John Gibson

LUFC asked Lanark's assistant- manager John Gibson this week [Nov 2005] about his career to date. Gibby joined Tam Mc Donald at Moor Park a few weeks after Tam took up the reins and has already enjoyed success at the club. 

Site Ed: Tell us about your career?

John Gibson: "I started off at Blantyre Vics at before going to Hamilton Accies, went senior when just turned 19. Was there for two years then went to a non league English team, came back up and signed for Alloa and stayed there six years. Then I moved to Stirling, and stayed there six years as well, played under Kev Drinkell as midfield but went to full back. Then went to Stenny for three seasons, then Morton for 18 months and after that signed for Auchinleck. Had a long senior career and it's only through Tam I got into the juniors."

Ed: Which part did you enjoy most?

JG: "I had a great career and enjoyed my time in the seniors. I probably enjoyed being at Stirling most although I won promotion at Alloa a couple of times, one with Hamilton and Stenny too. But when you win the league you've got something to show you did something."

Ed: How are you enjoying the junior scene?

JG: "I'm enjoying it, being involved in any football when you've been in it so long is good. Doesn't matter what level, when it's in your blood I'll still be involved."

Ed: Did it take long for you to decide to join Tam at Lanark?

JG: "No, I'd already been down at Auchinleck with Tam. I'd just turned 35 and had an offer to go to Stranraer, Billy Mc Laren wanted me but at the time I'd done my journeys about the senior grounds. I knew the super league was coming into place and Tam asked me to go to Talbot, although at first I disagreed when they tried to sign me. I wasn't happy with his offer . Tam said I could maybe have given you that five years ago, I said Tam you couldn't afford me for 30 grand five years ago! After a year playing I joined their coaching staff, then Tam was sacked, I was taking training at Talbot, taken over from Kenny Paterson a few weeks when Tam phoned. I thought he'd have taken his assistant Tony Gallagher to Lanark but Tam wanted to take me so I was delighted to come."

Ed: Are you still registered as a player?

JG: "Aye, at the start of the season they [the other backroom guys]  were saying you can still do it but I've had my career. I feel it's better to give someone else a chance so they can develop. It might have helped the team for me to play but I feel it's better to give younger boys a chance especially last year as it was a lower league. I'm only there in case we're really struggling."

Ed: Do you have any plans to become a manager in your own right?

JG: "No definitely no. I see myself as an assistant and I'm quite happy that way. Me and Tam have a good working relationship, we're on a similar wavelength."

Ed: How far can this Lanark team go?

JG: "I think having seen what we've achieved the last year, year and a half, I can say we're not far away from competing if we go up. I think it's harder to get out these two leagues [ central district] than it is to get relegated from the other one [super first]. If you look at the first there's eight Ayrshire teams and six central teams it's easier for Ayrshire teams to get into that first super league because of the lesser standard as they've only got one league but if we [central district teams] want to get in that league we've got to win two promotions.I think the central leagues are stronger. But we've competed well when we've come up against the bigger teams so won't be far away I think. Look at the two games against the east super league we've done well against both of them."

  Ed: If not Lanark which teams do you think will be promoted?

JG: "Well after Saturday's result we'll do well to be promoted we've given ourselves a gap to make up but obviously Cumbernauld will be up there and Clydebank and maybe EK too. To be fair I think Cumbernauld are the best team we've played. But you've got to remember they've spent a lot of money in terms of this league, they went out and spent a couple of grand on a keeper as they had no goalkeeper for a week! And that's why they've got the best players and they're playing good football. We'd started to pick up a bit and I thought we'd turned the corner before Saturday's setback. We made a few mistakes but we'll learn from it if you point it out to them. But you've got to remember we've got a young team only one player over 30, a couple 28, 29 but we're happy with the boys we've got now. Cumbernauld are a good team but I don't think they're better than us. I think we're one of the best in the league and if you speak to other teams they'd say the same, I know even Yoker's manager was surprised to be 2-0 up against us. But it just wasn't our day, we had chances but the ball didn't break for us."

Thanks to Gibby for agreeing to do this interview.