His stay in the South West might only have been brief, but
Paul Gibbs left a big impression on the fans of both Torquay United and
Plymouth Argyle.
He joined the Gulls in 1997, following his release by
Colchester United, before joining the Pilgrims in the summer of 1998 and stayed
at Home Park for two years before moving to Brentford in 2000.
Gibbs initially made his name with Diss Town, and played a
key role in helping them to win the FA Vase in 1994, where they defeated
Taunton Town 2-1 in the final at Wembley.
A year later Gibbs joined Colchester United where he stayed
for two years before arriving at Plainmoor in 1997.
He had already lost his place in the U’s side to Scott
Stamps, who ironically had joined Colchester from Torquay during the 1996-97
season. Following negotiations between his U’s team-mate David Gregory and
Gulls’ player-assistant manager Steve McCall, he soon found his way to Devon.
“When I was at Colchester, we played Torquay at Layer Road
and won 3-0,” he told me.
“I was a fan of Steve McCall and I did have it in my mind
that I was going to be released as Scott Stamps came from Torquay, so I knew my
time was up. I wanted to speak with Steve after the game but didn’t have the
bottle. But Dave Gregory spoke with him when I got told I was not required at
Colchester, and Macca (McCall) was more than happy to get me down. I loved
Torquay as coming from Great Yarmouth playing for another seaside town was just
like being at home!”
After a slow start to the 1997-98 season, the Gulls, then
managed by Kevin Hodges, soon mounted a charge towards the automatic promotion
spots, which was spearheaded by a club record run of eight consecutive league
wins between January and March 1998.
“I think as players we were not too bothered if it was a
record or not, we just loved playing and wanted the next game to come quickly!
It’s very rare that you get “that click” with all of the players,” he said.
“Kevin (Hodges) and Macca (Steve McCall) pulled together so
many good “rejects” that season, Andy Gurney, Jamie Robinson, myself, Gary
Clayton and Chris Leadbitter. We all had points to prove but we all played for
each other and there were no big time Charlies.”
It was also a team where the goal scoring responsibilities
were shared around through the team, as Rodney Jack led the way with 16 six
goals, and Gibbs and Andy Gurney were joint-second highest with ten apiece in
all competitions.
“It was fantastic that everyone chipped in, except Jamie
Robinson and - to this day - I’m still giving him stick! To get goals from all over the park made us
very hard to play against. “
On the final day of the 1997-98 campaign, the Gulls needed a
point from their final league fixture against Leyton Orient to finish in the
top three and gain automatic promotion for the first time since 1966.
However, it was not to be as Orient won 2-1, in a game that
saw goalkeeper Kenny Veysey dismissed and – in the days before substitute
keepers - Andy Gurney take over between the sticks. The result ensured that the Gulls would be
forced to settle for a Play-off spot.
“That will go down in my football career as the worst day in
my life! Not only for me personally but for the players and the management and
fans as we deserved to go up and win that game! That game had everything apart from
the right result!” he said.
“I do think now that one game changed the path of many
player’s futures - and the club’s future.”
The Gulls then contested a two-legged semi-final with
Scarborough, which they won 7-2 on aggregate that was capped off with a
memorable 4-1 second leg win at Plainmoor, in which Gibbs was on the score
sheet.
“Rodney (Jack) got us
off to a great start and again for me to score in such an important game makes
me feel very proud that I will hopefully be remembered by the Torquay faithful
for what I gave them in that season.”
Nevertheless, there was to be no Wembley joy for the Gulls,
as they were beaten 1-0 by Gibbs’ former club, Colchester United. A penalty,
scored by his ex-teammate David Gregory, awarded for a handball against Jon
Gittens in the first half decided the contest.
“To lose it in the way we did left me feeling distraught for
a few reasons as I knew that the team would possibly break up,” said Gibbs.
“We were all on one-year contracts and contract talks were a
joke! I was offered a pay cut to stay. I know other players were all hitting
the same brick wall and maybe that also had an effect on the lads that day.”
Off the field, his relationship with Soccer AM presenter and
ardent Gulls fan Helen Chamberlain brought him into contact with a number of
footballing and non-footballing celebrities, including one occasion when the
couple were invited to watch the 1998 FA Cup final between Arsenal and
Newcastle United.
“I wasn’t told where we were going but we turned up in
Mayfair, knocked on the door. I stood there with Helen and Tim Lovejoy and
Gazza answered the door,” he said.
“Hello Gibbi’, he said.” ‘I watched you last night at
Wembley and this morning on Soccer AM,’ well I could have fainted! I found out
that it was Chris Evans’s house and inside was Jimmy Five Bellies, all the team
from TGI Friday, Danny Baker and Chris Evans! What the hell was little old me
doing here!”
“It was the most amazing day and saddest day all in one; I
watched the game lying on the floor next to Gazza whilst he drank nine bottles
of hooch and half a bottle of red wine before half-time! I then plucked up the courage to say to him
“Gazza, you have a World Cup coming up soon” why are you drinking; He said:
‘Gibbi I will be areet’. Later that night he was pictured eating a kebab and
the next day Glenn Hoddle dropped him for the squad.”
During the summer of 1998 Gibbs’ career would also take a
different direction, as he left Plainmoor to join Plymouth Argyle after Kevin
Hodges had been appointed as Pilgrims’ manager in succession to Mick Jones.
He decided on a move to Home Park, despite interest from
future Everton and Manchester United manager David Moyes, who was then manager
of Preston North End.
However, Hodges, who was once again assisted by Steve
McCall, failed to repeat the magic he had enjoyed at Plainmoor with the
Pilgrims.
“Before signing for Plymouth I was speaking with David Moyes
at Preston, Leyton Orient, Rotherham, and Bristol Rovers,” he said. “But I
decided to stay loyal to Kev and Steve, for me the ‘blend’ was not right at the
club and too many players were not at the races for Plymouth.”
However, there was the personal consolation of being named
in the PFA Division Three team of the year in the 1998-99 season.
“That was an all-time high for me personally to be voted by
your fellow players is a real honour,” he said.
His stay at Home Park ended after two years when he joined
Brentford and also had a spell in the Championship with Barnsley before winding
down his career in non-league football. He currently runs a recruitment agency
in his native Norfolk with his sister.
He said: “My sister said to me ‘What do you know about
recruitment? It’s all people slamming the phone down on you and rejection.’ My
reply was: ‘Have you ever been booed by 15,000 fans for 90 minutes with nowhere
to hide?’ I think that won her over! I love it now finding that person the
perfect job and changing their lives is very rewarding.”
An abridged version of this article appeared in the Sunday Independent in May 2015.