Jimmy Gabriel
Encyclopedia
James Gabriel (born 10 October 1940 in Dundee
) is a Scottish
former football
midfielder
who earned two caps with the Scotland national football team
. Chiefly associated with English
club Everton
, Gabriel played extensively in Scotland and England before ending his career with the Seattle Sounders
of the North American Soccer League
. He then became a coach in both England and the USA
, where he lives today.
when he played at right-half for the Scotland under-15 schoolboys in an international at Dens Park
. His talent shone through and Dundee manager Willie Thornton
snapped him up after the game, despite interest from several other top clubs.
He was initially loaned out to Dundee North End Juniors, but was recalled to Dens Park a year later. He made his debut for Dundee as a 17 year old on 13 August 1958 in a 2-1 Scottish League Cup
victory over Motherwell
.
He was to remain a first team regular at Dundee, going on to make 67 appearances. In March 1960, Bob Shankly
had taken over as manager at Dundee and, although he wanted to keep Gabriel, was unable to refuse the offer of £27,000 from Everton’s
manager, Johnny Carey
. This made Jimmy the most expensive player to leave Scotland.
in March 1960. Although it took him some time to settle in to the pace of the English game, there was a steely determination about the young Scot that was to stand him in good stead. Gabriel became a strong influence in the Everton side as a powerful right-half whose preference for a defensive role made him a useful partner in the midfield for the more attacking Brian Harris
on the left.
He played 304 games for Everton, scoring 37 goals and won two Scottish caps. He won the championship
in 1962-3 and the FA Cup
in 1966 with Everton.
By 1967, he was being challenged for his place in the side by Alan Ball
and the emerging Howard Kendall
. Southampton
's manager Ted Bates
tried to sign him initially in March 1967 but Gabriel was reluctant to move South. Eventually, when it was clear that Kendall was to be first-choice, Gabriel agreed to sign for the Saints in July, joining them for a fee of £42,500.
and helped Saints avoid relegation several times. He was a tough defender but had skill to match. He was occasionally drafted in as an emergency striker with some degree of success.
He played a total of 224 matches for the Saints, scoring 27 goals.
at the end of the 1971-72 season to join Bournemouth
.
He also spent a short period on loan at Swindon Town
before finishing his UK playing career at Brentford.
where he joined the Seattle Sounders
of the NASL
as a player/assistant coach. That season he anchored the Sounders defense and earned second team NASL All Star
recognition. In 1976 the Sounders moved to the newly built Kingdome
where he scored the first goal in the stadium's history. The goal, a fabulous header off a cross from Tommy Jenkins
, his former Southampton team mate, came against Pelé
and the New York Cosmos
. In 1977, Gabriel replaced John Best
as head coach of the Sounders. Even as a coach, he continued to suit up to play, seeing time in two games in 1977 and one in 1979.
, Geoff Hurst
and Bobby Moore
on his team. Under his guidance, Seattle made it to the championship game only to fall to the hated New York Cosmos
. He was unable to replicate his first year success and in 1980, the Sounders replaced him with Alan Hinton
. Gabriel then went on to coach George Best
and the San Jose Earthquakes
(NASL) from 1980-1982 for one outdoor season and two indoor seasons.
, before going back to Goodison Park in 1990, where he became assistant to Colin Harvey
at Everton.
He was briefly caretaker manager of Everton for one game in November 1990 and for seven games between December 1993 and January 1994.
He continued coaching Everton's reserves until 1997.
, who played for Gabriel on the Sounders reserve teams in the 1970s, on the Washington Huskies
men's and women's teams. Both teams won the 2000 Pac-10 championships. Gabriel has also been the coaching director of the Lake Washington Youth Soccer Association and has worked in certifying coaches for the State Association. He and his wife, Pat, now reside in Kirkland, Washington
.
Gabriel also served several years as an assistant coach with the Sounders. On 2 October 2005, the Sounders defeated the Richmond Kickers
to take the U.S. Second Division
championship. On this high note, Gabriel retired from the Sounders.
On 29 March 2009, Gabriel was honored by the new Seattle Sounders FC
MLS club with the "Golden Scarf" award for his services to soccer in Seattle. He received the scarf at a ceremony on the pitch before the Sounders' second game, versus Real Salt Lake
.
and six more as captain of the U-23 Scottish Team.
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
) is a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
former football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
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...
who earned two caps with the Scotland national football team
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. Chiefly associated with English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
club Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, Gabriel played extensively in Scotland and England before ending his career with the Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders (NASL)
The Seattle Sounders were a U.S. professional soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1974, the team belonged to the North American Soccer League where it played both indoor and outdoor soccer. The team folded after the 1983 NASL outdoor season.-Stadium:The Sounders played at Memorial...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
. He then became a coach in both England and the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he lives today.
Dundee
Jimmy Gabriel first came to the attention of DundeeDundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
when he played at right-half for the Scotland under-15 schoolboys in an international at Dens Park
Dens Park
Dens Park is a football stadium located on Dens Road in Dundee, Scotland. The stadium is the home of Dundee F.C. and has a capacity of 12,085...
. His talent shone through and Dundee manager Willie Thornton
Willie Thornton
William Thornton was a Scottish footballer and manager. His entire senior playing career was spent with Rangers, and he is considered to be one of the greatest players in the club's history...
snapped him up after the game, despite interest from several other top clubs.
He was initially loaned out to Dundee North End Juniors, but was recalled to Dens Park a year later. He made his debut for Dundee as a 17 year old on 13 August 1958 in a 2-1 Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
victory over Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
.
He was to remain a first team regular at Dundee, going on to make 67 appearances. In March 1960, Bob Shankly
Bob Shankly
Robert "Bob" Shankly was a professional football player and manager. from the village of Glenbuck in Ayrshire, Scotland....
had taken over as manager at Dundee and, although he wanted to keep Gabriel, was unable to refuse the offer of £27,000 from Everton’s
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
manager, Johnny Carey
Johnny Carey
John Joseph "Johnny" Carey , also known as Jackie Carey, was an Irish footballer and manager. As a player Carey spent most of his career at Manchester United, where he was team captain from 1946 until he retired as a player in 1953...
. This made Jimmy the most expensive player to leave Scotland.
Everton
Gabriel joined Everton after three years at DundeeDundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
in March 1960. Although it took him some time to settle in to the pace of the English game, there was a steely determination about the young Scot that was to stand him in good stead. Gabriel became a strong influence in the Everton side as a powerful right-half whose preference for a defensive role made him a useful partner in the midfield for the more attacking Brian Harris
Brian Harris (footballer)
Brian Lake , born Brian Harris, is an Australian rules footballer, currently playing for the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League ....
on the left.
He played 304 games for Everton, scoring 37 goals and won two Scottish caps. He won the championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
in 1962-3 and the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
in 1966 with Everton.
By 1967, he was being challenged for his place in the side by Alan Ball
Alan Ball (footballer)
Alan James Ball, Jr., MBE was a professional English footballer and football club manager.He was the youngest member of England's 1966 World Cup winning team and played for various clubs, scoring more than 180 league goals in a career spanning 22 years...
and the emerging Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
. 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...
's manager Ted Bates
Ted Bates (footballer)
Edric Thornton "Ted" Bates MBE was a former Southampton F.C. player, manager, director and president which earned him the sobriquet Mr. Southampton.-Playing career:...
tried to sign him initially in March 1967 but Gabriel was reluctant to move South. Eventually, when it was clear that Kendall was to be first-choice, Gabriel agreed to sign for the Saints in July, joining them for a fee of £42,500.
Southampton
At Southampton, Gabriel was a vital part of the defence alongside John McGrath and Denis HollywoodDenis Hollywood
Denis Fallen Hollywood is a Scottish former football full-back, who played most of his career for Southampton between 1961 and 1972, making a total of 267 appearances for the club.-References :...
and helped Saints avoid relegation several times. He was a tough defender but had skill to match. He was occasionally drafted in as an emergency striker with some degree of success.
He played a total of 224 matches for the Saints, scoring 27 goals.
Bournemouth, Swindon and Brentford
He left The DellThe Dell (Southampton F.C.)
The Dell in Milton Road, Southampton, England was the home ground of Southampton Football Club, between 1898 and 2001.-New stadium:Since 1896, Southampton had been tenants of Hampshire County Cricket Club at the County Ground, having vacated the Antelope Ground in the summer of 1896...
at the end of the 1971-72 season to join Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
.
He also spent a short period on loan at Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
before finishing his UK playing career at Brentford.
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
Seattle Sounders
In 1974 Gabriel moved to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he joined the Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders (NASL)
The Seattle Sounders were a U.S. professional soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1974, the team belonged to the North American Soccer League where it played both indoor and outdoor soccer. The team folded after the 1983 NASL outdoor season.-Stadium:The Sounders played at Memorial...
of the NASL
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
as a player/assistant coach. That season he anchored the Sounders defense and earned second team NASL All Star
All-star game
An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league, except in the circumstances of professional sports systems in which a democratic voting system is used...
recognition. In 1976 the Sounders moved to the newly built Kingdome
Kingdome
The Kingdome was a multi-purpose stadium located in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood. Owned and operated by King County, the Kingdome opened in 1976 and was best known as the home stadium of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League , the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball , and the...
where he scored the first goal in the stadium's history. The goal, a fabulous header off a cross from Tommy Jenkins
Tommy Jenkins
Thomas Ernest "Tommy" Jenkins is a retired English footballer. He played professionally in two continents as a gifted winger and is now a soccer coach in the United States.-Early career:...
, his former Southampton team mate, came against Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
and the New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
. In 1977, Gabriel replaced John Best
John Best (soccer)
John Best is a former U.S.-English soccer defender. He spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League where he was a five time first team All Star. He later coached the NASL Seattle Sounders and served as the general manager of the Sounders and the Vancouver Whitecaps. He also earned one...
as head coach of the Sounders. Even as a coach, he continued to suit up to play, seeing time in two games in 1977 and one in 1979.
Seattle Sounders and San Jose Earthquakes
Prior to becoming head coach of the Sounders, Gabriel had acted as an assistant coach and head of the Sounders reserve team program. When he became head coach he had several Sounder legends including Mike EnglandMike England
Harold Michael "Mike" England, MBE was a popular Welsh footballer and manager.-Playing career:Born Holywell, Wales, Mike England was a tall commanding centre-half, who could also play effectively as a centre-forward. He played for Blackburn Rovers, Tottenham Hotspur, Cardiff, and for the Wales...
, Geoff Hurst
Geoff Hurst
Sir Geoffrey Charles Hurst MBE is a retired England footballer best remembered for his years with West Ham. He made his mark in World Cup history as the only player to have scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final. His three goals came in the 1966 final for England in their 4–2 win over West...
and Bobby Moore
Bobby Moore
Robert Frederick Chelsea "Bobby" Moore, OBE was an English footballer. He captained West Ham United for more than ten years and was captain of the England team that won the 1966 World Cup...
on his team. Under his guidance, Seattle made it to the championship game only to fall to the hated New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
. He was unable to replicate his first year success and in 1980, the Sounders replaced him with Alan Hinton
Alan Hinton
Alan Thomas Hinton is an English former footballer who most notably played for Derby County and Nottingham Forest in the 1960s...
. Gabriel then went on to coach George Best
George Best
George Best was a professional footballer from Northern Ireland, who played for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders...
and the San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
(NASL) from 1980-1982 for one outdoor season and two indoor seasons.
Bournemouth and Everton
On returning to Britain in 1986, he spent four years as coach to BournemouthA.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
, before going back to Goodison Park in 1990, where he became assistant to Colin Harvey
Colin Harvey
Colin Harvey is a retired English footballer who is best known for his time as a player, coach and manager with Everton. He is married to Maureen and lives in Aughton, Lancashire.- Playing career :...
at Everton.
He was briefly caretaker manager of Everton for one game in November 1990 and for seven games between December 1993 and January 1994.
He continued coaching Everton's reserves until 1997.
Back to Seattle
Gabriel returned to Seattle in 1997 where he became an assistant to Dean WurzbergerDean Wurzberger
Dean Wurzberger is a U.S. soccer coach who was a reserve team player with the Seattle Sounders of the North American Soccer League. He later spent three seasons in the American Soccer League and most recently served as Head Coach for the University of Washington men's soccer team, a position he...
, who played for Gabriel on the Sounders reserve teams in the 1970s, on the Washington Huskies
Washington Huskies
Washington Huskies is the nickname of the University of Washington's athletic teams. The school is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The athletic program is made up of 9 men's sports and 10 women's sports Washington Huskies is the nickname of the University of Washington's athletic teams. The...
men's and women's teams. Both teams won the 2000 Pac-10 championships. Gabriel has also been the coaching director of the Lake Washington Youth Soccer Association and has worked in certifying coaches for the State Association. He and his wife, Pat, now reside in Kirkland, Washington
Kirkland, Washington
Kirkland is a city in King County, Washington, United States. It is a suburb of Seattle on the Eastside . The population was 48,787 at the 2010 census makes it the 9th largest city in King County and the 20th largest city in the state...
.
Gabriel also served several years as an assistant coach with the Sounders. On 2 October 2005, the Sounders defeated the Richmond Kickers
Richmond Kickers
The Richmond Kickers are an American professional soccer club based in Richmond, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
to take the U.S. Second Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
championship. On this high note, Gabriel retired from the Sounders.
On 29 March 2009, Gabriel was honored by the new Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
MLS club with the "Golden Scarf" award for his services to soccer in Seattle. He received the scarf at a ceremony on the pitch before the Sounders' second game, versus Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
.
Scottish International career
Gabriel earned two caps with ScotlandScotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
and six more as captain of the U-23 Scottish Team.
External links
- 1977 Sounders article
- 1978 Sounders article
- http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/output/2005/11/28/blether.shtmMeeting with PeléPeléHowever, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
.]