Gary Thompson Gillespie (born 5 July 1960) is a Scottish former professional football centre-back who played for Falkirk, Coventry City, Liverpool, Celtic and the Scotland national team.
Hat-tricks are rare for defenders, but Gillespie managed one against Birmingham City on 26 April 1986 at Anfield when he scored twice from open play and completed the threesome with a penalty, after the Liverpool fans chanted his name when it was awarded – normally he would not have taken it.
This time fortunes were reversed – Liverpool won the FA Cup with an emotional victory over fierce Merseyside rivals Everton, but lost the League title to Arsenal with almost the last kick of the season.
The arrival of Mark Wright at Liverpool during the close season made it clear that Gillespie would no longer be considered a first choice defender, and he was transferred to Scottish club Celtic for £925,000 on 15 August 1991.
He was selected for the squad that went to the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, but his only appearance came on 20 June against Brazil at the Stadio delle Alpi Turin, a game the Scots lost 1–0.