities by the Swindon Town board.
Gabbiadini found it more difficult in the First Division, with Gates having left and the partnership Gabbiadini created with new signing Peter Davenport struggled to live up to the glory days of The G-Force and he would struggle to score as regularly as previous seasons. He notched just 9 goals in 31 games, which at the time was his lowest total for any club season and Sunderland were relegated on the last day of the season.