Gary passed away peacefully in Bury Hospice in the early hours of this morning after a short illness.
Initially brought to the club from Huddersfield as cover for Phil ‘Lofty’ Parkes, Gary would eventually go on to make 111 appearances for Wolves, and none more famous than the League Cup final when he stepped up after Parkes suffered an ankle injury.
Despite it being his first League Cup appearance of the season, he produced a fantastic performance as Wolves upset the odds to defeat a star-studded Manchester City side, and he was memorably embraced by manager Bill McGarry who charged onto the pitch to congratulate him at the final whistle.
Gary was an ever-present between the sticks in league and cups in the 1976/77 season when Wolves won the Second Division title under Sammy Chung.
“Gary was such a popular and likeable character who fitted straightaway into the dressing room at Wolves,” recalls former Wolves striker and now Vice-President, and chairman of the FPA, John Richards.
“He arrived initially as cover to Lofty and, like Lofty, he never drove a car, but with his broad Lancashire accent and bubbly personality he was a great addition to the squad.
“He also showed he was a very good goalkeeper, and particularly on that incredible day at Wembley when he put in such a brilliant performance to help us win the League Cup.
“He was a really nice lad, who we were really pleased to welcome back to FPA events in recent years, including the shows marking the 50th anniversary of that League Cup victory at the Grand Theatre and Bar Sport in Cannock.
“This is such sad news, and we will all miss Gary greatly, and we send our sincere condolences to all of his family and friends.”