BRITTON, Gerry 1992-94 & 2001-04

BRITTON, Gerald Josepth
born. 20.10.1970, Glasgow

Forward. Gerry signed for the newly promoted Partick Thistle for a reported transfer fee of £95,000 from Celtic. He had started his career with Celtic having joined them from Celtic boys club in 1987 making his premier league debut in December 1990 against Dundee United at Celtic Park. Despite topping the scoring charts for the Celtic Park youth and reserve teams, he failed to breakthrough into the first eleven and spent some time on loan to Reading making 2 appearances. His time at Celtic Park saw him lift various youth honours including the 1990 BP Youth Cup, and the Glasgow Cup in 1990 and 1991 the later coming in a epic final over Partick Thistle at Celtic Park. In his first season at Firhill he was the clubs leading goal scorer with 13 league and cup goals, including a goal in Thistle famous 3-0 victory over league champions at Firhill. The following season seen Gerry in good form during pre-season as he grabbed a hat trick in the Jags 8-3 win over Ballyclare Commrades. Gerry had formed a good partnership with recent arrival Roddy Grant, but it was Grant who was hitting the back of the net regularly as Gerry played more a supporting role. Off the field Thistle were struggling to finance the building of the new Stand at Firhill and when fellow Premier League stragglers Dundee managed by former Jag Jim Duffy offered Thistle £225,000 for Gerry and George Shaw the pair were sold much to the fans disbelieve. The remained of season 1993-94 saw Gerry struggle to find the net for his new club and managed a solitary goal for the Dens Park side as they were eventually relegated. Gerry remained in the first division with the Dens Park side for the next two seasons making the 1994 league challenge cup final and 1995 league cup final losing both. Gerry was on the verge of agreeing a move to France in the summer of 1996 under freedom of contract, but he decided to stay in Scotland and signed for Premier League Dunfermline Athletic ensuring that Dundee received some much needed transfer income. In three seasons with the Fifers Gerry played 70 premier league games netting 18 goals and even managed a loan spell to first division Raith Rovers. Gerry returned to the first division and signed for the big spending newly promoted Livingston, two season with the former works team from Edinburgh seen Gerry net 9 goals and pick up the 2000-01 first division championship and reserve league cup. Gerry was released by Livingston and returned to Firhill under the management of old boss John Lambie. The newly promoted Jags had set out at the start of the season to try to consolidate their place in the first division but within a few months and Gerry amongst the goals it became clear that another promotion was achievable. As Thistle continued to top the table the Jags also went on a Scottish Cup Run reaching the Semi-Final before losing to Rangers at Hampden, one of the highlights of the run being Gerry superb goal of the season in the 4th Round replay victory over SPL side Dundee. The Jags duly clinched the Championship in April and a return to the top flight of Scottish football with Gerry combining playing with coaching the new formed under 21 side. Life back in the top flight saw Gerry bag 5 of Thistle 37 league goals as the Jags under manger Lambie finished a respectable 10th in the twelve team league. On John Lambie’s retirement, his assistant Gerry Collins was named the successor, but as Thistle failed to record a victory by November the Jags board of directors took the decision to sack manager Collins, asking Britton and fellow player Derek Whyte to take charge of team matters. Results immediately got better and the appointment of Co-managers Britton and Whyte was made perment a month later. The Jags failed to retain there place in the SPL and were relegated back the first division. With Thistle, the bookies favourite to return to the SPL in one season Gerry and his co-manager both concentrated on management with only Gerry making one appearance for the Jags as the team struggled to match the bookies expectations, and with Thistle wining only five of their opening 19 league games both co-managers were dismissed replaced temporary by former manager Lambie and then Brechin City boss Dick Campbell. Gerry then reverted to playing and turned out for Berwick Rangers before moving to SPL side Motherwell where on the last game of the season he would come off the bench against his former side Celtic as two Scott McDonald goals changed the destination of the SPL title from Celtic Park to Ibrox Park. IN the summer of 2005 Gerry was named player-assistant manager of 1st Division Dundee, but a few months into the position he was again sacked along with manager Alan Kerrigan. He joined fellow first division side Brechin City as a player and made over 20 appearances for the Glebe Park men scoring three goals as they lost their flight for survival in the first division. In the summer of 2006, he was named as player manager of Stranraer in the second division by the end of the season they were relegated. Season 2007-08 saw Gerry guide his Stranraer team into the play-off positions, and won manager of the month in January 2008, the following month Gerry returned to Firhill as Ian McCall’s assistant manager. Gerry is married to the daughter of former Celtic player Mick Davitt who played junior football with St Francis, Baillieston and Renfrew.

· 1989-90 – BP Youth Cup Winner, Celtic
· 1989-90 – Glasgow Cup Winner, Celtic
· 1990-91 – Glasgow Cup Winner, Celtic
· 1994-95 – League Challenge Cup Runner-Up, Dundee
· 1995-96 – League Cup Runner-Up, Dundee
· 2000-01 – Reserve League Cup Winner, Livingston
· 2000-01 – 1st Division Winner, Livingston
· 2001-02 – 1st Division Winner, Partick Thistle