Gibson: Andrew (Andy)

1912-1913 (Leeds City Player Details)

Inside Forward

Born: Camlachie, Glasgow, Scotland: 01-07-1890

Debut: v Fulham (a): 07-09-1912

5’8 1/2” 10st 10lb (1912)

Kelvinhaugh was Gibson’s first team before moving on to Strathclyde Juniors. He made quite a name for himself in Scottish Junior Football and looked set to sign for either Rangers or Celtic, but George Swift, the former Leeds City trainer and then Manager of Southern League side, Southampton, beat them to his signature in May 1911. The Saints were a powerful Southern League club who had won that title six times between 1897 and 1904 and been FA Cup finalists in 1900 and 1902. He was labelled as "the best forward I have seen" by the Saints' Manager. After receiving such an overwhelming accolade he always had such a huge expectation from Swift. He made his Southern League debut for the Saints on 2nd September 1911 in a 1-1 home draw with Millwall Athletic on the opening day of his first season at the Dell. Both he and the Saints made an indifferent start to the season but in his fifth appearance, things looked up as he scored the first and third goals in a 3-2 home win over Leyton Orient on 28th October 1911. He went on to find the net his fourteenth and fiftenth appearances. On 27th January 1912 in a 1-3 home defeat by Swindon Town and in his fifteenth game on 10th February 1912 in another 1-3 home reversal, this time by Brighton and Hove Albion. He was only with the Saints for ten months before he and team-mate Henry Hamilton were suspended sine die for a breach of club discipline in March 1912. An impressive performer at junior level, Andrew Gibson was given a trial by Celtic after his released by Southampton. Backed by his reputation in Glasgow Junior football, he arrived at Celtic and played in two trial matches to help him restart his career. He was given his chance in Celtic's final two League matches of the season. He scored on his debut as Celtic defeated Kilmarnock 2-0 in a league match at Parkhead on13th April 1912. His second trial came in the final match of the season, a 1-1 home draw with Raith Rovers, on 20th April 1912. However he was ultimately deemed not good enough to join Celtic. Gibson was signed for Leeds City in August. After seeing him in pre-season trials, Yorkist wrote in the Leeds Mercury in August: "Robertson, the new inside-right from Partick Thistle, and Gibson, the new inside-right from Southampton, both pleased me immensely; Gibson is skilful, but on the light side." A week later Tattler added in the same paper: "Gibson enhanced his reputation, and he is sure to find a place in the first team on many occasions in the course of the season." He was given his debut at inside-left on the opening day of the season at Fulham but was dropped following the 4-0 defeat. The Mercury noted: "Young Gibson did not realise expectations at inside-left and as Enright is not fit an experiment will be resorted to in playing Cubberley at inside-left." Stan Cubberley took his place and became the first choice Inside Left and Gibson had to be content and wait for injuries to give him any further chances. Gibson was recalled for a couple of games. In the first, on 12th October 1912, City had a 2-1 home win over Stockport County. Unfortunately, in the second a week later, in a 2-3 defeat by League front-runners, Preston North End, at Deepdale he sustained an injury and had to bide his time on the sidelines. He returned against Nottingham Forest on 30th November, but was criticised thus by Wanderer: "Gibson is a pretty individualist at times, but he was deficient in that go ahead policy which means so much to a team." He retained his position for the following week's 1-1 home draw with Bristol City, but was dropped thereafter and failed to make the side again. The two games consecutive games was while Cubberley was filling in at Right Half and the two consecutive games in December were again when Cubberley was injured.They were to be his last games for City and he dropped out of the professional game at the end of the season. He left the club at the end of the season after just five games and never played professionally again. He died in Stratford, Ontario, Canada on 20th June 1962, aged seventy one.