Gary Naysmith

Gary Andrew Naysmith (born 16 November 1978) is a Scottish football coach and former player, who is currently the manager of Scottish League Two side Stenhousemuir.

Naysmith, who played as a left-back or left-winger, started his senior career with Hearts.

Naysmith moved to England to sign with Premier League club Everton, where he stayed for seven seasons.

Within a year he had established himself as the side's first-choice left back, displacing Neil Pointon, and in 1998 helped the Tynecastle club end their 36-year trophy drought by lifting the Scottish Cup.

That season he was also named Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year.

A transitional season followed as the loss of Weir, McCann (both transferred) and Colin Cameron (injured) destabilised the side.

Naysmith himself had to adapt to a change in the levels of expectation placed upon him, no longer allowed the defence of youthful naïveté.

By the 1999–2000 season he had rediscovered his confidence and was being touted for an international call-up.

Naysmith was capped 46 times by the Scotland national team between 2000 and 2009.

After spells with Sheffield United and Huddersfield Town, Naysmith returned to Scotland with Aberdeen.

A particular highlight of that season was his display in a 3–2 defeat of Celtic at Parkhead in February 2000.

Hearts had trailed 2–0 before battling back to victory, with Naysmith striking a spectacular equalising goal.

As one of Hearts' most valuable assets, Naysmith was also the subject of transfer speculation.

Financial concerns at the club heightened these and in October 2000 it appeared that Naysmith was bound for the West Midlands when Coventry City bid for him.

However, their offer was bettered by Everton at the eleventh hour, and Naysmith moved to Merseyside instead, in a £1.7 million deal.

Naysmith first became a regular under Walter Smith and then remained under his successor David Moyes.

His early performances led to Everton fans nicknaming "El Blanco Carlos", after the Brazilian left-back Roberto Carlos.

He made 152 appearances for Everton, scoring six goals, although his Everton career was disrupted by injury.

In December 2002 he was the victim of a "blood curdling, x-rated" tackle by Liverpool's Steven Gerrard.

At the end of the 2004–05 season, he signed a new three-year contract with the Blues.

A long term ankle injury in 2005 meant that Naysmith lost his first-team place at Everton to Alessandro Pistone in the 2004–05 season, and in the 2005–06 season Portuguese international Nuno Valente claimed the left back slot at Goodison Park.

Naysmith recovered from ankle surgery in time for the start of the 2006–07 season and an injury to Valente in the season's opening game saw him restored to the starting eleven.

He kept his place after Valente returned to fitness, however it was not long before injury befell him again, a medial ligament strain in the game against Newcastle United on 24 September 2006 keeping him out for two months.

On 5 May 2007, Naysmith scored the third goal in a 3–0 victory over Portsmouth The win practically guaranteed that Everton would be playing in Europe during the 2007–08 season.

Naysmith made over 130 Premier League appearances for the Toffees before leaving the club to join Championship side Sheffield United for £1 million in July 2007 as part of an exchange deal with Phil Jagielka.

As part of the deal that took Phil Jagielka to Goodison Park, Naysmith was given permission to speak to Sheffield United to discuss a possible move.

He was signed by The Blades and agreed a three-year deal at Bramall Lane, thus ending a six-and-half-year stay with Everton.

Naysmith made his first team début in the opening game of the 2007–08 season in a 2–2 home draw with Colchester United and quickly cemented his place in the side becoming the first choice at left back throughout the rest of the season.

Naysmith started 42 games in his first season, 38 of them in the league.

Naysmith started the 2008–09 season as first choice left back, playing 43 games until he suffered serious cruciate ligament damage which ruled him out for the final weeks of the season, thus missing the club's unsuccessful play-off campaign.

He made his first start of the season on the opening day in United's 1–0 loss at Birmingham City.

Naysmith started 37 league games and made a further two appearances from the bench.

In the summer of 2013, Naysmith signed with part-time club East Fife, and was then appointed as player-manager in December.

He managed Championship club Queen of the South from December 2016 to May 2019.

He was appointed manager of Edinburgh City in March 2021, but was sacked a year later.

Naysmith became Stenhousemuir manager in January 2023.

Naysmith started his senior career with Hearts, whom he joined from local side Whitehill's Colts team.

Naysmith made his professional debut, aged only 17, several months later in a League Cup tie with Celtic.

His opportunity arose from a suspension crisis, the Maroons having no fewer than four defenders (Bruno, Weir, Ritchie and Pointon) sent off in their previous match at Rangers.

Despite the patchwork nature of their defence, Hearts defeated Celtic 1–0, with Naysmith earning plaudits for his mature display.