Born and brought up in the city of Bristol, Chris Garland enjoyed a professional playing career which spanned across multiple divisions, clubs, and countries, cementing his place in football history.
PART ONE
Garland’s early life was shaped by the working-class roots of his family. His father, George, was a factory worker, while his mother, Grace, supported the family in whatever way she could. Living in Ashton Gate, a district of Bristol, Garland’s connection to football was immediate, as he attended trials for England Schoolboys and quickly rose through the youth ranks at Bristol City. However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing in his youth.
Garland’s first real obstacle came in the form of a nasty injury to his leg. In what was a moment of youthful recklessness, he broke his leg during a kick-about with friends. This injury nearly derailed his dream of becoming a professional footballer, and to make matters worse, Garland was harshly reprimanded by Ashton Gate manager Fred Ford. But Garland wasn’t one to give up easily, and after recovering from the injury, the youngster signed professional terms with Bristol City just a few days after his 17th birthday in 1966.
On December 3, 1966, Garland made his professional debut for Bristol City in a 2-0 victory over Preston North End. Although this was his only appearance in the 1966-67 season, it marked the beginning of a career that would see him rise from a young hopeful to a well-travelled forward in the Football League.
In the following seasons, under the guidance of manager Alan Dicks, Garland found himself becoming a fixture in the Bristol City first-team. Consequently, the 1967-68 season saw Garland earn more regular playing time, and his performances soon earned him a reputation as a clinical forward. He played a crucial role in the team’s progress in the FA Cup, where Bristol City beat neighbouring rivals Bristol Rovers and Middlesbrough, only to fall short against Leeds United in the fourth round. This defeat was notable not only for the result but for an infamous moment involving Leeds’ goalkeeper, Gary Sprake, who was sent off for punching Garland in the jaw—an event which would go down in history as one of the FA Cup’s most notorious moments.
Garland’s talents did not go unnoticed, and in April 1970, at the age of 21, he earned his only cap for England’s under-23 side in a fine 4-1 victory over Bulgaria at Home Park. This international recognition was a sign of the promise that Garland held, and it was clear that bigger things were on the horizon.
PART TWO
Partly into the 1971-72 campaign, Chris Garland took the next step in his striking career when he was transferred to First Division Chelsea for a fee of £100,000, a significant sum for the time. Under manager Dave Sexton, Garland was brought in as part of Chelsea’s push to strengthen their squad. However, Garland’s time in West London was a mixed bag, as injuries and competition for places limited his appearances.
Despite the setbacks, Garland’s persistence paid off, and he scored his first goal for Chelsea in a League Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur. Garland’s contribution to the team extended beyond the field, as he became part of Chelsea’s famous anthem, Blue Is the Colour, which reached number five on the UK charts. Garland even played in the 1972 League Cup final at Wembley, where Chelsea suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at the hands of Stoke City. And although the West Londoners had a solid league campaign, finishing seventh in the Division One standings, Garland’s future at the Stamford Bridge club remained uncertain.
In the 1972-73 campaign, Garland finished as Chelsea’s joint-top scorer with his fellow frontman Peter Osgood, contributing 11 goals. However, Chelsea’s form declined, and the club finished 12th in the top-flight table, a far cry from their previous successes. The following season was even more tumultuous, with the boys in blue shirts struggling both on and off the pitch. By October 1974, manager Dave Sexton was sacked by the Chelsea board, and the club entered a period of instability. And as it turned out, Garland’s time at Chelsea came to an end when he was sold to Leicester City in 1974 for the same £100,000 fee Chelsea had paid for him.
Garland’s time at Leicester proved to be the most fruitful period of his career. He joined the club under manager Jimmy Bloomfield, and his arrival proved to be a turning point for City. In his first season, Garland made an immediate impact, scoring eight goals in just ten appearances. This form helped Leicester avoid relegation from the First Division, as they finished just three points above the drop zone in the 1974-75 season.
Garland’s highlight at Leicester came in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Wolves where he scored a memorable hat-trick. Garland’s form continued into the 1975-76 season, and he helped Leicester to a respectable seventh-place finish in the league. He also netted another treble in an FA Cup tie against Sheffield United.
However, Garland’s time at Filbert Street would be marred by controversy. During the 1976-77 season, a training ground altercation with central defender Jeff Blockley resulted in Garland punching Blockley and breaking his cheekbone. This unfortunate incident led Garland to submit four transfer requests, eventually forcing the Midlanders to sell him back to his former employers Bristol City in November 1976.
PART THREE
Garland’s return to Bristol City in 1976 marked a bittersweet chapter in his career. Although the club had reached the First Division during his absence, it was a period of decline, and Garland’s injuries began to take their toll. The club struggled to retain their top-flight status, narrowly avoiding relegation in the 1976-77 season, with Garland scoring important goals, including one against Leeds United and another against Liverpool.
The 1977-78 season proved to be the turning point for Chris Garland. The forward tore his cruciate ligaments early in the campaign and was forced to miss the rest of the season. What followed was a frustrating period of injury struggles that kept him sidelined for much of the 1978-79 and 1979-80 seasons. Under the guidance of recently hired manager Bob Houghton, Bristol City were relegated from Division Two in the 1980-81 campaign, and Garland’s limited involvement on the field further contributed to his frustrations.
In an attempt to regain fitness, he was loaned to Swedish side Västerås SK in 1981, where he had a brief but productive stint, hitting the winner in a local derby against IFK Västerås. Despite his best efforts, his days with Bristol City were numbered, and he was rarely seen in the first team under Houghton’s regime.
His time at City came to an end in 1982 when he agreed to terminate his contract, accepting half of the amount due. He played on for another season before stepping away from the game. His later years saw him play for Gloucester City, before moving into coaching at Yeovil Town and later managing Minehead.