The T, sadly some might add, does not stand for Tiberius but news that Darron Thomas Gibson has agreed terms on a £5 million move to Steve Bruce’s Sunderland will leave not a dry eye in the house all the same. Maybe. Sort of. Well, perhaps not at all but it will bring to a close a chapter in recent Manchester United history with Gibson the subject of many a supporter debate over recent seasons.
Gibson, 24 in October, will join former Reds Frazier Campbell, Phil Bardsley and Kieran Richardson on Wearside after five years at United in which the Derry-born midfielder made less than 60 appearances for the club. Despite a thunderous shot Gibson failed to seal a consistent place in Sir Alex Ferguson’s side. With neither the technique, pace, nor all round game for the very top-level Gibson’s departure can hardly surprise, even though Ferguson has shown years of patience in the player.
Despite Gibson’s limitations the Irishman has never lacked confidence; a certain arrogance that is required of all United players. Gibson repeatedly rebuffed Irish manager Giovanni Trappatoni’s assertion that the midfielder should move to a lesser club in search of more time on the pitch.
Gibson will finally achieve his national manager’s goal at the Stadium of Light, replacing £20 million England under-21 international Jordan Henderson who departed for Liverpool in the past week. It was a week in which Gibson admitted for the first time that his future may lie elsewhere after Sunderland bid £12 million for the player together with United colleagues Wes Brown and John O’Shea.
“It wouldn’t faze me one bit to leave, all I want is what’s best for me,” admitted Gibson, who has 16 caps for the Republic of Ireland.
“So if the best thing for me is to leave and go somewhere that I’ll play every week then so be it. I haven’t sat down with Sir Alex to talk but if it comes to me not playing as much as I’d like next season I’ll have to move. I’m nearly 24. I’m going to have to go somewhere else if I don’t start playing regularly. Steve Bruce has played under Sir Alex Ferguson and I think he bases his managerial style on Sir Alex. If it came to it, I would love to play for Steve Bruce.”
Despite Paul Scholes’ retirement, and Owen Hargreaves’ departure, Gibson is behind Michael Carrick, Anderson and Darren Fletcher for a place in the United side. With Ferguson expected to bid for a leading central midfielder in the summer, Gibson is no closer to claiming a regular place in the United engine room than at any point in his Old Trafford career.
Gibson spent two seasons away from Manchester in a bid to further his chances, moving first to Royal Antwerp in Belgium and then to Wolverhampton Wanderers a year later for the 2007/8 season. Although popular in Antwerp, Gibson’s time coincided with a downturn in the club’s fortunes, with relegation to the Second Division providing a poor grounding for United’s youngsters.
Yet, as a past winner of the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award, Gibson has not fulfilled the promise of youth. There have only been fleeting moments in an Old Trafford career that has lasted longer than many expected; the 25-yard-strike, for example, against Hull City on the last day of the 2008/9 campaign, the clean hit against Bayern Munich in last season’s Champions League quarter-final.
At nearly 24 the time is clearly now right is right for both club and player to move on, with word that United is not prepared to offer Gibson an extension on a contract that runs to June 2012. Meanwhile, Gibson has seemingly accepted that his chances at Old Trafford will be forever limited, not that the old self-confidence has diminished despite the limited opportunities.
“There are four teams every year that play in the Champions League from the Premiership so there’s not many other teams in the Premiership that would have that experience within their team,” adds the Irishman.
“So even though I am young, no matter where I go, experience-wise, I’m going to be a big help. Obviously playing International and Champions League football is going to be a big help to wherever I go. So if I do leave it will be a big help to which ever team I go to and it will obviously be a big help to me too if I’m playing every week.”
Depsite Gibson’s many failings the midfielder’s departure adds £5 million to Ferguson’s supposedly hefty transfer budget while freeing up a space in the Scot’s squad. Tom Cleverley returns after a successful year at Wigan Athletic, while supporters continue to dream that a player of genuine midfield quality will arrive in the summer transfer window.
Gibson was never that.
Bye…
I’m okay with the G-bomb leaving, he really didn’t bring anything to the table as he was basically 5th in the pecking order even with scholes out he’s behind Giggs, Cleaverly and Park in the middle and probably Young (if the rumours are true) and Jones as well. And if SAF brings in a new mid-field general to replace Scholes then really Gibson wouldn’t play a minute this season….even in the league cup.
I just hope that brining in Jones and his versatility doesn’t mean that O’shea will be shown the door. He’s been one of my favourites for a few years now as he is a great soldier for the team.
As a S’land fan, I think he’d be useful. A 5mil replacement for Henderson. He has got a useful shot on him, – I’m not expecting the same box-to-box type energy from Gibson, but I am expecting a few goals from him.
Bruce likes them young and energetic (seems to me that 30 yrs old is too old for our team now as we seek to oust Arsenal as the no.1 kid team on the block)!
Anyway, we’ll see. The other guys who came from OT did well: Phil B, cracking season last season, F.Campbell – very pacey, shame about the injury, Richardson, useful in many positions etc. Yeah, we’ll take your cast offs!
Sadly there’s no place in United for Gibbo, but as a United fans we have to appreciate his loyalty & having continually rebuffed Trapp for advising him to move away. Never been easy breaking into the team…Just Ask Fletch!
Am afraid he might turn to hart ManU when they most want the points to dislodge one of the big boys for the season winner.
THANK FUCK!!!
Utter cunt of a footballer and has a pig nosed face I cannot stand to look at any more!
The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits…..
Glad to see him go, he was never going to be good enough for United, not even good enough to be a backup player really, despite him obviously aspiring to a more significant role that his ability doesn’t warrant. This is the best move for him and United, he can carry on his career somewhere he’s got a chance of playing, and United can move on and replace him with someone good enough.
Bye Darron. Thanks for…er…well, bye, anyway.
Seriously, though, wish him all the best at Sunderland. Other lads who have gone there after not making the grade at United have done pretty well, Richardson and Bardsley in particular, and I can’t see why he should be any different.
What a CUNT.
Good business for Sunderland – sell Henderson for 20 and get someone with lots of international and big match club experience in for 5. Henderson will go on to be the better player, but at present I wouldn’t say there was that much difference between them.
Good for United too as he wasn’t quite United class and his games can be distributed to those with potential to be alot better ie. Cleverley and Jones. I also expect the latter to give Carrick a run for his money in the defensive midfield role.
Goodbye to the Irish Scholes. Bahahahaha.
I think that Gibson had ability & a football brain, but he was never fit enough & never worked hard enough & worst of all he did not seem to care. If a manager can sort out these problems he might turn out to be a decent player.
When I have watched him live at Wigan Cleverley has been OK but not a lot more. He has never been their stand out player. I just do not see him as a Scholes replacement. If we buy a quality creative MF then he will be behind him & Fletcher, Anderson & Carrick & seriously threatened by Pogba & Morrison. Buying Young seems to me that SAF probably has the same idea.
// I think that Gibson had ability & a football brain,//
Despite years of evidence to the contrary?
To brianofnazareth. I think the fans on this site are sick and tired of your stupid remarks,I only hope the fans on this site dont think you are an average united fan.
Anybody referring to a player, especially a shit player as “The G-Bomb” is by definition a CUNT.
p.s. “reply” is a handy button…
// brianofnazareth says:
Blog Commenter said:
I’m okay with the G-bomb leaving
What a CUNT. //
A good player, but never a great one. A pure hitter of the ball and a fairly tenacious midfielder. Good goal return too.
http://www.fivecantonas.com/darron-gibson-sunderland-loss-great/
However, we’re fairly publicly looking for a top-class central midfielder and with Cleverley looking to have jumped Gibbo in the pecking order, this is the right time for all involved.
agreed
he’s a cunt
lfhb
Gibson never took his chances at United although I believe he might have been too restricted in the role he was given; If you look at his most recent performances for Ireland he has been much more impressive; regular game time at Sunderland will make a big difference to him!
How funny would it be if Henderson absolutely bombed at Liverpool white Gibson excelled in his place?
That’s a shite pick up line if you’re trying to get into my pants tbf…..
Listen here Sonny I’ve been ranting for many a year… while you were still hanging out the back of your sister… if YOU or any cunt on here comes out with that ” G-BOMB” shite then quite frankly we will be left in no doubt that the best of you ran down your mothers legs at the hospital.
Well said fellow ranter…..
You agree with me I assume….. that said poster was indeed a CUNT ?
Songs about G-… anyone lol?
Good riddance.
We have plenty more housecleaning we need to take care of, too. Brown, Diouf, Macheda and O’Shea all need to go as well.
G Bomb wherever you may be
You can’t pass for toffee
It could be worse
You could be Scouse
Winning nothing
??????????????
Can anyone help me with the last line!!!!???!
and the other lines
Yep an appalling effort but funny nonetheless!
I think we need more more from Brian of Nazareth, he seems to have certain United fans on this site summed up and speaks sense. G-Bomb my arse, G-Twat more like. DUKE do you call yourself D-Bomb at work?
Well, the nick name G-Bomb actually comes from this site and the rant Cast podcasts so the few idiots on here should Sod off.
I’d call BrianofNazereth a Cunt as well but that’d be a compliment…I like Cunts very much thank you. He sounds much more like a dirty scouse rat to me….
What a relief! Now show some balls Fergie and get rid of Anderson and Carrick too and replace them with a mixture of talented youth and experience.
We’ve had the best central midfielders for a long time….Keane, Ince, Scholes even Butt couples with brilliant wingers which ensured fast, free flowing and exciting football. In the last few years we’ve been awful relying on an aging and clearly bored Scholes and then Giggs to bring that sparkle back but they can’t last forever.
I wounldn’t mind seeing Rooney have a crack as playmaker…he can perform there!
As for Gibbo thanks for all the screaming and swearing you’ve made my young daughter endure (and learn!) in the past few years.
You were simply not up to scratch and you should not have been made to bear all that anger and frustration of fans like me. It’s a mystery how you ever played for Man Utd’s first team!!
Oh ffs…
“Badges, to god-damned hell with badges! We have no badges. In fact, we don’t need badges. I don’t have to show you any stinking badges, you god-damned cabrón and ching’ tu madre! Come out from that shit-hole of yours. I have to speak to you.”
Giggs is a great man, a great footballer and a great lover.
Will he be in the right frame of mind to play next season?
Only time will tell. If we are able to sign Sanchez, he will play as the attacking central midfielder and Young on the left wing. But what I’m hearing, SAF is going to change his tactics and use a system similar to Barcelona.
DeGEA
VALENCIA VIDIC FERDINAND EVRA
NANI JONES SANCHEZ
YOUNG
ROONEY HERNANDEZ
// But what I’m hearing, SAF is going to change his tactics and use a system similar to Barcelona. //
You were doing well up until you claimed to know SAF’s thuper secret plans mate 🙂
So its a 4-1-5 system is it then Herbs, with no central midfielders at all? Well suppose it gets round the Carrick Anderson problem.
Using a new system, Young will play in his favourite position, just behind the two strikers and Sanchez on the left wing. Valencia will play at right back in a similar role that the right back at Barcelona plays, putting himself in attacking positions down the right side and Nani putting himself from the wing into more scoring positions for himself. Sanchez is a trickster, his quality speaks for itself. But if we do bring in a proven central attacking midfielder like Sneijder, Modric or Nasri and buy Sanchez, this will be a very strong team. Lets see what happens.
Ah right. You’re talking shite.
ahh ffs… G-bomb… Get fucked.anyone who thiks thats normal needs a rodent to gnaw their genitals,
I should hope you do like Cunts, your Mum an Dad have done a lot for you…. it’s not easy to bring up a rape result child in a loving environment… especially when the news broke out that in was incest….
Now noob…have some respect for the ranter who’s in the top 3 ranters of all time.
top 3 lol you have lowered your estimation recently. what happened?
Just my amount of output hasn’t been what it should be, that’s all….. as I’m now the longest ( In every sense ) member…. that will assure me of my top 3 billing regardless if I were to ever post again… tbf my reply to that CUNT has probably pushed me back to the top!
Brian… you disappoint me
we are overrun by cocks and brainless twats..
Please explain.
SAF realizes that we need changes at Man Utd to compete with Barcelona. If you think we only need quality midfielders and we will be okay, then you are only dreaming. We need to up our style of play, tactics, formations and play attractive, possession style football or we will be left behind. If you don’t believe me then wait until pre-season games kick in and you will see what I’m talking about. They know what the problems are that is why there is talk of changing the coaching staff. United want to be the best football club in the world. Second best just won’t do!
Ed, Jones will play in a defensive central midfield role.
A lot of these cunts don’t know nothing about football, they just watch football and talk a lot of shit. What makes Mourinho a good manager? He uses different tactics and stradegy for each game. What makes Guardiola a good manager? He plays attacking, possesion football in triangles. Wenger also has a good style of attacking one-touch football. If we keep playing this same style of football, yes we will win the premier league but don’t be looking for to many champions league trophies.
herbie – I very much doubt Jones will play in midfield at United.
what do you know?? Clearly you are one of these cunts he speaks of that knows fuck all about football.
Bit random… or was that meant for Edward?
Yes – what DOES Ed know? Who can guess on his state of mind?
Herbie is a great mind and a great lover, who truly understands the desires of the fans, and is known to SAF.
Jones will play defensive midfield, but how will he cope with the arrival of George Best? Only time will tell. What IS clear is that SAF needs to listen to me, and to get Ronaldo back into the team. He’s coming for £4.50 a week it seems. The deal is done. It’s the truth. I read this on the back of a Penguin chocolate bar.
I’m only saying what I know to be true. Interesting times ahead for our beloved Man United.
(cunt)
herbie knows the truth….a few posts up dai
Thanks clay head… LOL
haha…ace
Actually I wonder if Gibbo was English, would we be touting him as the next big thing?
Personally I look forward to Herbie’s tactics having Nani in the Xavi role
I like this guy
dont be so fucking stupid you fuckwad