Quick Facts
Biography
Garry Paul Nelson (born 16 January 1961) is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Southend United, Swindon Town, Plymouth Argyle, Brighton & Hove Albion, Charlton Athletic and Torquay United (as player/assistant manager) between 1979 and 1997. He played as a striker or on the left wing. He was voted into Plymouth Argyle's Team of the Century.
Writing
Nelson also wrote two memoirs about his professional career, Left Foot Forward and Left Foot in the Grave. The books are written in diary form, chronicling a season with Charlton (1994–95) and Torquay (1996–97) respectively. The books have been generally well received, and noted as showing the real life of "ordinary" professional footballers, became best-sellers, and each was shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award.
Career after retirement
After retiring from the game in 1997, Nelson became commercial executive of the Professional Footballers' Association. In 2009, he was still playing football, regularly turning out for Old Southendians in the Southend Borough Combination Veterans League and Charlton Athletic veterans.