Ian Gibson

Position
Midfielder
Nationality
Place Of Birth
Newton Stewart
Date Of Birth
March 30, 1943
Date Of Death
May 25, 2016 (73)
Games Played
104
-
Per Game
Games Started
101
1.0
Per Game
Minutes
8753
84.2
Per Game
Goals
15
0.1
Per Game
Assists
14
0.1
Per Game
Notes
Stats
Matches
Transfers
Gallery
Internationals

Along with legendary George Hudson, Ian Gibson or ‘Gibbo’ as he was known, was the darling of City’s fans in the 1960s, although he was frequently injured, often at odds with the management and had a reputation for a gambling and drinking high-life. He was undoubtedly one of the most talented midfield players ever to appear in a Coventry City shirt. Jimmy Hill signed him from Middlesbrough for a club record fee of £57,500. Within weeks however he had a bust up with Hill and demanded a move. Hill left him out of the team but in his absence City’s promotion chances stuttered badly. The skilful, ball playing inside forward was recalled for a home game with Cardiff and given a freer role which saw him score two goals and dominate the match.

It was the start of an amazing run of 25 unbeaten games with Gibson’s scheming role one of the major reasons for the revival. City’s run took them to the Second Division championship with the highlight a 3-1 victory over Wolves, their biggest rivals in front of a record 51,455 crowd at Highfield Road. Gibbo scored the second goal when, despite being boxed in by defenders he skilfully pivoted and sent a curling shot past the Wolves keeper.

Injuries restricted his appearances in the first two seasons in the top flight, but enough was seen of him to realise that, had he been fully fit, the club might not have struggled so badly. He was one of the traditional Scottish ball players who seemed capable of keeping possession of the ball for minutes on end.

In 1969-70, despite another knee problem in mid-season he managed 30 appearances and was a strong influence in the City side that qualified for Europe. In the summer of 1970 however he was surprisingly sold to Second Division Cardiff City for £35,000 and the feeling was that Cantwell was fed up with his off-field antics.

Football League First Division (England)
1969-1970
Coventry City
29
28
1
2383′
2
2 (0)
3
1968-1969
Coventry City
18
17
1
1454′
3 (0)
3
1967-1968
Coventry City
15
14
1
1212′
5
62
59
3
5049′
2
0
0
5 (0)
11
0
League Cup (England)
1969-1970
Coventry City
1
1
90′
1968-1969
Coventry City
4
4
351′
1 (0)
2
1967-1968
Coventry City
1
1
90′
1966-1967
Coventry City
2
2
180′
1
8
8
0
711′
0
0
0
1 (0)
3
0
FA Cup (England)
1967-1968
Coventry City
2
2
158′
1966-1967
Coventry City
1
1
45′
1 (0)
3
3
0
203′
0
0
0
1 (0)
0
0
Football League Second Division (England)
1966-1967
Coventry City
31
31
2790′
8 (0)
31
31
0
2790′
0
0
0
8 (0)
0
0
Totals:
104
101
3
8753′
2
0
0
15 (0)
14
0
Date
For
Against
H/A
Result
Football League First Division 1969-1970
Football League First Division 1969-1970
Coventry City
Newcastle United
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
W 1:4
90`
1
Coventry City
Stoke City
H
L 0:3
60`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
W 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
D 1:1
70`
Coventry City
Burnley
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
H
D 1:1
61`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
W 1:2
78`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
W 3:1
43`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
W 3:2
90`
1
Coventry City
Newcastle United
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
L 1:2
30`
Coventry City
Chelsea
A
L 1:0
79`
Coventry City
Everton
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Derby County
A
W 1:3
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
H
L 1:2
72`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
L 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
W 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Crystal Palace
H
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 2:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
W 0:1
90`
1
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Derby County
H
D 1:1
90`
1
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
W 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
A
D 0:0
90`
League Cup 1969-1970
League Cup 1969-1970
Coventry City
Chelsea
H
L 0:1
90`
Football League First Division 1968-1969
Football League First Division 1968-1969
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
L 0:2
42`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
A
W 0:3
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
L 2:1
73`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Everton
H
D 2:2
76`
1
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Chelsea
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Newcastle United
H
W 2:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Burnley
A
D 1:1
90`
1
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
W 4:2
90`
2
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
L 1:2
90`
1
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
L 1:0
3`
League Cup 1968-1969
League Cup 1968-1969
Coventry City
Swindon Town
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Swindon Town
H
D 2:2
90`
1
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
W 3:2
81`
1
Coventry City
Portsmouth
H
W 2:0
90`
1
Football League First Division 1967-1968
Football League First Division 1967-1968
Coventry City
Everton
A
L 3:1
9`
Coventry City
Chelsea
H
W 2:1
90`
1
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
W 0:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Newcastle United
H
L 1:4
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Sheffield United
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Burnley
H
W 5:1
90`
1
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
D 1:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Leicester City
A
D 0:0
88`
Coventry City
Everton
H
L 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
L 2:3
90`
Coventry City
Newcastle United
A
L 3:2
35`
1
FA Cup 1967-1968
FA Cup 1967-1968
Coventry City
Tranmere Rovers
H
D 1:1
68`
Coventry City
Charlton Athletic
H
W 3:0
90`
League Cup 1967-1968
League Cup 1967-1968
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
L 1:2
90`
Football League Second Division 1966-1967
Football League Second Division 1966-1967
Coventry City
Millwall
H
W 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
D 1:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
H
W 3:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Cardiff City
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Huddersfield Town
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Crystal Palace
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Derby County
H
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Northampton Town
H
W 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Blackburn Rovers
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Bolton Wanderers
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Northampton Town
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Carlisle United
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Charlton Athletic
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Preston North End
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Bristol City
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Rotherham United
H
W 4:2
90`
1
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
W 5:0
90`
1
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
A
W 1:3
90`
1
Coventry City
Cardiff City
H
W 3:2
90`
2
Coventry City
Carlisle United
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Preston North End
A
L 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Bury
H
W 3:0
90`
1
Coventry City
Bristol City
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Millwall
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Plymouth Argyle
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Portsmouth
A
W 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Plymouth Argyle
A
L 4:2
90`
Coventry City
Hull City
H
W 1:0
90`
FA Cup 1966-1967
FA Cup 1966-1967
Coventry City
Newcastle United
H
L 3:4
45`
1
League Cup 1966-1967
League Cup 1966-1967
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
A
D 1:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Derby County
H
W 2:1
90`
Club Out
Club In
Transfer Date
Fee
Club Out / Club In
Transfer Date / Fee
Coventry City
Cardiff City
Wed, 01 Jul, 1970
£35,000
Coventry City
Cardiff City
Wed, 01 Jul, 1970
£35,000
Middlesbrough
Coventry City
Fri, 01 Jul, 1966
£57,500
Middlesbrough
Coventry City
Fri, 01 Jul, 1966
£57,500