Ian Gayle
English footballer (born 1992)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ian George Gayle (born 23 October 1992) is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Isthmian League Premier Division club Ramsgate.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ian George Gayle[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 23 October 1992[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Welling, England | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[3] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Ramsgate | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2010–2011 | Dagenham & Redbridge | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011–2016 | Dagenham & Redbridge | 10 | (0) |
| 2011 | → St Neots Town (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2011 | → Grays Athletic (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | → Kingstonian (loan) | 26 | (1) |
| 2012 | → Histon (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2013 | → Kingstonian (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | → Grays Athletic (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2014 | → Whitehawk (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | → St Albans City (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2015 | → St Albans City (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | → Bishop's Stortford (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2016 | → Welling United (loan) | 16 | (2) |
| 2016–2017 | Braintree Town | 22 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Welling United | 17 | (0) |
| 2018 | Wealdstone | 12 | (1) |
| 2018–2019 | Woking | 16 | (1) |
| 2019–2022 | Eastbourne Borough | 28 | (1) |
| 2022 | → Cray Valley Paper Mills (dual-reg) | 6 | (1) |
| 2022–2025 | Folkestone Invicta | 99 | (13) |
| 2025 | Lewes | 10 | (2) |
| 2025– | Ramsgate | 0 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21:08, 21 October 2025 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Gayle was born in Welling, London Borough of Bexley and is of Jamaican descent.[citation needed] Gayle joined the youth system at Dagenham & Redbridge in 2010 as a scholar.[4] In March 2011, Gayle joined United Counties League Premier Division side St Neots Town on a youth loan.[5] He made his debut for the club against Boston Town, coming on as a substitute in a 3–2 win.[5] His first start for the club came in a 5–2 win over Newport Pagnell Town.[5] His final appearance came in an 8–1 away win against Cogenhoe United, as St Neots clinched the league title.[5] Gayle made a total of eight appearances for St Neots scoring no goals. In May 2011, he completed his scholarship and progressed into the first team after being offered a one-year contract by first-team manager John Still, with the option of a one-year extension.[6]
In August 2011, Gayle joined Isthmian League Division One North side Grays Athletic on a short-term loan deal with an option to extend.[7] He made only one appearance during his loan spell in a 1–1 draw with Heybridge Swifts before returning to the Daggers.[8] In October 2011, he joined Isthmian League Premier Division side Kingstonian on loan until the end of the season.[9] His debut came in the 3–0 away league defeat to A.F.C. Hornchurch, featuring as a substitute.[10] He scored in his first start for the club, in a 3–1 Isthmian League Cup defeat to Margate.[10] He scored the second in a 2–1 win over Dulwich Hamlet in the London Senior Cup quarter final.[10] In March 2012, he scored the winner in a 2–0 league win over Canvey Island.[10] His final game of his loan spell came in April 2012, in a 5–2 defeat to East Thurrock United.[10] Gayle made a total of 31 appearances in all competitions scoring three goals.
In the summer of 2012, Gayle signed a one-year contract extension. In August 2012, he joined Conference North side Histon on loan until January 2013.[11] He made his debut for the club in a 4–1 home defeat to Guiseley.[12] In October 2011, Histon manager Dennis Greene ended Gayle's loan spell and he returned to Dagenham after picking up an injury playing in a training match for his parent club.[13] In January 2013, Gayle re-joined Isthmian League Premier Division side Kingstonian on loan.[14] He played his first match in a 3–1 away win over Carshalton Athletic.[15] In March, his loan was extended until the end of the season.[16] His final game of the loan spell came against Leiston in a 2–2 draw.[15] He made a total of thirteen appearances in all competitions as Kingstonian finished in mid-table.
In the summer of 2013, Gayle was set to be released, however he impressed in pre-season friendlies against Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace and signed a three-month contract in August with a view to an extension.[17] In November 2013, Gayle returned to Grays Athletic on an initial one-month deal.[18] His first game came in a 1–0 defeat to Canvey Island.[8] In December 2012, his loan was extended for a further month.[19] His final appearance for Grays came in a 3–2 away defeat to Dulwich Hamlet.[8] In January 2014, Gayle returned to the Daggers after his loan spell had been blighted by injuries.[20] In February 2014, Gayle was on the move again joining Conference South side Whitehawk on a one-month loan deal.[21] His debut for the Hawks came in a 2–1 home defeat to Eastbourne Borough.[22] His second and final game for the club came in a 3–1 defeat to Bath City.[22] In April 2014, Gayle finally made his Daggers and Football League debut in a 2–0 defeat to Wycombe Wanderers, replacing Matthew Saunders as a substitute.[23] He went on to make a further three league appearances as the Daggers finished in the top half of the table.[24] In June 2014, he signed a new one-year contract until 2015.[24] After finding it difficult to break into the first team, in November 2014 he was sent to Conference South side St Albans City on an initial one-month.[25] In December 2014, following a 1–0 defeat to Bromley, his loan was extended for a further month.[26] His final game for St Albans came in February 2015, in a 1–1 draw with Basingstoke Town.[27] He returned to Dagenham at the end of the month having made sixteen appearances for the club in all competitions.[28] In August 2015, he re-joined National League South side St Albans City on an initial one-month loan.[29] In November 2015, he joined National League South side Bishop's Stortford on a one-month loan deal.[30] In February 2016, he joined National League side Welling United on loan until the end of the season along with Adeoye Yusuff.[31] In May 2016 as his contract expired, he was released along with eleven players as Dagenham were relegated to the National League.[32]
In August 2016, he signed for National League side Braintree Town on a free transfer following his release by Dagenham.[33] On the opening day of the season, he went onto make his debut during Braintree's 0–0 draw with North Ferriby United, playing the full 90 minutes.[34] Following several major injuries, Gayle's playing time was limited at the National League side and the centre-back only managed to feature just twenty-three more times before leaving for Welling United in June 2017.[35]
On 4 June 2018, following his release from Wealdstone, Gayle joined recently relegated Woking.[36] On the opening day of the 2018–19 campaign, Gayle made his Woking debut during their 1–0 away victory over East Thurrock United, featuring for the entire 90 minutes.[37] Three days later, he scored his first goal for the Surrey-based side, netting the winner in their 2–1 home victory against St Albans City.[38]
In March 2022, Gayle joined Cray Valley Paper Mills on dual-registration basis.[39]
In June 2022, Gayle signed for Isthmian Premier Division side Folkestone Invicta for the 2022/2023 campaign.[40] He departed the club at the end of the 2024–25 season.[41]
In June 2025, Gayle joined Isthmian League Premier Division side Lewes.[42] In October 2025, he joined divisional rivals Ramsgate.[43]
Career statistics
- As of match played 11 October 2025
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Dagenham & Redbridge | 2010–11[44] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011–12[44] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2012–13[44] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2013–14[23] | League Two | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2014–15[45] | League Two | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2015–16[44] | League Two | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| St Neots Town (loan) | 2010–11[5] | UCL Premier Division | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| Grays Athletic (loan) | 2011–12[8] | IL Division One North | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Kingstonian (loan) | 2011–12[10] | IL Premier Division | 26 | 1 | — | — | 5[a] | 2 | 31 | 3 | ||
| Histon (loan) | 2012–13[12] | Conference North | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| Kingstonian (loan) | 2012–13[15] | IL Premier Division | 12 | 0 | — | — | 1[b] | 0 | 13 | 0 | ||
| Grays Athletic (loan) | 2013–14[8] | IL Premier Division | 4 | 0 | — | — | 3[c] | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| Whitehawk (loan) | 2013–14[44] | Conference South | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| St Albans City (loan) | 2014–15[27] | Conference South | 14 | 0 | — | — | 2[d] | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| St Albans City (loan) | 2015–16[27] | National League South | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 | ||
| Total | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 26 | 0 | |||
| Bishop's Stortford (loan) | 2015–16[46] | National League South | 6 | 0 | — | — | 2[e] | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Welling United (loan) | 2015–16[44] | National League | 16 | 2 | — | — | — | 16 | 2 | |||
| Braintree Town | 2016–17[44] | National League | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
| Welling United | 2017–18[5] | National League South | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[d] | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| Wealdstone | 2017–18[44] | National League South | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | 12 | 1 | |||
| Woking | 2018–19[44] | National League South | 16 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | |
| Eastbourne Borough | 2019–20[44] | National League South | 28 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 3[f] | 0 | 33 | 1 | |
| 2020–21[44] | National League South | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22[44] | National League South | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 28 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 33 | 1 | ||
| Cray Valley Paper Mills (dual registration) |
2021–22[47] | IL South East Division | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[g] | 0 | 7 | 1 | |
| Folkestone Invicta |
2022–23[48] | Isthmian Premier Division | 38 | 6 | 4 | 0 | — | 5[h] | 1 | 47 | 7 | |
| 2023–24[49] | Isthmian League Premier Division | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 2[i] | 0 | 29 | 2 | ||
| 2024–25[50] | Isthmian League Premier Division | 35 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[d] | 0 | 37 | 5 | ||
| Total | 99 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 113 | 14 | ||
| Lewes | 2025–26[51] | Isthmian League Premier Division | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | |
| Career total | 325 | 22 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 3 | 376 | 26 | ||
- One appearance and one goal in Isthmian League Cup, four appearances and one goal in London Senior Cup
- Appearance(s) in London Senior Cup
- One appearance in FA Trophy, two in Isthmian League Cup
- One appearance in FA Trophy, one in Herts Senior Cup
- One appearance in Sussex Senior Cup, two appearances in FA Trophy
- Appearance(s) in Isthmian League South East Division Play-offs
- Four appearances in FA Trophy, one appearance and one goal in Alan Turvey Trophy
- One appearance in FA Trophy, one appearance in Alan Turvey Trophy
Honours
Club
Woking
- National League South play-offs: 2018–19
