Gavin Mahon

At 46 years old, Gavin Mahon has this physical status:

Gavin Andrew Mahon (born 2 January 1977) is an English professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. Mahon started his career as a trainee with Wolverham Wanderers, but the club did not have any first-team appearances.

He signed Hereford United on a free transfer in July 1996 and went on to play two-and-a-half years of regular first-team football.

Mahon paid Brentford's fee in November 1998, which soared to £130,000.

He assisted the club in winning promotion from Division Three in 1998-99 and went on to make more than 150 appearances for the west London team.

He joined Watford in March 2002 for £150,000 and then captained the club to promotion in the Premier League. Following a fruitful loan spell last season, Mahon signed for Queens Park Rangers in the 2008–09 season.

Injuries hampered his QPR career, andAccounting for him was temporarily loaned out to Crystal Palace in March 2011, although he did not make any appearances for the club.

In August 2011, Mahon signed for Notts County on a free transfer.

In February 2013, he was loaned to Stevenage for the remainder of the 2012-13 campaign.

Mahon left Notts County at the end of the season and briefly joined Portsmouth in October 2013 for a one-month period.

In December 2013, he signed for Tamworth in December 2013 and spent the remainder of the 2013-2014 season in what was his final playing position.

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Playing career

Mahon began his football career with Wolverham Wanderers, where he progressed through the club's youth academy and played regularly for the youth team. He was released by Wolves at the end of the 1995–96 season after making no first-team appearances. On a free transfer in July 1996, he signed for Hereford United of Division Three, his first professional appearance in the club's 1–0 victory over Doncaster Rovers. In a 3–0 victory over Rochdale, Mahon scored his first goal of his career during the same season. Despite playing seven times during the season, he did not make any more first-team appearances from November to the Conference National at the end of the season, with Hereford losing relegation to the Conference National at the end of the season. Mahon stayed in Hereford for the 1997-1998 season, playing in all 42 league games as Hereford finished the season in sixth place.

Mahon signed for Brentford in November 1998, for a nominal price of £50,000, which later increased to £130,000 under the terms of the contract. Mahon made his Brentford debut in the club's 2–1 loss at Leyton Orient on November 21, 1998, and played regularly in central midfield. Brentford's first match of 1999 began with him scoring his third goal in a 3–1 victory over Barnet at Griffin Park, earning his third goal. Brentford's first season with the club was a fruitful one, with the club winning Division Two by four points. Mahon made 32 appearances during the season, with four of them leading with four goals. Mahon's first full season with the west London club, making 44 appearances and scoring three times, as Brentford consolidated their position in Division Two with a mid-table finish.

Mahon made 51 appearances in league and cup tournaments during the 2000-01 season, when Brentford finished in mid-table. He scored once more this season, scoring the equalizing goal in an away game against Bristol City in December 2000, a match that Brentford defeated 2–1. Brentford defeated Port Vale 2–1 in the Football League Trophy Final, and he was also selected in the starting lineup for his first competitive final of his career. Mahon received his first red card of his season; he was suspended in the 83rd-minute in a 1–0 home loss to Swindon Town on April 11, 2002. Brentford's fourth straight season got off to a good start, with the club getting off to an eight-match unbeaten start to the season. Despite leaving Brentford's Player of the Year for the year three months before the season's end, he made 39 appearances during the year and was named Brentford's Player of the Year for the year. Mahon made 166 appearances in all competitions, scoring eight goals during his three-and-a-half years at Brentford.

Mahon signed for Watford, a Division One club, in March 2002 for an initial fee of £150,000. As a result of Watford's reserve team manager Ray Lewington's, who had previously signed Mahon at Brentford, he recommended the player to new boss Gianluca Vialli. Vialli continued to watch him play and decided against making Mahon his first signing for the club. "I knew Watford was keen, I was eager to leap at the chance as soon as I knew Watford was interested." In a 2–0 away win over Crystal Palace on March 9, he made his Watford debut on March 9, 2002 and was playing the entire game. Mahon continued to make five appearances for the club during the remainder of the 2001–02 season. Mahon was one of several players who took a voluntary wage cut as a result of Watford's financial difficulties in the 2002–03 season, under Lewington's new chairmanship. After suffering a knee injury in May 2002, Watford announced that Mahon would miss the first months of the new season. Mahon returned to the first team in the club's 2–1 victory over Burnley on November 30, 2002, and went on to make 22 appearances during the season. He was in the reserve team for two months to recover fitness. Five of those appearances were in Watford's FA Cup campaign, losing 2–1 at Villa Park in the semi-finals to Southampton.

Swift played infül's first game of the 2003–04 season, a 1–0 home win over AFC Bournemouth in the League Cup, and Mahon remained consistently present throughout the first two months of the season. Mahon was ultimately barred from two months after suffering an injury in the club's 1–0 away victory over Crewe Alexandra on October 4, 2003. Mahon scored his first goal for Watford in January 2004, scoring with a header to put the club up a short lead over Premier League club Chelsea in the Third Round of the FA Cup, with an eventual 2–2 draw. In home matches against Sunderland and Derby County respectively, he added to his goal tally twice during the second half of the season. Mahon had scored three times during a season in which there was another mid-table finish, with 36 appearances in all sports. He was named Player of the Season shortly after the season ended. Mahon signed a new three-year contract extension with the club in October 2004, keeping him at Watford until 2007. "I've known Gavin a long time, and it doesn't surprise me that he's become a vital piece of our squad," Lewington said. During the season, he made 51 appearances. After taking up seven points from their final three matches, Watford barely escaped relegation by two points under new ownership of Aidy Boothroyd.

Mahon was appointed club captain ahead of the 2005–06 season following Sean Dyche's departure. Watford's season started well, with Mahon scoring his first goal of the new campaign against Burnley on August 20, 2005. Watford's young squad soared hopes during the season, with Mahon's leadership leading Watford's youthful squad to a third-place finish. In the semi-finals at the Millennium Stadium on May 21, Mahon participated in all three play-off matches before losing by a 3–0 scoreline in the final. In Mahon's first season as captain, Watford earned promotion to the Premier League, a feat in which he appeared in 43 games. On July 18, 2006, Mahon signed a two-year deal with the club. He then began playing in the club's first game since returning to the Premier League and losing 2–1 at Goodison Park as Watford lost 2–1 to Everton. Mahon made 38 appearances during the season, scoring once with a "fierce volley" in a 4–2 victory over Portsmouth, a goal that was not selected for the Month of Month award in April. After finishing in 20th place, Watford was relegated to the Championship. Mahon was in three of Watford's five FA Cup matches that season, and the club reached the FA Cup semi-finals that season, defeating 4–1 to Manchester United at Villa Park.

Mahon continued to play regularly in the first half of the season, making 19 appearances. However, Mahon told Mahon that he wanted to build a squad that was able to play in the Premier League, and that Mahon did not appear in his future plans. "I told Aidy that I wanted to live, at least until the season's end," Mahon said. I wanted to get a second promotion in three years on my resume. Aidy outlined his reasons for his decision, and I have no grudges against him for that." Mahon left Watford when the club finished in first place in the Championship, but the club would eventually finish in sixth place. Later, Boothroyd regretted that Mahon had left "too early." Mahon made 215 appearances and scored seven goals during his five-and-a-half years with Watford.

Mahon joined Queens Park Rangers on a 'emergency loan' basis on December 31, 2007, with the intention of a permanent transfer at the end of the season. QPR won "four or five other Championship sides" for his signature. Mahon's first payment of £200,000 was paid for by the Watford Corporation, with an additional £50,000 due to later clauses. Despite being dissatisfied with his abrupt departure from Watford, Mahon said it was "a thrilling moment to be joining" QPR, and that "the board's energy and enthusiasm impressed me, and I'm delighted to be here." In the club's 3–1 victory over Leicester City at Loftus Road, he made his debut a day after signing and finished as a 67th-minute replacement. Mahon scored his first goal for the club on February 12, 2008, the first goal of the match, as QPR squandered a two-goal lead to lose 4–2 at home to Burnley. He made 17 appearances in the second half of the season, with QPR finishing the season in 14th place. At the end of the season, Mahon joined the club on a permanent basis.

Iain Dowie, Mahon, and QPR's new owners began the 2008–09 season with five victories in their first six matches. Mahon scored his first goal of the season on a 1–0 home win over Cardiff City on November 8, 2008, as a 67th-minute replacement, before scoring a headed goal against a nine-man Cardiff side with just 10 minutes remaining. In the BBC documentary The Four Year Plan, as joint-owner Flavio Briatore ordered sporting director Gianni Paladini to "going down to the touchline to order caretaker boss Gareth Ainsworth to dismiss Gavin Mahon from the bench." Mahon, the director of a last gasp winner and Briatore, erupts in a fit of self-righteous rage and jubilation in the directors' box. In a game that QPR had trailed by two goals to Sheffield on Wednesday, with Mahon scoring with a diving header to equalize, his second goal of the season came in April 2009. QPR won the match 3–2, with all of their goals coming in the last half of the match. During the season, he worked under three different bosses, with 40 appearances as the club finished in mid-table.

Mahon played in QPR's first game of the 2009–10 season on August 8, 2009, playing the entire match as the team lost 1–1 at home to Blackpool. He played regularly in the first month of the season, appearing in nine different leagues for nine out of nine games, scoring once, with QPR winning seven of the games. In November 2009, he sustained a knee injury, which would effectively keep him out for the remainder of the season. Mahon's deal comes to an end at the end of the season, boss Neil Warnock predicted that "He'll probably come back and do a pre-season with us and show me what he can do freshly." I've always loved Gavin, but we've just got to wait and see who's available." Despite being forced to leave the team in 2009-2010 on a one-month deal, he rejoined the club in October 2010, describing it as "like a trial." Despite the fact that he did not make any more first-team appearances for QPR, the monthly contract was extended on four occasions.

On March 24, 2011, he joined Crystal Palace on loan until the end of the 2010–11 season. "I'm very pleased to have joined," Mahon said of the loan agreement. This season has been a halt for me, and I'm going to be playing in and amongst the first team. It would be fantastic if I can provide some feedback off the pitch as well as on it. During the loan period, he did not appear again and returned to his parent club in May 2011. Mahon was one of eight players to be released by QPR a month after his return. He scored four goals in 66 appearances during his time at the club.

Mahon began training with Watford in the hopes of regaining fitness ahead of the 2011–12 season. Despite no trade related, he played for Watford against Brentford in a friendly in July 2011 and said he "really appreciated the opportunity" Watford gave him to train with the club.

Mahon signed for League One club Notts County on an initial pay-to-play contract two weeks into the new season. He made his debut for the club two days after Notts County lost 2–0 against Preston North End. During Mahon's first month with the club, the manager impressed him, and Allen wanted to lock down the player's contract until the end of the season. Mahon joined Notts County on October 13th, 2012, extending his service with the club until the summer of 2013. He was referred to as a "pivotal" player in Notts County's season and went on to make 34 appearances before being disqualified on a play-off spot on goal difference. Notts County said they wanted to keep Mahon's services at the end of the season, but notts County was given a new one-year deal, which he signed on June 28th.

Mahon spent his second season with Notts County as a substitute, making six starting appearances and nine as a replacement in the first half of the season. Mahon was the object of loan offers from two league Two teams in the shape of Bristol Rovers and Port Vale, as reported in November 2012. After Notts County manager Keith Curle told him there was still a chance of him returning to his first-team position, he turned down the chance of going out on loan. Mahon, however, said two weeks later that he was planning to leave Meadow Lane if he did not play more games; "You do think like that sometimes, when you fly halfway around the country to get splinters in your backside, but not in football." I told him that leaving a club like Notts is the last thing I want to do, but if you want to play and play next season is the most important thing.

Mahon joined Stevenage in February 2013 as part of a student loan agreement for the remainder of the 2012–13 season. Stevenage made his Stevenage debut in the club's 2–1 loss to Shrewsbury Town on February 23nd, who was in charge of the entire match. Mahon made nine appearances for the club during the two-month loan period. At the 2012–13 campaign, Mahon was released by Notts County.

Mahon was without a club for the first two months of the 2013-14 season, until signing for League Two team Portsmouth on a one-month deal on October 4, 2013. He made his Portsmouth debut four days after signing and played the entire match against Oxford United in a 2–1 Football League Trophy away win. Mahon was sent off in a 2–1 loss to former team Stevenage in an FA Cup match on November 9, 2013, receiving a straight red card for an elbow on Filipe Morais. During his brief time at Portsmouth, he made three appearances before deciding on a date, which was set to end on November 28, 2013.

Mahon joined Tamworth on a short-term contract until the 2013–14 season. He made his Tamworth debut in the club's 2–0 home win over Halifax Town on January 4, 2014, and the whole match was played. Mahon appeared for Tamworth in the second half of the season, beginning in all of the 23 games he played in. In May 2014, he left Tamworth after his deal came to an end.

Mahon was invited to spend time on trial at Barnet, and he appeared in a pre-season friendly match against Peterborough United in July 2014. No transfer was made, and Mahon resigned from playing and joined a sports consultancy firm rather than playing.

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