Darron Gibson
Encyclopedia
Darron Thomas Daniel Gibson (born 25 October 1987) is an Irish
footballer who plays as a midfielder
for Manchester United
and the Republic of Ireland national team
. He has also played, on loan, for Royal Antwerp
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
.
In 2007, Gibson, who was born in Derry
, Northern Ireland
, was at the centre of a dispute between the Football Association of Ireland
(FAI) and the Irish Football Association
(IFA), after he opted to play for the Republic of Ireland
instead of Northern Ireland
. The issue was referred to FIFA
and was discussed in the Northern Ireland Assembly
.
, and then with Institute
before joining Manchester United
in 2004. He made his senior debut for United on 26 October 2005 in a League Cup
game against Barnet
, coming on as a substitute for Lee Martin. During the 2005–06 season he played regularly for Manchester United Reserves, helping them win a treble. He made 19 appearances, scoring twice. In May 2006, he won the prestigious Jimmy Murphy Award as United's youth player of the year and then played regularly for the United senior team during their pre-season summer games, together with Dong Fangzhuo
, Jonny Evans
, Fraizer Campbell
and Danny Simpson
.
Gibson made his Premier League debut on 15 November 2008, appearing as a second half substitute against Stoke City
, before making his UEFA Champions League
debut ten days later, coming on as a substitute for Darren Fletcher
against Villarreal
on 25 November 2008. In December 2008, he travelled with the United squad to the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup
in Japan, where, despite not making any appearances, he picked up a winners' medal. On 4 January 2009, Gibson scored his first goal for the club, firing home United's third in a 3–0 victory over Southampton
in the FA Cup Third Round. He then got another in the Fifth Round of the competition, scoring United's second goal in a 4–1 win away to Derby County
on 15 February 2009, winning the "man of the match" award in the process. On 1 March 2009, Gibson started in the centre of midfield alongside Paul Scholes against Tottenham Hotspur
in the 2009 Football League Cup Final
at Wembley Stadium
, playing the full initial 90 minutes before being replaced by Ryan Giggs
at the start of extra time. The match finished goalless at the end of extra time, and United went on to win 4–1 on penalties, granting Gibson the second cup winners' medal of his career. On 24 May, he scored his first league goal for Manchester United in the last game of the 2008–09 Premier League season
against Hull City
. From the left wing, Federico Macheda
played the ball to Gibson on the edge of the penalty area, and the Irish international fired the ball into the far side of the goal from around 25 yards. In response to performances during the season, Gibson was rewarded with a three-year extension to his Manchester United contract, tying him to the club until at least 2012.
Gibson was one of a number of young United players who came under some fire when they lost a four-year unbeaten home record in Europe, losing 1–0 to Beşiktaş at Old Trafford
. On 1 December 2009, six days on from their embarrassing defeat in the Champions League
, Gibson responded to the criticism by scoring both of United's goals in a 2–0 win against Tottenham
to send United through the semi-finals of the League Cup. On 5 December, Gibson went on to score his third goal in a week, netting a long-range shot in a 4–0 away win against West Ham
. He scored his fourth goal of the season on 27 March 2010, coming off the bench to net the final goal in a 4–0 away win over Bolton
. On 7 April, Gibson was granted a starting place in the Champions League second leg quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich
and scored long range shot after only 3 minutes. This was his first ever goal in Europe, but despite eventually winning the game 3–2, they were knocked out by Bayern on away goals
with the aggregate score ending 4–4.
On 28 July, Gibson netted his first goal of United's pre-season tour of North America
, scoring their third in a 5–2 win in the 2010 MLS All-Star Game with a 20-yard free-kick. He scored his first goal of the 2010–11 season as he netted the first of United's goals in a 5–2 away win over Scunthorpe United
in the League Cup
. In February 2011, Gibson's national team
manager, Giovanni Trappatoni, told him that he must leave Manchester United in order to further his career. Gibson scored United's second of a 4–1 home win over Schalke
in their second leg semi-final tie on 4 May. They ended the tie 6–1 on aggregate to seal a place in the final
against Barcelona
.
.
, where he spent the majority of the 2007–08 season. At Wolves he scored once, against Burnley on 8 December 2007.
(IFA) and the Football Association of Ireland
(FAI) over the eligibility of players born within Northern Ireland to represent the Republic of Ireland. In many cases, players not born within the territory of the Association they wish to represent must demonstrate to FIFA that they have a valid "connection" (ancestry or residence) with that territory. However, the unique position in Northern Ireland, whereby citizenship of the Republic of Ireland is the "birthright" of every person born on the island of Ireland if they so wish, meant that Gibson was eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland at international level. As a result, Gibson was approached to represent both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland at international level. In the wake of the controversy which this dispute engendered, certain other players from Northern Ireland have sought to take advantage of this application of the eligibility rules by FIFA. However, this does not (as yet, at least) appear to have "opened the floodgates", since of the three other senior players who sought to declare for the Republic of Ireland, Tony Kane
and Michael O'Connor both reversed their initial decision and reverted to Northern Ireland and it turns out that a third, Marc Wilson, who opted to stay with the Republic of Ireland, has in any case a grandparent who was born in the Republic.
squads. However, he was dropped from the team after attending trials with Manchester United
and subsequently switched allegiance to the Republic of Ireland. Before Gibson made his senior international debut for the Republic of Ireland, Nigel Worthington
, the Northern Ireland
manager, made an unsuccessful attempt to persuade him to switch his allegiances back.
squads. On 14 November 2006, he also played for Republic of Ireland B
in a 0–0 draw against Scotland B
. In 2007, Gibson was included in several senior Republic of Ireland
squads for Euro 2008 qualifiers, before he eventually made his debut in a 4–0 win against Denmark
. During the away friendly, he came on as half-time substitute, replacing Andy Reid
. In the 54th minute, Gibson fired a shot from outside the penalty area that the Danish keeper, Jesper Christiansen
, could only palm away, allowing Shane Long
to follow up and score the Republic's third goal. Gibson won his second full cap on 8 September 2007 in an away game against Slovakia
. The Euro 2008 qualifier, which finished as a 2–2 draw, saw him again used as substitute, this time replacing Aiden McGeady
after 61 minutes.
Gibson made his first start for the Republic of Ireland national team in a 1–0 win at home to Cyprus
on 15 October 2008. After Steven Reid
dropped out of the Irish squad due to injury, Gibson was called up to provide extra physicality in the centre of the Irish midfield. Manager Giovanni Trapattoni
also cited Gibson's confidence on the football pitch as the reason for choosing him ahead of Liam Miller
and Andy Reid
. On 8 February 2011, Gibson scored his first goal for his country, in a 3–0 victory over Wales
in the first game of the 2011 Nations Cup.
Statistics accurate as of match played 30 November 2011
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
footballer who plays as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
for Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
and the Republic of Ireland national team
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
. He has also played, on loan, for Royal Antwerp
Royal Antwerp F.C.
Royal Antwerp Football Club, often simply referred to as Antwerp, is a Belgian football club based in the city of Antwerp.Antwerp is the oldest football club to register to the Royal Belgian Football Association in 1895 and they consequently received the matriculate number one when matriculation...
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
.
In 2007, Gibson, who was born in Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, was at the centre of a dispute between the Football Association of Ireland
Football Association of Ireland
The Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for the sport of association football in the Republic of Ireland. It should not to be confused with the Irish Football Association , which is the organising body for the sport in Northern Ireland.For the full history, statistics and records...
(FAI) and the Irish Football Association
Irish Football Association
The Irish Football Association is the organising body for association football in Northern Ireland, and was historically the governing body for Ireland...
(IFA), after he opted to play for the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
instead of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
. The issue was referred to FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
and was discussed in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
.
Manchester United
A former pupil of St Columb's College, Gibson played junior football in the Derry and District LeagueDerry and District League
The Derry and District League is an amateur football league in Derry. The league includes youth and senior football teams. The Senior Sunday League has two divisions, the Premier and the First Division. The Youth Leagues have one league for each age group, from under-10 up to under-17. Teams such...
, and then with Institute
Institute F.C.
Institute F.C. is a Northern Irish intermediate football club who play in IFA Championship 1.The club, founded in 1905, are based in the Drumahoe area of Derry and play their home matches at the Riverside Stadium in the YMCA Grounds...
before joining Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in 2004. He made his senior debut for United on 26 October 2005 in a League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
game against Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
, coming on as a substitute for Lee Martin. During the 2005–06 season he played regularly for Manchester United Reserves, helping them win a treble. He made 19 appearances, scoring twice. In May 2006, he won the prestigious Jimmy Murphy Award as United's youth player of the year and then played regularly for the United senior team during their pre-season summer games, together with Dong Fangzhuo
Dong Fangzhuo
Dong Fangzhuo is a Chinese footballer who plays as a forward for Mika in the Armenian Premier League.- China :Dong first came to prominence in 2000 when he was named Player of the Tournament in an U-17 football competition. He signed for Dalian Saidelong and helped them to finish as runners-up in...
, Jonny Evans
Jonny Evans
Jonathan Grant "Jonny" Evans is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a defender for Manchester United and Northern Ireland. Evans was born in Belfast and started his career at Greenisland FC, where he was spotted by Manchester United scouts. He progressed through Manchester United's football...
, Fraizer Campbell
Fraizer Campbell
Fraizer Lee Campbell is an English footballer who plays for Sunderland as a striker. He previously played for Manchester United, Royal Antwerp, Hull City and Tottenham Hotspur....
and Danny Simpson
Danny Simpson
Daniel Peter "Danny" Simpson is an English footballer who plays as a right back for Premier League club Newcastle United. A product of the Manchester United academy, Simpson has also played on loan for Sunderland, Ipswich Town and Blackburn Rovers in England and Royal Antwerp in Belgium...
.
Gibson made his Premier League debut on 15 November 2008, appearing as a second half substitute against Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, before making his UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
debut ten days later, coming on as a substitute for Darren Fletcher
Darren Fletcher
Darren Barr Fletcher is a Scottish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for English Premier League club Manchester United. He is the current captain of Scottish national team...
against Villarreal
Villarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...
on 25 November 2008. In December 2008, he travelled with the United squad to the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup
2008 FIFA Club World Cup
-Play-off for Quarter-finals:-Quarter-finals:-----Semi-finals:-----Match for fifth place:-Match for third place:-Final:-Scorers:3 goals Wayne Rooney...
in Japan, where, despite not making any appearances, he picked up a winners' medal. On 4 January 2009, Gibson scored his first goal for the club, firing home United's third in a 3–0 victory over Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in the FA Cup Third Round. He then got another in the Fifth Round of the competition, scoring United's second goal in a 4–1 win away to Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
on 15 February 2009, winning the "man of the match" award in the process. On 1 March 2009, Gibson started in the centre of midfield alongside Paul Scholes against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
in the 2009 Football League Cup Final
2009 Football League Cup Final
The 2009 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2008–09 Football League Cup, the 49th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League...
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, playing the full initial 90 minutes before being replaced by Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs
Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
at the start of extra time. The match finished goalless at the end of extra time, and United went on to win 4–1 on penalties, granting Gibson the second cup winners' medal of his career. On 24 May, he scored his first league goal for Manchester United in the last game of the 2008–09 Premier League season
Premier League 2008–09
The 2008–09 Premier League season was the seventeenth since its establishment in 1992. Manchester United became champions for the eleventh time on the penultimate weekend of the season, defending their crown after winning their tenth Premier League title on the final day of the previous season...
against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
. From the left wing, Federico Macheda
Federico Macheda
Federico "Kiko" Macheda is an Italian footballer who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Manchester United. He joined Manchester United from Lazio in September 2007.-Early career:Macheda began his football career with Lazio...
played the ball to Gibson on the edge of the penalty area, and the Irish international fired the ball into the far side of the goal from around 25 yards. In response to performances during the season, Gibson was rewarded with a three-year extension to his Manchester United contract, tying him to the club until at least 2012.
Gibson was one of a number of young United players who came under some fire when they lost a four-year unbeaten home record in Europe, losing 1–0 to Beşiktaş at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
. On 1 December 2009, six days on from their embarrassing defeat in the Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, Gibson responded to the criticism by scoring both of United's goals in a 2–0 win against Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
to send United through the semi-finals of the League Cup. On 5 December, Gibson went on to score his third goal in a week, netting a long-range shot in a 4–0 away win against West Ham
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
. He scored his fourth goal of the season on 27 March 2010, coming off the bench to net the final goal in a 4–0 away win over Bolton
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
. On 7 April, Gibson was granted a starting place in the Champions League second leg quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
and scored long range shot after only 3 minutes. This was his first ever goal in Europe, but despite eventually winning the game 3–2, they were knocked out by Bayern on away goals
Away goals rule
The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in association football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. By the away goals rule, the team that has scored more goals "away from home" will win if scores are otherwise equal...
with the aggregate score ending 4–4.
On 28 July, Gibson netted his first goal of United's pre-season tour of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, scoring their third in a 5–2 win in the 2010 MLS All-Star Game with a 20-yard free-kick. He scored his first goal of the 2010–11 season as he netted the first of United's goals in a 5–2 away win over Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
. In February 2011, Gibson's national team
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
manager, Giovanni Trappatoni, told him that he must leave Manchester United in order to further his career. Gibson scored United's second of a 4–1 home win over Schalke
FC Schalke 04
Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, commonly known as simply FC Schalke 04 or Schalke , is a German, association-football club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Schalke has long been one of the most popular football teams in Germany, even though major...
in their second leg semi-final tie on 4 May. They ended the tie 6–1 on aggregate to seal a place in the final
2011 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2011 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match played on 28 May 2011 at Wembley Stadium in London that decided the winner of the 2010–11 season of the UEFA Champions League. The winners received the European Champion Clubs' Cup...
against Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
.
Royal Antwerp loan
Gibson was one of several United players who spent the 2006–07 season on loan at Royal AntwerpRoyal Antwerp F.C.
Royal Antwerp Football Club, often simply referred to as Antwerp, is a Belgian football club based in the city of Antwerp.Antwerp is the oldest football club to register to the Royal Belgian Football Association in 1895 and they consequently received the matriculate number one when matriculation...
.
Wolverhampton Wanderers loan
In October 2007, he was loaned out again, this time to Wolverhampton WanderersWolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, where he spent the majority of the 2007–08 season. At Wolves he scored once, against Burnley on 8 December 2007.
International career
Gibson was at the centre of a dispute between the Irish Football AssociationIrish Football Association
The Irish Football Association is the organising body for association football in Northern Ireland, and was historically the governing body for Ireland...
(IFA) and the Football Association of Ireland
Football Association of Ireland
The Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for the sport of association football in the Republic of Ireland. It should not to be confused with the Irish Football Association , which is the organising body for the sport in Northern Ireland.For the full history, statistics and records...
(FAI) over the eligibility of players born within Northern Ireland to represent the Republic of Ireland. In many cases, players not born within the territory of the Association they wish to represent must demonstrate to FIFA that they have a valid "connection" (ancestry or residence) with that territory. However, the unique position in Northern Ireland, whereby citizenship of the Republic of Ireland is the "birthright" of every person born on the island of Ireland if they so wish, meant that Gibson was eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland at international level. As a result, Gibson was approached to represent both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland at international level. In the wake of the controversy which this dispute engendered, certain other players from Northern Ireland have sought to take advantage of this application of the eligibility rules by FIFA. However, this does not (as yet, at least) appear to have "opened the floodgates", since of the three other senior players who sought to declare for the Republic of Ireland, Tony Kane
Tony Kane
Anthony Michael 'Tony' Kane is a Northern Irish footballer who plays for Ballymena United. As an international, Kane has played for both for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland at under-21 level.-Club career:...
and Michael O'Connor both reversed their initial decision and reverted to Northern Ireland and it turns out that a third, Marc Wilson, who opted to stay with the Republic of Ireland, has in any case a grandparent who was born in the Republic.
Northern Ireland
Gibson initially represented Northern Ireland at Under-16 level and was included in Victory ShieldVictory Shield
The Victory Shield is an annual football tournament competed for by the under-16 teams of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The competition is broadcast live in the UK by Sky Sports who also sponsor the competition...
squads. However, he was dropped from the team after attending trials with Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
and subsequently switched allegiance to the Republic of Ireland. Before Gibson made his senior international debut for the Republic of Ireland, Nigel Worthington
Nigel Worthington
Nigel Worthington is a former Northern Ireland international footballer and manager.He was manager of the Northern Ireland national team from 2007 until after their final Euro 2012 qualifying campaign match against Italy in October 2011.As a player, he was a left full back and occasional left...
, the Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
manager, made an unsuccessful attempt to persuade him to switch his allegiances back.
Republic of Ireland
Gibson first represented the Republic of Ireland at under-17 level. Then during the 2005–06 season he captained both the Republic of Ireland under-19 and under-21Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team
The Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team, is the national under-21 football team of the Republic of Ireland and is controlled by the Football Association of Ireland and competes in the biennial European Under-21 Football Championship and has competed since 1978.-Competition...
squads. On 14 November 2006, he also played for Republic of Ireland B
Republic of Ireland B national football team
Republic of Ireland B is the reserve team of the Republic of Ireland national football team. There are no competitions for B teams. However since 1957 the Football Association of Ireland has arranged occasional friendlies.-Early B internationals:...
in a 0–0 draw against Scotland B
Scotland B national football team
The Scotland B national football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is a secondary football team of Scotland, run occasionally as support for the Scotland national football team as a second string side to the first team....
. In 2007, Gibson was included in several senior Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
squads for Euro 2008 qualifiers, before he eventually made his debut in a 4–0 win against Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
. During the away friendly, he came on as half-time substitute, replacing Andy Reid
Andy Reid (footballer)
Andrew Matthew "Andy" Reid is an Irish footballer who currently plays for Nottingham Forest in the Football League Championship. He plays as a midfielder and has also represented the Republic of Ireland.-Personal life:...
. In the 54th minute, Gibson fired a shot from outside the penalty area that the Danish keeper, Jesper Christiansen
Jesper Christiansen
Jesper Ringsborg Christiansen is a Danish professional footballer, who plays as a goalkeeper for IF Elfsborg in the Allsvenskan championship. He has previously played for Danish Superliga clubs Odense BK, Vejle BK, Viborg FF, and F.C. Copenhagen, winning four Superliga championships and two Danish...
, could only palm away, allowing Shane Long
Shane Long
Shane Patrick Long is an Irish footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League team West Bromwich Albion and the Republic of Ireland national football team. With Ireland he was part of the team that secured qualification for UEFA Euro 2012.Long began his career at Cork City...
to follow up and score the Republic's third goal. Gibson won his second full cap on 8 September 2007 in an away game against Slovakia
Slovakia national football team
The Slovakia national football team represents Slovakia in association football and is controlled by the Slovak Football Association , the governing body for football in Slovakia. Slovakia's home stadium is Štadión Pasienky and their head coach is Vladimír Weiss...
. The Euro 2008 qualifier, which finished as a 2–2 draw, saw him again used as substitute, this time replacing Aiden McGeady
Aiden McGeady
Aiden McGeady is a Scottish-born Irish footballer who currently plays as a winger for Russian club Spartak Moscow. Although born and brought up in Scotland, McGeady plays internationally for the Republic of Ireland, a country he qualifies for through his grandparents...
after 61 minutes.
Gibson made his first start for the Republic of Ireland national team in a 1–0 win at home to Cyprus
Cyprus national football team
The Cyprus national football team represents Cyprus in association football and is controlled by the Cyprus Football Association, the governing body for football in Cyprus. Cyprus' home ground is the GSP Stadium in Nicosia and the current coach is Nikos Nioplias...
on 15 October 2008. After Steven Reid
Steven Reid
Steven John Reid is an English-born Irish footballer who plays for West Bromwich Albion as a defender, but played most of his career in midfield...
dropped out of the Irish squad due to injury, Gibson was called up to provide extra physicality in the centre of the Irish midfield. Manager Giovanni Trapattoni
Giovanni Trapattoni
Giovanni Trapattoni , sometimes known as "Trap" or "Il Trap", is an Italian football coach and former player, considered the most successful club coach in the history of Serie A. As a player he was part of Italy's squad at the 1962 FIFA World Cup....
also cited Gibson's confidence on the football pitch as the reason for choosing him ahead of Liam Miller
Liam Miller
William Peter "Liam" Miller is an Irish footballer who plays for Perth Glory in the A-League. Miller began his career with Celtic; at an early stage after injury he was loaned to Aarhus in 2001, making 18 appearances for the Danish Superliga club. He returned to Celtic Park and broke into the...
and Andy Reid
Andy Reid (footballer)
Andrew Matthew "Andy" Reid is an Irish footballer who currently plays for Nottingham Forest in the Football League Championship. He plays as a midfielder and has also represented the Republic of Ireland.-Personal life:...
. On 8 February 2011, Gibson scored his first goal for his country, in a 3–0 victory over Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
in the first game of the 2011 Nations Cup.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 8 February 2011 | Aviva Stadium Aviva Stadium The Aviva Stadium is a sports stadium located in Dublin, Ireland, with a capacity for 50,000 spectators. The stadium is built on the site of the old Lansdowne Road venue, which was demolished in 2007, and replaces that stadium as home to its chief tenants: the Irish rugby union team and the... , Dublin, Ireland Republic of Ireland Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,... |
1–0 | 3–0 | 2011 Nations Cup | |
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | OtherIncludes other competitive competitions, including the FA Community Shield FA Community Shield The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition... , UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup FIFA Club World Cup The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000... |
Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... |
2005–06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2006–07 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Royal Antwerp Royal Antwerp F.C. Royal Antwerp Football Club, often simply referred to as Antwerp, is a Belgian football club based in the city of Antwerp.Antwerp is the oldest football club to register to the Royal Belgian Football Association in 1895 and they consequently received the matriculate number one when matriculation... (loan) |
2006–07 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 1 | |
| Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... |
2007–08 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wolves Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at... (loan) |
2007–08 | 21 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 | |
| Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... |
2008–09 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 |
| 2009–10 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 5 | |
| 2010–11 2010–11 Manchester United F.C. season The 2010–11 season was Manchester United's 19th season in the Premier League, and their 36th consecutive season in the top-flight of English football... |
12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Manchester United F.C. season The 2011–12 season is Manchester United's 20th season in the Premier League, and their 37th consecutive season in the top-flight of English football. United are defending Premier League champions, and will be aiming for an unprecedented 20th league title this season. Furthermore, they are competing... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 30 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 10 | |
| Career total | 82 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 14 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 117 | 12 | |
Statistics accurate as of match played 30 November 2011
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland national football team The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010.... |
2007 | 2 | 0 |
| 2008 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 3 | 1 | |
| Total | 16 | 1 | |
Club
Manchester United- Premier League (1): 2010–112010–11 Premier LeagueThe 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011...
- Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
(2): 2008–092009 Football League Cup FinalThe 2009 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2008–09 Football League Cup, the 49th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League...
, 2009–102010 Football League Cup FinalThe 2010 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2009–10 Football League Cup, the 50th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League. The match, played at Wembley Stadium on 28 February 2010, was won by... - FIFA Club World CupFIFA Club World CupThe FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...
(1): 20082008 FIFA Club World Cup FinalThe 2008 FIFA Club World Cup Final was the final match of the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup, a football tournament for the champion clubs from each of FIFA's six continental confederations. The match took place at the International Stadium of Yokohama, Japan, on 21 December 2008, and pitted South...
International
- Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year (1): 2005–06
- FAI Young International Player of the Year (1): 2009
External links
- Profile at ManUtd.com