Maurice Gallay

Marius Gallay, better known as Maurice Gallay (25 December 1902 – 15 August 1982), was a French footballer who played as a defender for Olympique de Marseille and the French national team in the 1920s.

Club career Born on 25 December 1902 in Les Eaux-Vives, Geneva, Gallay began his football career in the early 1920s, at his hometown clubs FC Genève and Servette, with whom he played until 1923, when he was signed by Lyon OU, and later by Sète, where he quickly stood out from the rest, so he was then signed by Olympique de Marseille in 1925, aged 23.

Gallay (crouching, first from right) with the Olympique de Marseille team in March 1926. Together with Ernest Clère, Jean Boyer, and Jules Dewaquez, Gallay was a member of the OM team coached by Victor Gibson that won back-to-back Coupe de France titles in 1926 and 1927. He started in both finals, beating Valentigney 4–1 in the former and scoring a goal in the latter to help his side to a 3–0 win over Quevilly. In the semifinals of the 1926 edition, Gallay helped OM keep a clean-sheet in a 5–0 victory over Stade Français, with the local press praising his "easy pace, bold dribbling attempts, and athletic build".

Gallay also helped OM win the 1929 French Amateur Championship, beating Club Français 3–2 in the final on 28 April, partly thanks to his "formidable and successful work", providing a lot of good passes and support to the attacking line. He remained loyal to OM for nine years, from 1925 to 1934, scoring 4 goals in 111 official matches. He went on to earn a further 10 caps until 1929 for a total of 13.

Death Gallay died in Marseille on 15 August 1982, at the age of 79.

Honours

Olympique de Marseille Coupe de France: Champions (2): 1926 and 1927 French Amateur Championship Champions (1): 1929 Ligue 1: Runner-up (1): 1932–33