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Fullname: Andrew Gibson
aka: Andy Gibson
Born: 1 July 1890
Died: 20 June 1962
Birthplace: Glasgow
Signed: 10 April 1912
Left: Sep 1912
Position: Inside-Forward
Debut: Celtic 2-0 Kilmarnock, League, 13 Apr 1912
Internationals: N/A
Biog
An impressive performer at junior level, Andrew Gibson was given a trial by Celtic after being released by Southampton for poor discipline.
He had been a possible star for Southampton, their manager George Swift reckoned him as being “the best forward he had seen and would be a thousand pounds man“. He didn’t last long there, having arrived in July 1911, got suspended in Mar 1912, and then dumped by that club.
The former Kelvinhaugh and Strathclyde Juniors inside-forward (in place of the absent Jimmy McMenemy) then arrived at Celtic and played in two trial matches to help him restart his career, the two matches were the last league games of the season.
He scored on his debut as Celtic defeated Kilmarnock 2-0 in a league match at Parkhead on 13th April 1912. The other notable point of this game was the parading of the Scottish Cup as Celtic had just won the trophy the previous week in a 2-0 victory over Clyde. Notably the trophy was paraded with some small children with bugles in bare feet. It was the closest that Andrew Gibson was to get to major silverware.
He made one further appearance in the final match of the season, a 1-1 draw with Raith Rovers, but was ultimately deemed not good enough to join a strong Celtic side.
He didn’t make it at Celtic, and soon moved onto Leeds City in Sep 1912 (a precursor to the modern Leeds Utd). However, he made only a handful of appearances before retiring from professional football.
He was later criticised as follows during his time in Leeds, and it may explain his lack of success as a professional player:
“Gibson is a pretty individualist at times, but he was deficient in that go ahead policy which means so much to a team”.
He passed away in 1962.
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES | LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1912 | 2 | 0 | N/A | N/A | 2 |
| Goals: | 1 | 0 | – | – | 1 |
Honours with Celtic
none
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Source: http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/players/gibsonandy.htm
Andy Gibson (inside-forward) 1912-13
http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/players/gibsonandy.htm
Andy Gibson is third from the left in the top row of this set of photos in the Leeds Mercury on 8 August 1912 of the new men at Elland Road
Born: Glasgow, 1 July 1890
Andy Gibson was described as “the best forward I have seen” when he was signed in 1911 by Southampton manager George Swift, the former Leeds City trainer.
Gibson’s first club was local junior side Kelvinhaugh, though he quickly moved on to Strathclyde. After building a decent reputation, he attracted the attention of both Celtic and Rangers, but surprisingly agreed to sign for Southampton 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.
The move didn’t work out for Gibson and in March 1912 he was suspended indefinitely, along with team mate Henry Hamilton, for disciplinary issues. Neither player appeared for the club again, and Gibson signed for Leeds City in August after a brief spell back in Glasgow with Celtic.
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.”
Gibson was recalled for a couple of games in October, but sustained an injury against Preston and had to bide his time on the sidelines. He returned against Nottingham Forest on November 30, 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 draw with Bristol City, but was dropped thereafter and failed to make the side again. He left the club at the end of the season after just five games and never played professionally again.