terry gibson - fact file

1978 - 1984            forward

Born on 23rd December 1962 in , England.

Height : - .m  (5' 4")

Weight : -  - kgs


A diminutive striker who had a determined attitude that saw him have success at a number of top flight clubs, although he failed to make the breakthrough to a regular first team place at Spurs.

A short, stocky young lad, he scored a lot of goals in the youth team and reserves, with his determination being a major irritant to opposing centre halves.  Terry made his debut for Spurs in a home game against Stoke City in December 1979 and was instrumental in the build up to John Pratt's only goal of the game.  It was a relief for Spurs who had suffered three consecutive defeats and were lacking goals.  Such was the impact that Gibbo had on the veteran Stoke back four that when he left the field his shirt was ripped and covered in blood, as one of the defenders gave him a whack off the ball.

Already an England Youth international by the time Gibson made his debut, he had been with Spurs since he was 14 and had only signed as an apprentice earlier in 1979 before his rocket like ascendancy to the first team at just turned 17.  Unfortunately, after a couple more games he was out of the side until 1982-83, when he had a good ru in the team, but he generally filled in for injuries to Steve Archibald or Garth Crooks, who were the preferred, big-money signings.

Not getting a regular place in the Spurs team, in 1983 Gibson chose to join Coventry City, where he was snapped up by Bobby Gould to join Coventry for £100,000 and the move paid off for the little forward, who was top scorer for the club in three successive seasons.  His most notable achievement was a hat-trick at Liverpool in a 4-0 win for the Sky Blues.  He later struck up a good partnership with Cyrille Regis and the "little and large" pairing paid off handsomely for City.

It also worked for Gibson, who earned a move to Manchester United in exchange for another former Spur - Alan Brazil - but the diminutive striker lasted only 18 months playing less than 30 games in a generally unhappy spell at Old Trafford, coming back to London to join the Crazy Gang at Wimbledon, whose style of play suited Terry.  He arrived just in time to be involved in the run to the FA Cup Final win over Liverpool that year and a place in the club's history books.

After finishing his playing days, there was a coaching career which started at Swindon Town where he combined playing, before going onto Barnet to take up a similar role alongside former Spurs team-mate Ray Clemence.  He continued to take his coaching seriously and found positions at Wycombe Wanders and Fulham under former Wimbledon team-mate Lawrie Sanchez, who was the manager who Terry also served under as coach of the Northern Ireland national side. 

MIDDLE NAME :  -

NICKNAME :  Gibbo

Career Record
 
Club Signed Fee Debut Apps Goals
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (apprentice) 1979 - - - -
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (professional) January 1979 - 29th December 1978  v Stoke City (First Division) (Home) won 1-0 22 + 4 as a sub 7
Coventry City August 1983 £100,000 ??  113 52
Manchester United 1986 £650,000 ??  ?? ??
Swindon Town ?? - 3rd May 1993 Loan ??  ?? ??
Wimbledon 1988 ?? ??  ?? ??
- ?? ?? ??  ?? ??

Career Record
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
16 + 2 as a sub League appearances; 4 goals
5 FA Cup appearances; 1 goal
1 League Cup appearance; 1 goal
0 + 2 as a sub European appearances; 1 goal
Coventry City
97 League appearances; 43 goals
- FA Cup appearances; goals
- League Cup appearances; goals
Other appearances; goals
Manchester United
- League appearances; goals
- FA Cup appearances; goals
- League Cup appearances; goals
Other appearances; goals
Wimbledon
- League appearances; goals
- FA Cup appearances; goals
- League Cup appearances; goals
Other appearances; goals

Honours
England international
- full caps;  - goals
Under-21 caps; goals
Youth caps; goals
FA Cup winners medal 1987-88 (Wimbledon)

 

 

What they said about Terry Gibson
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What Terry Gibson said about ...
... his size during his early career at Tottenham ...  .. ()

"I was small and skinny when I joined Spurs at 14, so they tried to push me into playing out wide.  But I always wanted to be a centre forward, so I'd just play up there anyway. Obviously, people think they can intimidate you more easily if you're not tall.  When I played my first game for Spurs against Stoke, I was 17 going on 14.  The back four kicked me from pillar to post but I gave as good as I got and we won 1-0.  Mike Doyle (the Stoke defender) was so incensed he came after me in the car park after the game and John Pratt had to come over and help me out.."

... ? ...  .. ()

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            Appearances

Season League FA Cup League Cup UEFA Cup
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