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Writer's pictureDaniel Prince

Factfile: Gary Liddle

Updated: Sep 28, 2022

Gary Liddle has agreed a deal to become South Shields’ fourth signing of the summer, with the former Hartlepool United defender to join on July 1st.


We take a closer look at the 35-year-old as he prepares to join the Mariners’ ranks.

  • Gary Liddle was born on June 15th, 1986 in Middlesbrough

  • He progressed through the famed Middlesbrough FC Academy, remaining with his hometown club until 2006

  • During his time with Boro, Liddle won the FA Youth Cup in 2003-04 alongside team-mates including Lee Cattermole, David Wheater, James Morrison, Andrew Taylor and Tony McMahon. They beat Aston Villa – who fielded the likes of Gary Cahill and Gabriel Agbonlahor – in the final

  • Liddle’s first spell at Hartlepool began in 2006, with the defender making his senior debut for the club

  • He made an immediate impression, winning the club’s Players’ Player of the Year award in his first season

  • A mainstay in the team for six seasons, Liddle made 238 appearances for Pools in his first stint with the club, and helped them win promotion from League Two in 2006-07

  • Liddle moved to fellow League One side Notts County in 2012 and spent two years at Meadow Lane

  • He played every minute of Notts’ league campaign in 2012-13 and won a host of individual club awards at the end of that season

  • A further League One switch followed in 2014, with Liddle going on to have a one-and-a-half-year stint with Bradford City

  • His next club was Chesterfield, who he was quickly appointed captain of after signing in February 2016

  • A year later, Liddle signed for Carlisle United, where he remained for 18 months

  • Former Hartlepool team-mate Darrell Clarke brought Liddle to Walsall in July 2019 but Pools lured him back to Victoria Park, initially on loan, in the 2019-20 season

  • That move was quickly made permanent, and Liddle was part of the Pools team which earned promotion to League Two via the National League play-offs in 2020-21

  • Liddle made almost 40 appearances in all competitions last season as Hartlepool re-established themselves in the Football League

  • He captained the club in last season’s historic FA Cup fourth round tie away to Crystal Palace

  • After deciding not to extend his spell with Pools, Liddle leaves the club with 364 Hartlepool appearances to his name and over 700 senior appearances overall

  • He is ninth on Hartlepool’s all-time appearances list

  • Although mainly a centre-back, he is also able to play at right-back or in the centre of midfield

  • Liddle will begin his new challenge on July 1st after agreeing to join South Shields

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