Mel Sage
Melvyn Sage (born 24 March 1964) is an English former footballer. He played as a full back for Gillingham and Derby County in a ten-year career which was ultimately cut short by injury.[3]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Melvyn Sage[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 24 March 1964[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Gillingham,[1] England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2] | ||
| Playing position(s) | Full back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1980–1982 | Gillingham | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1982–1986 | Gillingham | 132 | (5) |
| 1986–1992 | Derby County | 140 | (4) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only | |||
Playing career
Sage began his career as an apprentice professional with his hometown club, Gillingham, turning professional in 1982.[4] He soon forced his way into the first team and became a regular in the defence, as well as attracting attention from larger clubs. In the 1985-86 season he was an ever-present in the team and named the club's Player of the Year, after which he was snapped up by Derby County, who had just clinched promotion to Division Two, for a fee of £60,000. The following season he helped the Rams gain promotion to Division One and in all made over 140 league appearances for Derby before a succession of injuries, most notably a knee injury sustained in November 1991, forced him into retirement in 1992.
Post-playing career
After retiring from football, Sage returned to his hometown of Gillingham and became a taxi driver.[4]
References
- "Mel Sage". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 154. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
- "Mel Sage". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Players' Transfer Database. Neil Brown. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. pp. 283–284. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.