Dave Gibson
Encyclopedia
David "Dave" Weddernburn Gibson (born 23 September 1938 in Kirkliston
, West Lothian
) was a Scottish
footballer
who played for Livingston United
, Hibernian
, Leicester City
, Aston Villa
, Exeter City
and the Scotland national team
.
Considered to be one of the finest and most skillful players in Leicester's history, he was the playmaker and creative force of the great Leicester side of the 1960s under Matt Gillies
, including the "Ice Kings
" side that fell just short of winning the double in 1962-63
.
He scored in both legs of Leicester's 1964 League Cup final
victory and also played in a further 3 cup finals for the club.
Gibson earnt 7 caps and scored 3 goals for Scotland, including a goal against Spain at the Santiago Bernabeu just 12 months before Spain became European Champions.
, was signed by Hibernian from local side Livingston United in 1956. After 6 years with the Edinburgh
club he joined English club Leicester City in January 1962 for a fee reported to have been £40,000.
season were restricted. He eventually made his debut on 2 March 1962. However, the following season, Gibson began to form a deadly partnership down the left-flank of Leicester's attack with Mike Stringfellow
and became a key fixture in the Leicester side as they chased the double with the club sitting top of the league with 5 games to go and reaching the FA Cup final, though they eventually fell short in both competitions. Gibson then helped Leicester to victory in the 1964 League Cup final
scoring a goal in both legs of the final. He also helped Leicester to the 1965 League Cup final
and the 1969 FA Cup Final
, though they lost on both occasions.
in September 1970 where he remained for two years before ending his career with Exeter City
. He retired in 1974.
He later became a postman before running a residential care centre in Whetstone
in Leicestershire
.
on 4 May 1963 in a game that was abandoned after 79 minutes after the Austrian team's foul tactics caused referee Jim Finney to abandon the game in fear of player safety.
He earnt 7 caps overall, scoring 3 times.
Kirkliston
Kirkliston is a village and civil parish within the City of Edinburgh in Scotland. It sits on the historic route between Edinburgh and Queensferry, the gateway to Fife and the north. Today, it is bypassed by the A90...
, West Lothian
West Lothian
West Lothian is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire....
) was 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...
footballer
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...
who played for Livingston United
Livingston United F.C.
Livingston United F.C. are a Scottish football club based in Livingston, West Lothian. The club joined the Scottish Junior Football Association in 1970, having existed as a Juvenile side since 1935. Their home ground is Station Park....
, Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
, Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
and the Scotland national 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...
.
Considered to be one of the finest and most skillful players in Leicester's history, he was the playmaker and creative force of the great Leicester side of the 1960s under Matt Gillies
Matt Gillies
Matthew "Matt" Muirhead Gillies was a Scottish football player and manager who played for, captained, coached and managed Leicester City for a total of 15 years between 1952–1955 and 1956-1968. He is the club's longest serving manager, lasting a decade in the manager's seat between November...
, including the "Ice Kings
Ice Kings (football)
The Ice Kings is the name given to the Leicester City side of the 1962-63 season, due to their incredible run of form in both the First Division and the FA Cup on icy pitches during the brutal winter of 1962/63, the coldest winter of the 20th century in England and Wales.During the freezing winter,...
" side that fell just short of winning the double in 1962-63
1962-63 in English football
The 1962–63 season was the 83rd season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*Everton won the League Championship, their first post-war title.*Manchester United won the FA Cup, their first major trophy since the Munich Air Disaster in 1958....
.
He scored in both legs of Leicester's 1964 League Cup final
1964 Football League Cup Final
The 1964 Football League Cup Final, the fourth to be staged since the competition's inception, was contested between Stoke City and Leicester City, both of the First Division, over two legs...
victory and also played in a further 3 cup finals for the club.
Gibson earnt 7 caps and scored 3 goals for Scotland, including a goal against Spain at the Santiago Bernabeu just 12 months before Spain became European Champions.
Early career
Gibson, an Inside ForwardStriker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
, was signed by Hibernian from local side Livingston United in 1956. After 6 years with the Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
club he joined English club Leicester City in January 1962 for a fee reported to have been £40,000.
Leicester City
Gibson's joined Leicester while still on national service, so his appearances in 1961-621961-62 in English football
The 1961–62 season was the 82nd season of competitive Football in England.-Overview:The season was notable for the remarkable achievement of Ipswich Town winning the League Championship. Under the managership of Alf Ramsey, the club progressed from the old Third Division South to the First Division...
season were restricted. He eventually made his debut on 2 March 1962. However, the following season, Gibson began to form a deadly partnership down the left-flank of Leicester's attack with Mike Stringfellow
Mike Stringfellow
Michael David "Mike" Stringfellow is a retired English footballer who played 14 seasons as a winger for Leicester City in the 1960s and 1970s. He is the uncle of fellow footballer Ian Stringfellow....
and became a key fixture in the Leicester side as they chased the double with the club sitting top of the league with 5 games to go and reaching the FA Cup final, though they eventually fell short in both competitions. Gibson then helped Leicester to victory in the 1964 League Cup final
1964 Football League Cup Final
The 1964 Football League Cup Final, the fourth to be staged since the competition's inception, was contested between Stoke City and Leicester City, both of the First Division, over two legs...
scoring a goal in both legs of the final. He also helped Leicester to the 1965 League Cup final
1965 Football League Cup Final
The 1965 Football League Cup Final, the fifth to be staged since the competition's inception, was contested between Leicester City and Chelsea over two legs. Leicester, the holders, were aiming to become the first side to retain the trophy while Chelsea were seeking to become the first London side...
and the 1969 FA Cup Final
1969 FA Cup Final
The 1969 FA Cup Final was the final match of the 1968–69 staging of English football's primary cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, better known as the FA Cup. The match was contested between Leicester City and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday 26 April 1969...
, though they lost on both occasions.
Late career and retirement
He moved to Aston VillaAston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
in September 1970 where he remained for two years before ending his career with Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
. He retired in 1974.
He later became a postman before running a residential care centre in Whetstone
Whetstone
Whetstone may refer to:* Whetstone, a sharpening stone used for knives and other cutting tools* Whetstone , a benchmark for measuring computing power* Operation Whetstone, a nuclear test program in the 1960s- Places :United Kingdom...
in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
.
International career
Gibson made his debut for Scotland in a 4-1 victory over Austria in front of 94,500 fans at Hampden ParkHampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
on 4 May 1963 in a game that was abandoned after 79 minutes after the Austrian team's foul tactics caused referee Jim Finney to abandon the game in fear of player safety.
He earnt 7 caps overall, scoring 3 times.
International goals
- Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 13 June 1963 Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid MadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...2–1 2–6 Friendly 2 3 October 1964 Ninian Park Ninian ParkNinian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
, CardiffCardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...2–1 2–3 1965 British Home Championship 1965 British Home ChampionshipThe 1965 British Home Championship was an outright victory for the English football team in the run up to the 1966 FIFA World Cup which was held in the country...3 21 October 1964 Hampden Park Hampden ParkHampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
, GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...3-0 3-1 1966 World Cup qualification 1966 FIFA World Cup qualificationA total of 74 teams entered the 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 16 spots in the final tournament. , as the hosts, and , as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 14 spots open for competition....
As a player
Leicester City F.C.Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
- FA CupFA CupThe 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...
runner-up: 1963, 1969 - 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...
winner: 19641964 Football League Cup FinalThe 1964 Football League Cup Final, the fourth to be staged since the competition's inception, was contested between Stoke City and Leicester City, both of the First Division, over two legs...
, runner-up: 19651965 Football League Cup FinalThe 1965 Football League Cup Final, the fifth to be staged since the competition's inception, was contested between Leicester City and Chelsea over two legs. Leicester, the holders, were aiming to become the first side to retain the trophy while Chelsea were seeking to become the first London side...
External links
- Dave Gibson, Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database