Will Gibson Explained

William Gibson
Fullname:William Gibson
Birth Date:16 February 1868
Birth Place:Loudoun, Scotland
Death Date:[1]
Death Place:Lincoln, England
Position:Full back
Left half
Years1:1886–1887
Clubs1:Flemington Thistle
Years2:1887–1888
Years3:1888–1894
Caps3:75
Goals3:5
Years4:1894–1895
Caps4:17
Goals4:1
Years5:1895–1896
Caps5:16
Goals5:1
Years6:1896–1897
Caps6:41
Goals6:0
Years7:1897–1898
Years8:1898–1903
Caps8:130
Goals8:1
Totalcaps:279
Totalgoals:8
Nationalyears1:1895
Nationalteam1:Scottish League XI
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0

William Gibson (16 February 1868 – 15 September 1911) was a Scottish footballer who played in the Football League for Lincoln City, Notts County and Sunderland, and in the Scottish Football League for Rangers, as a left back or left half.

Club career

Born into a coal mining family in Ayrshire, Gibson spent most of his early life in Wishaw. Having avoided more time down the pit when he signed for Sunderland from Cambuslang, he made his competitive debut for the Wearsiders on 27 October 1888 against Elswick Rangers in the FA Cup First Qualifying Round; his side won the match 5–3.[2] He went on to make 100 league and cup appearances for Sunderland across two spells, scoring six goals, and played an important role in their consecutive Football League title winning seasons, with 20 appearances in 1891–92 and 30 in 1892–93.[3]

During his one-year spell in Glasgow with Rangers,[4] Gibson was selected for the Scottish Football League XI,[5] believed to be his only representative honour. After a short second spell at Sunderland, he later won the Football League Second Division with Notts County in 1896–97 (promotion was secured via 'test matches' including a victory against Sunderland).[6]

His younger sister Marion married Jimmy Miller, one of Sunderland's star forwards of the period (both also played for Rangers, but not at the same time).[7]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/156679621/William-Gibson William Gibson
  2. Web site: Sunderland 5-3 Elswick Rangers. The Stat Cat. 24 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080518105245/http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/Imatchdets/IMD4734.asp . 18 May 2008.
  3. Web site: Will Gibson. The Stat Cat. 24 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060831032041/http://www.thestatcat.co.uk/Mplayers/MPG354.asp . 31 August 2006.
  4. http://www.fitbastats.com/rangers/player.php?playerid=1899 (Rangers player) Gibson, William
  5. Web site: [SFL player] Will Gibson ]. London Hearts Supporters' Club . 29 May 2020.
  6. A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players. John Litster. Scottish Football Historian magazine. October 2012.
  7. Book: Mitchell, Andy . The men who made Scotland: The definitive Who's Who of Scottish Football Internationalists 1872-1939 . Amazon . 2021 . 9798513846642.