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Gary was Sky Sports' match commentator covering Harchester United during the late 90's and early 00's, an eventful time for the club. From
their Coca Cola Cup 3rd Round exit and FA Cup run all the way to the Quarter
Final in 1997-98, Gary's role also got him in
the thick of the action outside the press box. The first instance was the
Boxing Day 3-0 loss to Charlton Athletic at The Valley in 1998-99, and an
interview with winning manager Alan Curbishley is
interrupted by opposite manager Ian Coates, having to be held back from getting hold of
referee Colin Kingsley, all captured by the Sky Sports cameras. That
season sees Harchester's most successful FA Cup run
all the way to Wembley where they win 2-1 against
Manchester United.
A new ground
for the Dragons in 1999-00 gives Gary the honour of
taking Sky Sports on an introductory tour, where an encounter with Dynamo
Kiev signing Viktor Tankayev provides a memorable
moment that he is "Happy to be here!", but not the interview Gary
was hoping for! Nonetheless, Gary's post-match interview with gaffer Luis goes the way of his Curbishley,
with a brawl between Sean Hocknell and Scott Lucas spilling into the tunnel and Luis yelling "What
is wrong with this club?!" which Gary would also like to know!
Although an exciting
campaign to cover with Harchester's first UEFA Cup,
there is tragedy following the First Round Second Leg away to Ajax, and Gary reports on the missing
plane from outside the Lair. This season Harchester
exit the FA Cup at the Fourth Round, and the UEFA Cup at the Quarter Final
Second Leg at the Son Moix stadium. But after a 3-2
win against Spurs sees Harchester survive
relegation, Gary wants to do a longer
interview with Lynda, and he has no idea of the explosive exclusive he
misses out on when she is talked out of revealing Prash and Didier's match fixing.
Being a long-term
fixture at HUFC doesn't make Gary immune himself from a manager
in a mood, and having learnt he has made Lynda pregnant from their affair, Ray is in no mood to be told to "Lighten up" by
Gary, responding with "Well don't take the mickey
out of our league position all right?!". The season's end sees Harchester qualify for their first Champions League, and
it isn't only his choosing of a pink shirt on the day that has Gary feeling
brave, as he enters the Lion's Den of the Dragon’s Lair home dressing room to
grab a word with the conquering heroes, only to be taken on a trip into the
showers by the lads!
2001-02 sees
the Dragons make an early exit from the Champions League, but go the full
distance by making it to the UEFA Cup Final in Amsterdam. Following this, Gary moves on from covering Harchester to be replaced by the next voice of the
ground, Kevin Keatings. He makes a one-off return to cover Harchester's Third Round FA Cup tie against Dagenham & Redbridge in January 2003.
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