Marco Gabbiadini

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…

Gabbiadini represented England U21 in the 1989 Toulon Tournament, which was won by France, his first appearance came in a 3−2 loss against eventual finalists Bulgaria on 5 June 1989, his second coming in another loss, this time 2−0 to the USA team in the third place play-off game on 11 June 1989. Gabbiadini would go on to represent the England B squad. The game was played at Roker Park on 24 April 1990 against Czechoslovakia. England won the game 2−0.

After retiring, Gabbiadini and his wife ran an award-winning restored Victorian hotel in York. He runs a sports management company based called Quantum Sport which represents professional footballers, international cricketers and rugby players. Since August 2009, Gabbiadini has co-presented Total Sport on BBC Newcastle with Simon Pryde and John Anderson.

Sunderland Third Division: 1987–88 Individual

PFA Team of the Year: 1999–2000 Third Division