Gary Jackson, who had made his full Manchester City debut against Manchester United, appeared around thirty times for Exeter City in the mid-1980s before playing in Belgium where a knee injury finished his career.

Spotted playing for Manchester Schools, Gary signed professional for Manchester City in October 1981 and first appeared as a substitute (replacing future Grecian Kevin Bond) against Tottenham Hotspur on 20 February 1982 ahead of starting the game against Manchester United a week later. Playing eight league games that season, but none thereafter, Gary left Maine Road in September 1985 to sign for Exeter City.

Immediately making his debut at Wrexham on 14 September 1985, Gary played 32 league games (scoring twice) during his first campaign in what was a struggling side. Absent from the first-team for much of the following season, he made just three league appearances in during the final stages of the season before his release in May 1987.  

He then had a spell in Belgium with SK Torhout where his career was ended by a knee injury ahead of a return to the Manchester area where he later ran a car sales business in Swinton.