Gary Sawyer played around sixty Conference games for Exeter City as a young player on loan from Plymouth Argyle between 2004 and 2006. Either side of spells with Bristol Rovers and Leyton Orient, North Devon-born Gary made over 300 appearances for the Pilgrims.   

Joining Argyle as a trainee in 2001 Gary worked his way through the youth and reserve teams at Home Park before briefly playing for Weymouth on loan in 2003. Then, having just turned nineteen, Gary was sent to the then-Conference Exeter City on a season-long loan in August 2004.

Arriving at St James’ Park with fellow Argyle loanee Marcus Martin, Gary made his Grecians’ debut at Woking on 21 August 2004. Keeping his place in the squad for most of the season, Gary appeared in 39 league and cup games including both FA Cup ties against Manchester United in January 2005. He also contributed two league goals.

Re-engaged on a similar basis for 2005/06 Gary added another 33 appearances in all competitions for City up to and including the game against Forest Green Rovers on Easter Monday 2006. In total Gary had made 72 appearances for the Grecians - 61 in the league - before reaching the age of twenty-one.

Returning to Home Park, Gary finally made his Argyle first-team debut in August 2006 and was named Young Player of the Year at the end of the campaign. Featuring regularly over the next four seasons Gary then played a couple of games on loan at Bristol City at the end of 2009/10 before signing permanently for Bristol Rovers a few months later. Subsequnetly, after two seasons at the Memorial Ground, Gary moved to Leyton Orient for a three-year stint from May 2012.

Leaving Brisbane Road, Gary rejoined Argyle and, between August 2015 and February 2020, made a further 190 or so first-team appearances for his original club. As injury took its toll Gary made one final EFL Trophy appearance in September 2020 before retiring from playing and moving into various ambassadorial and outreach roles with both Argyle and the Argyle Community Trust.