Garry Brady
In 1998, Garry Brady made headlines when he left Tottenham Hotspur, much to the dismay of then-chairman Alan Sugar, to join Newcastle United. The transfer, which involved a pre-contract agreement, was a significant move for the young midfielder who had just broken into Spurs’ first team. Brady’s decision was heavily influenced by his childhood hero, Kenny Dalglish, who was managing Newcastle at the time. The allure of playing under Dalglish and the proximity to his home in Scotland made the decision an easy one for Brady.
Garry Brady said: “I thought it was someone on the wind up to be honest, but I eventually realised it was Kenny. He said he had kept an eye on me for a few years and was looking to sign me and bring me up there. I jumped at the chance. To have Kenny on the phone to you, you were a wee bit shell-shocked. I said, ‘I’ll sign for nothing!’ At that time, Sugar was on the phone as well and Tottenham wanted me to stay, but I had made my mind up. I was ignoring him. I wasn’t answering the phone. He just slaughtered me. He was really p—– off. It sounds crazy now but Sugar phoned the house in London and he was phoning my Ma up in Glasgow trying to find out where I was. My Ma was like, ‘I don’t know where he is!’ You don’t realise who you are dealing with at the time. I just felt Newcastle came in, it’s closer to home, it’s king Kenny and the fans are brilliant. I couldn’t have knocked that back.”
Brady’s transfer to Newcastle was not without its challenges. Although he was out of contract, Newcastle had to pay a tribunal-ordered fee of £650,000 to Spurs, as they had developed the 21-year-old. This was a substantial investment for a young player at the time. Upon arriving at Newcastle, Brady found the transition to pre-season training at Maiden Castle daunting, especially under the watchful eyes of thousands of supporters. The experience of sharing the dressing room with legends like Rob Lee, Alan Shearer, David Batty, and Stuart Pearce was both intimidating and exhilarating for the young Scot.
Brady explained: “It was a buzz going into the same dressing room as Rob Lee, [Alan] Shearer, [David] Batty, Stuart Pearce. They are all legends of the game, but you just feel you’re a small fry going in there proving yourself. That’s the nature of the beast. Maybe I folded a wee bit instead of grasping it. I was a bit star-struck. The first time you go in, Pearcey’s gone in and rattled you! You’re like, ‘It’s only training!’ But you realise that’s the level you’re playing at. You train the way they play. It gave you a wake-up call.”
Despite the initial challenges, Brady made all his appearances for Newcastle under Ruud Gullit, Dalglish’s successor. Although he acknowledged missing some opportunities, the match day atmosphere at St James’ Park left a lasting impression on him.
Brady recalled: “Even the build-up. We went to the Copthorne, met up there, had our pre-match and went to the game. You always went through the city and you could see it was pure buzzing at one o’clock. When you’re going down the tunnel for the warm-up and, then, when the game actually kicks off, the roar sends a shiver down my spine now even talking about it.”
Brady’s time at Newcastle may not have been as successful as he had hoped, but he cherishes the memories and friendships he made during his three years at the club. His subsequent career saw him return to Scotland, playing for Dundee, St Mirren, and Brechin City before retiring in 2013. Reflecting on his career, Brady remains grateful for the experiences and the life he led in football.
About The Author
