Early career Born in
Riga, Gorkšs began his career at
FK Auda, scoring nine goals in 77 appearances. After a week-long trial, he joined Swedish club,
Östers IF in December 2002, playing in the
Allsvenskan, the Swedish top flight. He moved to
Assyriska Föreningen in 2005, who were then in the Allsvenskan. He moved back to Latvia in 2006, signing for
FK Ventspils, and he scored five goals for Ventspils in the clubs Championship winning
2006 Virslīga season. He also played for Ventspils in the second qualifying round of the
2006–07 UEFA Cup, against
English Premier League club
Newcastle United.
Blackpool Gorkšs moved to
Championship side
Blackpool on 1 January 2007, having already agreed the transfer during December. On 20 August 2007, Gorkšs was named in the
Press Association's Championship "Team of the Week". Eight days later, Gorkšs scored his first goals for Blackpool in a
League Cup second-round tie at
Derby County. The Latvian's two goals were both equalisers – one in normal time and the second in extra time – in a game that went to a penalty-shootout, won by Blackpool 7–6. On 1 October, Gorkšs was again named in the Press Association's Championship "Team of the Week". Gorkšs scored his first league goal for Blackpool, in their 1–0 victory over
Scunthorpe United at
Bloomfield Road on 10 November 2007. On 29 December 2007, he was named as runner-up in the annual
Latvian Player of the Year Awards by the
Latvian Football Federation behind the winner,
Vitālijs Astafjevs of
Skonto. He was named in the Championship "Team of the Week" for a third time on 25 February 2008, alongside teammate
Stephen McPhee, and again on 10 March. He was named as the
Yorkshire Seasiders Player of the Year on 6 May. The following day, Blackpool activated an option to extend his contract with the club by one year. Following the season, his first full season in English football, in which he had become a regular in the Blackpool side and scored seven goals, Gorkšs was linked with moves to various clubs, including
Scottish Premier League club
Rangers, as well as fellow Championship clubs
Burnley,
Crystal Palace,
Norwich City,
Preston North End and
Watford; however, he dismissed the moves as just rumours, stating, "From my point of view it's just a case of carrying on and seeing what happens, that's all I can really do." On 29 May, both he and fellow Blackpool player
Wes Hoolahan were linked with a move to
Norwich City.
Queens Park Rangers in 2011 On 12 June 2008,
Queens Park Rangers confirmed that they had made an official bid to sign Gorkšs. However, on 17 June, Blackpool issued a brief statement, stating that they had reported QPR to the
Football Association, and the
Football League, for what they claimed was an illegal approach for Gorkšs. Blackpool manager
Simon Grayson stated, "we've got to protect the interests of our club and we're led to believe there's been an illegal approach." On 18 June, the Football League, who would be adjudicating on the matter, confirmed that they could block the move, if QPR were found to have "tapped up the player", and that the matter could be referred to a disciplinary commission. On 4 July, it was incorrectly reported in the Latvian media that Gorkšs had signed a contract with QPR. QPR announced on their official website that they had been given permission to speak with the player, and that he had agreed personal terms. However, this was strongly denied by Blackpool, whose club chairman,
Karl Oyston stated, "We definitely have not given them permission to speak to him. I'm disappointed once again with the way they've gone about their business." The statement on the QPR official website was later removed. On 28 July, Gorkšs completed his move to Loftus Road for a fee of £250,000, with
Daniel Nardiello (permanent) and
Zesh Rehman (loan) going the other way as part of the deal. He scored his first goal on 7 November 2009 in their 2–1 away win against
Sheffield Wednesday. In September 2010, he signed a two-year extension with the club.
Reading On 24 August 2011, Gorkšs signed for
Reading on a three-year contract. In his first season with the club he made 42 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals and helping Reading win the
2011–12 Football League Championship. This was the second time he had won the trophy having won it the previous year with QPR. He scored his first goal in the
Premier League on 4 November 2012 in a 1–1 draw against his former side QPR. On 12 February 2013, Gorkšs joined Championship club
Wolverhampton Wanderers on an emergency loan that ran until the end of the season, with a view to a permanent move at its conclusion. He made fifteen appearances for the club as they suffered relegation to
League One. Gorkšs was released by Reading at the end of the
2013–14 season having played 87 games for the club, scoring eight times.
Colchester United Gorkšs signed a short-term contract with
League One club
Colchester United during the first week of December 2014, and went straight in to their first-team squad to face
Peterborough United in the second round of the
FA Cup on 7 December. He made an important block from an
Aaron McLean attempt in the fixture, playing the full 90 minutes as the U's came out 1–0 victors and into the third round of the cup. Gorkšs signed an extension to his short-term deal with the U's on 10 January, following doubt that he would remain with the club following his previous contracts expiry. Gorkšs scored his first goal for Colchester on 24 January in a crunch relegation battle game against
Leyton Orient at the
Colchester Community Stadium. He headed the ball home from a
David Fox corner two minutes after the interval in the 2–0 victory.
Ergotelis On 29 January 2015, Gorkšs signed an 18-month contract with the
Super League Greece club
Ergotelis. Gorkšs scored his first goal for Ergotelis in his second match for the club, securing a 3–2 victory in the
Cretan derby over
OFI.
Dukla Gorkšs joined
Czech First League side
FK Dukla Prague in September 2015, signing a one-year contract. ==International career==