| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Darron Thomas Daniel Gibson | ||
| Date of birth | 25 October 1987 | ||
| Place of birth | Derry, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Manchester United | ||
| Number | 28 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| ?–2004 | Institute | ||
| 2004–2005 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Apps (Gls)2 | |
| 2005– | Manchester United | 3 (1) | |
| 2006–2007 | → Royal Antwerp (loan) | 33 (1) | |
| 2007–2008 | → Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan) | 21 (1) | |
| National team3 | |||
| 2006 | Republic of Ireland U21 | ||
| 2006 | Republic of Ireland B | 1 (0) | |
| 2007– | Republic of Ireland | 5 (0) | |
| 1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:21, 26 June 2009 (UTC). 2 Appearances (Goals). |
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Darron Thomas Daniel Gibson (born 25 October 1987) is an Irish footballer who has played for Manchester United, Royal Antwerp and Wolverhampton Wanderers. In 2007, Gibson, who was born in Derry, was at the centre of a dispute between the Football Association of Ireland and the Irish Football Association, after he opted to play for the Republic of Ireland instead of Northern Ireland.[1][2] The issue was referred to FIFA and has even been discussed in the Northern Ireland Assembly.[3][4][5]
Contents |
Club career
A former pupil of St Columb's College, Gibson played junior football in the Derry and District League, and then with Institute F.C. 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.[6][7][8] Together with Dong Fangzhuo, Jonny Evans, Fraizer Campbell and Danny Simpson, he was one of several United players who spent the 2006-07 season on loan at Royal Antwerp.[9] In October 2007, he was loaned out again, this time to Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he spent the majority of the 2007-08 season.[10]
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.[11]
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.[12]
Irish international
Gibson was at the centre of a dispute between the Irish Football Association and the Football Association of Ireland over the eligibility of players born within Northern Ireland to represent the Republic of Ireland. Normally, 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 constitutional position of Northern Ireland, as specified in the Good Friday Agreement whereby Irish citizenship 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.[13][14]. 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 a third, Marc Wilson, has opted to stay with the Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland
Gibson initially represented Northern Ireland at Under-16 level and was included in Victory Shield squads. However, he was dropped from the team after attending trials with Manchester United and subsequently switched allegiance to the Republic of Ireland.[15][16] 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.[17]
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-21 squads.[18][19] On 14 November 2006, he also played for Republic of Ireland B in a 0-0 draw against Scotland B.[20] In 2007, Gibson was included in several senior Republic of Ireland squads for Euro 2008 qualifiers,[21] 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.[22] 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.[23][24]
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.[25]
Statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other[26] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester United | 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 (loan) | 2006–07 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 1 | |
| Manchester United | 2007–08 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan) | 2007–08 | 21 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 | |
| Manchester United | 2008–09 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 3 | |
| Career total | 55 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 5 | |
Statistics accurate as of match played 27 May 2009[27]
Honours
Club
- Manchester United
- League Cup (1): 2008–09
- FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2008
References
- ^ "Gibson can't play for Republic, says Wells": Stuart McKinley, Belfast Telegraph (January 31 2007). Retrieved February 2 2007.
- ^ "Republic up ante in Gibson cap row": Daily Mail (September 6 2007)
- ^ Fifa to discuss Irish player row
- ^ Fifa unable to clarify Irish row
- ^ Northern Ireland minister warns of sectarian divide
- ^ www.manutdzone.com
- ^ Darron Gibson Manchester United FC
- ^ www.fai.ie
- ^ United five go to Antwerp
- ^ Darron Gibson career stats at Soccerbase
- ^ McNulty, Phil (1 March 2009). "Man Utd 0-0 Tottenham (aet)". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/7905889.stm. Retrieved on 7 June 2009.
- ^ Hughes, Ian (24 May 2009). "Hull 0-1 Man Utd". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8048308.stm. Retrieved on 7 June 2009.
- ^ FAI responds over NI defections
- ^ www.independent.ie
- ^ www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
- ^ www. belfasttelegraph.co.uk
- ^ NI boss targets Republic's Gibson
- ^ Republic of Ireland U19
- ^ Republic of Ireland U21
- ^ Republic of Ireland B
- ^ "Gibson included in Republic squad". BBC Sport. 2007-01-30. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6313743.stm. Retrieved on 2007-06-25.
- ^ senior Republic of Ireland debut
- ^ Republic of Ireland v Slovakia
- ^ Republic of Ireland senior stats
- ^ "Gibson included in Republic team". BBC Sport. 2008-10-14. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7670439.stm. Retrieved on 2008-10-15.
- ^ Includes other competitive competitions, including the FA Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup, Intercontinental Cup, FIFA Club World Cup
- ^ Endlar, Andrew. "Darron Gibson". StretfordEnd.co.uk. http://www.stretfordend.co.uk/playermenu/gibson_darron.html. Retrieved on 26 June 2009.
External links
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