Steve Gatting

Lore & Background

Gatting started his career at Arsenal, joining as an apprentice in July 1975. He turned professional in 1977, and made his first-team debut as a substitute against Lokomotiv Leipzig in a UEFA Cup match on 13 September 1978; Arsenal won 3–0. He made 21 appearances in the 1978-79 season. He was not part of the squad that won the 1979 FA Cup Final, but contributed seven appearances en route to the final; five came in the third round against Sheffield Wednesday (it took four replays, Gatting scoring one goal in the fourth replay) and the others were the fourth round, quarter-final, and semi-final against Wolverhampton Wanderers. After his playing career, he coached for seven years at Christ's Hospital school and from 2007 was coach of the under-23s at Arsenal, but was suspended in May 2018 alongside assistant Carl Laraman in relation to accusations of bullying, and later left by mutual consent. Gatting was also a competent cricketer, making several appearances for Middlesex's second eleven.

In Their Own Story

The rain lashed down at Withdean on a grey November afternoon, turning the pitch into a slippery track. Steve Gatting stood in his box, mud already staining the white of his socks, barking orders to organize the defensive line. An opposing striker surged forward, looking for space, but Gatting was there, a immovable force. He didn't just block the shot; he absorbed the impact, rose from the turf with determination in his eyes, and signaled the keeper to restart play. To the thousands watching under the floodlights, he wasn't just playing a match; he was embodying the spirit of Brighton.

Reader's Guide

Gatting's career is documented primarily through his time at Arsenal and his appearance for Brighton in the 1983 FA Cup Final. Details of his Brighton playing career beyond that final are not provided in the source.

Did You Know?

• Gatting's brother is former England cricketer Mike Gatting.
• His son Joe Gatting made 44 appearances as a footballer for Brighton and Hove Albion before becoming a cricketer for Sussex and then Hampshire.
• Gatting scored a goal in the fourth replay of the FA Cup third round against Sheffield Wednesday in 1979.