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Gary Mabbutt initially played for Bristol Rovers, making over 130 appearances, but it was his time at Tottenham Hotspur where he really hit the big time.

He became one of the best known defenders in English football in the 1980s, captaining Tottenham for several years. He scored on his debut with Spurs, won the UEFA Cup in 1984, and captained them to victory in the 1991 FA Cup Final.

In 1993, he sustained a fractured skull and eye socket after an aerial challenge with Wimbledon striker John Fashanu. After a three-month absence, he became the first player to wear a protective mask on the pitch. Soon after he suffered a broken leg, resulting in him retiring at the end of the 1997-98 season. By the time, he was the club’s second longest-serving player.

He also won 11 caps for the England Youth Team, 7 for England U21, 16 for the England Senior team, and 9 for the England B team.

 

Gary Mabbutt | Outside Football

Gary is a type 1 diabetic and has become an icon for many children with the condition, famously appearing on the BBC programme Blue Peter, where he demonstrated injecting insulin into an orange to show how he dealt with his condition.

He was appointed an MBE in 1994 for his services to football. He was awarded an Honorary Master of Science degree from the University of Hertfordshire in 1998, an Honorary Doctorate in Health from the University of Bath in 2018, and an Honorary Doctorate in Law from the University of Bristol in 2019.

He has worked with a range of charities; he served as an ambassador for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa, worked with the Deloitte Street Child World Cup, training street children and ex-street children in football, and for street children’s rights in South Africa, run by the Amos Trust. He is also a Global Club Ambassador for Tottenham Hotspur and the English Football Association, is an Ambassador for the King’s Trust, and is Honorary Vice-President of Diabetes UK.

 

Contact Great Sports Speakers today to check Gary’s availability and fees for personal appearances and speaking engagements.