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rondwisan
11-01-2013, 01:10 AM
James Gibson - Manchester United saviour to be remembered
MEN, Simon Stone - January 10, 2013

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A week-long exhibition will open on Monday aimed at underlining the significance of James Gibson in the Manchester United history books.

Gibson is one of the most crucial figures in Reds' history.

Had it not been for the businessman's financial input during the 1930s, United could easily have gone bust.

Gibson was also responsible for recruiting Matt Busby as manager in the aftermath of World War II, appointing the Scot whilst he was still in the army.

Yet, compared to Busby and other legendary United figures, little is known about Gibson and his great-nephew, Alan Embling, felt it was time Gibson's contribution should be fully acknowledged.

"It does feel a bit like he has been airbrushed out of history," said Embling.

"But without James Gibson, Manchester United might not even exist.

"When (secretary) Walter Crickmer went to see him in Hale Barns in 1931, the club was about to go bust. The banks had closed on them and without the £2,000 cheque he wrote to pay the players' wages, I am not sure how it could have survived."

A military uniform manufacturer initially before widening his range, Gibson ended up as chairman, ploughing £40,000 into United and helping to stabilise the club during the pre-war depression.

Then, as the Second World War came to an end and football got ready to resume its own battles, Gibson made an equally significant decision on United's behalf, one that set the template which Sir Alex Ferguson has continued so successfully.

"Matt Busby was completely untried, and whilst Liverpool were also interested, it was still a leap of faith by my uncle to appoint someone from that background," said Embling.

"He gave him more authority than any other manager had at the time.

"Yet it proved to be one of the most astute moves anyone at Manchester United has ever made."

Within three years, Busby had collected his first silverware, the start of an era that spawned the famous Babes and ended with that momentous 1968 European Cup win.

Unfortunately, Gibson had suffered a stroke before the 4-2 FA Cup final win over Blackpool in 1948 and was not well enough to attend Wembley.

Instead, Busby and his squad took the trophy to Gibson when they got back to the north-west, which is where Embling saw it too.

"My memory of that is quite vivid," he said.

"It was wrapped up in a cover next to my (great) uncle in his bedroom.

"When his wife unrolled it I could hardly believe I was actually seeing the FA Cup. It was a fabulous moment."

Gibson remained United chairman until his death in 1951, although his input was curtailed by his illness.

rondwisan
11-01-2013, 01:24 AM
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MUST remembers the former chairman and saviour of Manchester United, the great James Gibson


Blessed

As Manchester United supporters over the years we have been blessed with so many great memories. We have gathered together as reds at Old Trafford and followed our team through thick and thin. We roared them forward, we placed our hopes and dreams squarely on the shoulders of the magnificent players and managers who graced our football club. Not only have we won trophy after trophy, but through our collective expectations and passion we have also created the tradition of playing football with style & panache - the Manchester United way.

There are many great men in the club's history who have achieved the incredible. At times, even when the odds were firmly stacked against them, they delivered. You can immediately think of our two great managers, Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson. When you think of the teams they created and the players they brought through it's nothing short of miraculous. Names like Duncan Edwards, Harry Gregg, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Denis Law, Nobby Stiles, Ryan Giggs, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo and Eric Cantona to name but a few. No United supporter will ever forget the Busby Babes, the style of football they played and the unfulfilled potential of that team and staff we lost so cruelly in Munich.

History

Think of all that history and then think of the man, James Gibson, and his family.

Without James Gibson there would be no Manchester United. When the club was at the point of bankruptcy and extinction, this man from Salford stepped forward and created the platform on which our club could exist and, more importantly, survive. Through his hard work, selflessness and personal financial risk James Gibson gave Sir Matt, Sir Alex and the club's future staff the opportunity to create their magic and the legend that has become Manchester United.

The Gibson Legacy today is there for all to see. They gave generously and in doing so laid the foundation stones for the Manchester United we all know and love. James Gibson was a Chairman who gave everything to Manchester United without taking anything away from the club and the Manchester United community.

rondwisan
11-01-2013, 01:36 AM
HIGHLIGHTS IN THE BIOGRAPHY OF JAMES W. GIBSON



one.

James was born in Salford on 21st October 1877. He was the eldest son of John & Eliza Gibson. He had a sister named Florence and a brother named John. Both his parents died when they were young and both James and his siblings lived with their Grandmother Mary Gibson.

two.

James had a business that manufactured military uniforms (Briggs, Jones & Gibson). When his partners retired he became the sole owner and expanded the business and moved to Enderley Mills, Newcastle. He then manufactured the uniforms for tram drivers and conductors and sold this idea to the Liverpool Corporation and other corporations followed.

three.

James was approached on 19th December 1931, by United secretary Walter Crickmer at his home "Alanor" in Hale Barnes. In this meeting, James gave the gift of £2,000 to pay the salaries that were owed to the players and officials. This covered wages until the middle of January 1932 and with the remaining money left was able purchase a large turkey for each player and official of the club.

four.

On 22nd December James confirmed to the Manchester Guardian that he had decided to see United through the coming month. He later agreed to stand guarantor to the bank and accepted the full risk of the club, even though it was a time of severe financial hardship and economic depression throughout the world. James always had the full support of his wife, Lillian. He promised that he would continue to support the club in the near future and would attend the home games over Christmas and New Year with the view to giving more help once Christmas was over.

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five.

James Gibson took on responsibility to shape and build the strong foundations for the club. With Manchester City the driving force of the City at the time, his words that ‘there is room in Manchester for two clubs’ was music to the United supporters – he was to be proved right. The question was how he could turn around the fortunes of a club which had little prospects both on and off the pitch.

six.

Financially, the club was still heavily in debt, and the mortgage on the ground was now £25,000. There were not enough funds for transfers, and new players were desperately needed. It was then that James, along with Walter Crickmer decided that a way of nurturing young talent was needed. Gibson and Crickmer, along with Luis Rocca, started an 'A' team in 1932...the 'A' team is U/18's and can be judged as the first ever youth team...Tom Manley is widely regarded as the first ever home produced youth player during this period...Vose, Wassall, Winterbottom, and Hanlon all came through in later years. In 1938/9 the Manchester United Junior Athletic Club was formed (as reported in the club programme that year), the basis of youth development, which would serve the club so well in years to come. A tenancy was agreed for a pitch for the newly formed team at the old Broughton Rangers Ground (later known as The Cliff). The Youth Team flourished, winning the Chorlton Amateur League in 1939, scoring an incredible 223 goals in the process. As testimony to Gibson's initiative, when the first of the three great United sides Busby would build during his 25 years as manager won the FA Cup in 1948, the team contained six youth players (Carey, Aston, Anderson, Morris, Pearson, Mitten) while Cockburn came from a nursery club and Chilton through the 'A' team... only Rowley and Delaney cost money.

seven.

James was always genuinely concerned for supporters' welfare & his next intervention was also a stroke of marketing genius. During the 1933-34 season he persuaded the Midland Railway - who operated express trains from Manchester Central station (now the site of the city's famous Manchester Central international conference centre) to London St Pancras - to make an unscheduled stop at the tiny Old Trafford station on match days, thereby depositing supporters from outlying areas within a five-minute walk of the previously inaccessible stadium. Steps had been built from the station, and fans no longer had to walk miles to matches. It meant that the journey to Old Trafford for the fans would be quicker and more comfortable. Attendances would steadily rise throughout the next few seasons, and the train station would remain a focal point for those meeting on match days. The station is still used to this day by supporters.

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James W. Gibson & his wife, Lillian, inspect the newly named "Manchester United" locomotive.

eight.

In March 1941 the Luftwaffe put paid to all the efforts of James Gibson and those at the Club. Old Trafford was bombed. Ten years of their lives had been destroyed in the instant the bombs exploded. Manchester City quickly offered to help their neighbours, proposing Maine Road be used as a temporary home for United until Old Trafford could be rebuilt. It was left to James Gibson again to try and bring forth the phoenix from the ashes.

nine.

The war years had been spent by the James trying to persuade the Government to grant the club finance to redevelop and rebuild the ground at Old Trafford. A licence was finally granted in November 1944 for the demolition of the grandstand to allow progress to begin. It was two years later, after considerable effort, that Mr Gibson - through the local MP of Stoke-on-Trent, Ellis Smith - managed to act as a catalyst for a debate in the House of Commons for clubs affected by the war to be helped by way of financial support. Ten clubs, including United, were in need of rebuilding work from war damage. Eventually, in March 1948, almost seven years to the day after Old Trafford had been bombed, United were granted £17,478 to rebuild the ground. It was a great relief to the Chairman, who could now spend his time rebuilding the team. James was also responsible for cajoling the Government during the last months of the war into agreeing financial support for the ten clubs whose stadiums were in need of rebuilding work because of bomb damage.

ten.

The 'new' Old Trafford would not be ready to open its gates for the first time in 10 years until Aug 24, 1949, and so, with league football scheduled to resume at the start of the 1946-47 season, James signed a contract with Manchester City to rent Maine Road for the not-inconsiderable charge of £5,000 a season, plus 10 per cent of all United's 'home' gate receipts.

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eleven.

1948 proved to be a landmark year for United. Not only did they have permission to begin work enabling them to move back home, but also they were to win their first major honour under James Gibson. At the end of the War, Mr Gibson had taken on Matt Busby as manager. The team had improved, with players like Johnny Carey and Jack Rowley returning to the fold after the war, and a number of younger players from MUJAC like Charlie Mitten joining the squad. For the first two years after the resumption of the league, United finished runners-up. In 1948 United made it to Wembley to face Blackpool in the FA Cup Final. United won 4 - 2, to take the trophy back to Manchester for the first time since 1909. Sadly, James Gibson had suffered a stroke just prior to the Final and could not travel to Wembley to see the famous victory. The team bus drove straight to the Chairman's house on its return to Manchester, and the players presented the trophy to the man whose commitment to the club had kept the football team afloat and had carried them through for nearly two decades.

twelve.

1948 was also the year that James son, Alan Gibson, was elected to the board - the beginning of a lifetime of serving the club. Alan became vice chairman from 1957-85 when he retired from the Board at the stipulated age of 70. He then became vice-President following his retirement. Alan was a great ambassador for the club throughout his tenure, travelling with the team on many away trips and even meeting the Pope with the squad. Alan had a special relationship with the players through the years, beginning with the likes of Charlie Mitten through to the mid-90s. Sir Alex read the lesson at his funeral and the players attended as a mark of respect for him. He was well respected by Board members of other rival clubs and was regarded as a true gentleman and a great host at club functions. He always looked forward to seeing his beloved United play and was delighted to see them back at the top of the table before he died, fulfilling his father's legacy.

thirteen.

The following season, on 24 August 1949, United returned home to Old Trafford. For the next two seasons United finished as runners-up in the league again. In September 1951 James Gibson suffered another stroke and passed away. At the end of that season United fulfilled the promise given to them by their late Chairman and won the league. They had done it with the following youth players - McNulty, Redman, Pearson, Byrne, Aston, Carey, Gibson in the team... a fantastic legacy. James Gibson may have died, but his dream was still alive.

fourteen.

After James death, his wife Lillian’s passion for Manchester United was unfaltering and she continued to attend matches at Old Trafford well into her nineties.

fifteen.

It is fitting that a red plaque, unveiled by Trafford Borough Council in memory of James Gibson in 2001, is set on the bridge over the railway at Old Trafford, a lasting memory to the legacy of United’s saviour.

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rondwisan
11-01-2013, 02:03 AM
80 Years On: James Gibson – A Tribute by Andrew Embling

Machiavelli once wrote, ‘Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past’. It is certainly the case that history repeats itself. Looking at Manchester United today we see a club which, if you believe the stories in the press, are hugely in debt, perhaps a worrying trend for the club once recognised as the worlds richest.

Since their formation back in 1878 as Newton Heath LYR, United have twice before been in financial hardship. In 1902 they were in difficulties when a man named JH Davies saved them and changed their name to Manchester United. The club colours changed too, to the famous red, white and black we know today

It was, however, just 30 years later that history tells us United faced a far greater threat. The world, like in recent times, was in financial meltdown. We have lived through the Global Financial Crisis of 2007/8 – the worst financial meltdown the world has seen since the 1930s. The parallels with post-World War One Great Britain are staggering.

The Wall Street Crash of 1929 triggered a huge depression. In 1931 their previous benefactor had long since died, and United were again in difficulties, but this time considerably worse; this time they were on the brink of extinction.

Over the previous seasons United had fallen badly into ruin. After the death of Davies the club had lurched from average to relegation certainties. There had been no investment into the playing staff, and the directors had even inexplicably sold some of their best talent to other clubs for far less than they should have. United had become a selling club. The glory days of the early 1900s when Billy Meredith and Ernest Mangnall provided the club with their first FA Cup and league titles was long since behind them. The directors had ceased communication with the supporters , who were none the wiser as to why a club that had apparently been making large profits had not invested in the team. There had even been a civil war – the supporters so disgruntled with the fallibility of the directors that they proposed a boycott of a glamour tie against then league champions, Arsenal.

As the supporters became more and more disillusioned with the club, and as the financial crisis and recession became more and more acute, attendances dropped, even to under 10,000. It came to a head in 1930/31 with United relegated, no money available for transfers or to pay the bills. As 1931 came to a close so it seemed would United. In 2010 we have seen clubs like Portsmouth go into administration. In 1931 it was United who seemed doomed. In Manchester in the late 20s and early 30s the two main football teams stood poles apart, only this time it was City who stood at the top and United who stood at the precipice with nowhere to go.

As it stood, the banks had officially closed on a club who were in severe debt; there was no way back. In December 1931 United were moments from the end, a club who were the poor relations to City in Manchester, a club that was about to cease to exist.

It is at these pivotal moments in time that heroes are made. Step forward an unsung hero, a man who is hidden from most of the record books that we read today. A man who would not only give financial stability to the club, but who would set a foundation on and off the playing field to make United the club it is today. That man did step forward. His name - James W Gibson.

Mr Gibson was a local businessman, who, thanks to his considerable acumen, had a thriving business even in those difficult times. He owned a factory which made uniforms for services such as tram drivers. It was to Mr Gibson’s house in Hale Barns that the unlikely survival of United had its beginnings.

December 19th 1931 should remain firmly in the memory of each and every Manchester United supporter. For it was on this day that James Gibson breathed new life on a dying club. Known as a lover of sport, and particularly local clubs, Mr Gibson was contacted and a meeting arranged. It was club secretary Walter Crickmer who went to Mr Gibson’s house to ask for help that day. The meeting did not last long. After little more than an hour, Mr Crickmer left. He did not leave empty handed.

These days £2,000 does not sound like a lot of money, with players’ wages at astronomical heights. It hardly seems likely that something that today sounds so little could mean so much to a multi-million pound institution like Manchester United. But back in 1931, £2,000 was a sizeable amount. To Walter Crickmer it must have felt like winning the lottery. That money was enough to pay the backlog of player’s wages, keep the club’s debtors at bay over the festive period and there was even enough left over to buy the players a turkey each for Christmas.

Winston Churchill said, ‘We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.’ Father Christmas certainly delivered that year for Manchester United for that £2,000 was not a loan, it was an outright gift; one of many that James Gibson and his family would make over the course of the next few decades. The Press called this initial support “The Gibson Guarantee” – it had already guaranteed survival and would ultimately turn into much more than that.

‘The price of greatness is responsibility’ . That James Gibson was responsible for keeping the wolves from the door that Christmas of 1931 is undeniable, but his commitment to the club was far greater than a one-off cheque. The responsibility to the club and to the supporters by the Gibson family would continue much longer than that, it would last until James’ death 20 years later and beyond.

Not only did Walter Crickmer leave that fateful day in 1931 with £2,000, but he also left with the words of James Gibson ringing in his ears, that there ‘is room in Manchester for two clubs’. He also left with a pledge, a promise that James Gibson would give further help to the beleaguered club. It has been said that ‘a house must be built on solid foundations if it is to last ’. It was now that Mr Gibson began to shape the club and build the strong foundations to last the club through to where it is today.

Having visited the club over Christmas to watch the team play, Mr Gibson’s hope was to be able to raise funds to help the stricken club regain its feet. The question was how was this going to be achieved.

James Gibson always had a close affiliation to the supporters, a fact that would be borne out over the many years the Gibson family have been associated with United. It was to the supporters that James Gibson put his hopes early in 1932. He proposed a new issue of Patron’s Tickets, in the hope that money would be forthcoming to help with the financial burden the club was facing. There was, however, to be a disappointing response. One particular pledge did arrive, from a supporter who could not get to the games but who hoped that his small contribution would help. This small gesture touched the heart of Mr Gibson. He understood what it meant to be a proud Mancunian and what it meant to the supporters to have a team to follow. Buoyed by this, Mr Gibson decided to pledge more of his own money to turn the club’s fortunes around. There was only one condition that was to be attached – that he would become both the club’s new Chairman and President. The dawning of a new age was upon United.

Times continued to be tough. Whilst there was now much more stability with the club’s finances and a new captain at the helm in the boardroom, the team itself were a rudderless ship and results were mixed. At one stage the club had no manager, and it was left to the Chairman to pick the team. Once again, he wisely sought out the opinion of the people who matter most, the supporters. After a number of games, Mr Gibson decided that he had to find a new man to take over the team selection. It was now, in December of 1932, that he was to set a precedent for the future, by appointing the club’s first Scottish manager, Scott Duncan.

The next season, 1933-1934, United were again on the brink. The overdraft at the bank stood at more than £17,000 and Mr Gibson continued to stand as guarantor for the debt. Results on the pitch were as bad, and with one game to go United were on the precipice, looking down at the Third Division. They had to win their last game against Millwall to stand any chance of surviving, and win they did. With other results going their way, United survived the drop, and it was their opponents on the day, Millwall, that slipped down to the next level. In contrast to United, the blue half of Manchester was celebrating an FA Cup success. City continued to hold the upper hand in Manchester and James Gibson was determined that this would not continue for much longer. There was no easy fix, it would take a lot of hard work to get them there, but he was resolute in his belief that he could turn the club’s fortunes around and not only make them a good club, but set the foundations to make them a great club.

The 1933/1934 season would also be a season to remember for the right reasons for the supporters. The dedication of the United’s fans has never been in question. They are the heartbeat of the team. Back in 1933/34 cars were a luxury and most supporters would walk for miles to see their beloved team play. Once again, James Gibson would repay the fans for their commitment and devotion to United. It was now that Mr Gibson negotiated with the Railways Authority for steps to be built from the platform just outside the ground and for trains to stop there on match days. It meant that the journey to Old Trafford for the fans would be quicker and more comfortable, and the fans voted with their feet. Attendances would steadily rise throughout the next few seasons, and the train station would remain a focal point for those meeting on match days. The station is still used to this day by supporters, so now almost 80 years on Mr Gibson’s legacy to the supporters’ lives on. In 2001 a plaque was unveiled by Trafford Borough Council in memory of James Gibson – it’s location was apt, being placed on the bridge above the railway line just outside Old Trafford stadium itself. This red plaque stands as a memorial and a monument to the dedication of James Gibson to United, to the Trafford area and to Manchester as a whole. Hundreds of thousands of fans will walk past this plaque each season – perhaps next time you walk past it you will stop, reflect and remember the man without whom there would be no United today.

In the following season United finished fifth in the league, and they improved further in the 1935/36 season when, having completed an unbeaten run at the end of the season stretching to 19 games, the team won promotion back to Division One. The next two seasons saw the team yo-yo’ing backwards and forwards between the top two divisions. Even back in the 1930s it was a hard task to remain in the top flight, just as those coming up to the Premier League have found out in modern times.

In 1937 Mr Gibson was at his house in Bournemouth when he spotted Stan Pearson. Mr Gibson was often to be seen watching the Bournemouth side when he stayed in the south and had an eye for spotting talent. He signed Pearson soon after and along with Jack Rowley, another recent acquisition, the team started to show promise, beginning confidently in the league. On the pitch it seemed as if United had turned a corner. Off the field, however, United were still heavily in debt, the mortgage on the ground alone was £25,000 and the coffers were bare. Despite the improvements in results, new players were still desperately needed. There was need to consolidate and develop further on the pitch, but there were just not enough funds available for transfers, with Mr Gibson already having paid for transfers out of his own pocket. It was now that perhaps the greatest innovation in the club’s history was to take place – an innovation that was to become synonymous with Manchester United until the present day.

The 1936/1937 season was a landmark season for United. With funds unavailable for transfers, Mr Gibson had to look elsewhere for new players. It was at this time that, along with Walter Crickmer, they decided that they needed a way to nurture the young talent of the surrounding areas – something to bring the youngsters through to the first team ranks. The Manchester United Junior Athletic Club – the brainchild of Gibson and Crickmer – was formed. It was to be the basis of youth development which, long after the death of the founders would go on to create such immortal players as Duncan Edwards, Roger Byrne, Paul Scholes and, of course, United’s record breaking appearance maker, Ryan Giggs. It is a legacy which still remains today at Old Trafford.

The following June, Mr Gibson secured a tenancy for a pitch for the new MUJAC team at the Old Broughton Rangers Rugby Ground – later to be known as The Cliff. The Youth Team flourished, winning the Chorlton Amateur League in 1939 having scored a quite astounding 223 goals in the process. It was a good year for United, the first team finishing in their highest league position in a decade. Mr Gibson had the Midas touch; everything he did was turning to gold. The team, although managerless since the departure of Scott Duncan, were thriving with James Gibson and Walter Crickmer making the matchday selections. It seemed that the only way was up...until World War II intervened.

At the end of the 1938/1939 season, James Gibson could look back with satisfaction at all he had achieved. He had taken a stricken club, a club in the greatest crisis it was to ever know financially, knowing they were in debt to at least £26,000 and gambled. James Gibson had taken a huge risk, but it had paid off. Not only had he secured the club a lifeline, he had transformed the infrastructure, the entire running of the football club. He had put his faith in the supporters, and they had repaid that faith. Now, with the coming of the war United would once again need a saviour, and once again it was to be James Gibson who would rebuild the club from the ashes.

Having performed miracles ten years before, James Gibson would have been forgiven if he had decided he had done his bit for United. One fateful day in March 1941, however, he was to be called upon once again to raise United like a phoenix from the flames. Those flames were real – the rebuilding James Gibson had worked so hard for came crashing down around Old Trafford when a Luftwaffe bomb destroyed the stadium and surrounding area. James Gibson was devastated. Ten years of blood, toil, sweat and tears had been destroyed in seconds. It was, perhaps, one of the saddest days in James Gibson's life, one that brought the great man to tears. He was not to let this setback defeat him. Once again James Gibson stood apart from the rest. He stood tall and again quickly started making arrangements to rebuild the club for a second time.

The first thing that was needed was a place for the team to play their games. Old Trafford was completely wrecked; there was no chance of playing there. It was not safe for the players or the fans. He quickly negotiated with neighbours City for United to play their home games at their stadium, and Maine Road was to become United’s surrogate home for a number of years until Old Trafford could be rebuilt. The United phoenix was about to rise again, and this time it was to rise greater than ever before.

Whilst the war raged, some modicum of normality remained. Football kept going, even though many players were fighting abroad. On the pitch United won the 1942 Football League North Cup and were also runners up in the North Cup of 1945. During those war years United’s Chairman had spent hours tirelessly trying to persuade the Government to grant the club finance to redevelop and rebuild Old Trafford. After considerable effort Mr Gibson finally won a license in November 1944 for the demolition of the grandstand to begin.

In all, 10 clubs had been bombed during the Nazi raids in England, United amongst them. Each and every club desperately needed help from the Government to rebuild their stadiums, their clubs. For the next two years James Gibson, with the assistance of the local MP for Stoke-on-Trent, Ellis Smith, would lobby Parliament to grant financial support. This lobbying proved to be a catalyst for a debate in the House of Commons for clubs affected by the war; for them to be helped to repair the damage from the war. Finally, in March 1948 – almost exactly seven years to the day after Old Trafford had been bombed - United were granted £17,478 to rebuild the ground. Now the infrastructure was to be repaired, the Chairman was able to turn his attention to another pressing need – the rebuilding of the team itself.

1948 proved to be a pivotal year for United. They now had permission and funds to begin the work to bring them home to Old Trafford. Also, away from the pitch, Alan Gibson, the Chairman’s son, was elected to the Board to begin what was a lifetime of service to United. He followed his father in dedicating his life to United for almost half a century. 1948, was also the year United were to win their first major honour under James Gibson.

At the end of the War, James Gibson had once again looked to the future. He saw something in a young man who had played for two of United’s fiercest rivals - across town for Manchester City and for Liverpool. Matt Busby was untried in management, but James Gibson was a tremendous judge of character and offered the vacant role of manager to Busby. Slowly, the team had improved. Johnny Carey and Jack Rowley had returned after the War and Busby had also utilised the Manchester United Junior Athletic Club to strengthen the team further with players such as Charlie Mitten coming through the ranks to join the first team squad. In the two years after the resumption of the Football League United had finished as runner-up on both occasions. In 1948, they had also fought their way through to Wembley to reach the FA Cup Final.

United’s last FA Cup victory had been in 1909 and they were to face a strong Blackpool side, which featured the likes of Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortensen, in the Final. Could this be the moment for the team to shine? Could they bring the Cup back to Manchester? United have always had a strong association with the FA Cup, winning a record 11 finals so far in their history. This was perhaps one of the most important, for it was to be a breakthrough for the team and it paved the way for further success over the coming years – perhaps in parallel with Sir Alex Ferguson’s triumph in the 1990 FA Cup Final which can be seen as the catalyst for the success United have had in the past 20 years.

In 1948 one man deserved to take his place at Wembley to watch his beloved team, to revel in the success of the club he fashioned, the club he rebuilt not once, but twice. There was, however, to be no fairytale appearance for James Gibson at Wembley. Shortly before the final, James Gibson had been struck down by a stroke and he was not well enough to make the long journey down to London. It must surely have added further to the sense of desire the players would have felt, their beloved Chairman and President unable to attend the match. It is a mark of how much the players felt for their great philanthropist that, having secured a memorable 4-2 victory, their journey back to Manchester made a detour to Hale Barns, the same place Walter Crickmer had visited 17 years before on a far different occasion. This time is was to be a joyous event, the players presenting James Gibson with the trophy as a dedication for all he achieved for them, for the supporters and for United. It was a fitting end to a season, a fitting tribute to the man whose commitment and generosity in the face of extreme difficulties had kept United alive, who had breathed new life into the club.

United returned home to Old Trafford on 24 August 1949. Over the next two seasons they were again to finish runners-up in the league. They were to finally fulfil their great potential the following season, in 1951-52, winning their first league title in 40 years. It was ironic that the man who had done so much for the club, who had provided for them in their hour of need and built the foundations for success on the pitch with the development of the Junior Athletic Club, was never to see their ultimate triumph. After years of tireless work, and worn out by the many years of struggle, James Gibson suffered another stroke in September 1951. It was to prove fatal. His legacy remains to this day, in the spirit of United, with the team and through the supporters.

There is no question that James Gibson saved United from ruin – gifting over £40,000 of his own money as well as standing guarantor whilst the club were in the greatest financial difficulty they have ever faced. His achievements, however, remain unseen and unknown. James Gibson had a dream. In so many ways he achieved that dream and gave so much to those who followed in his footsteps. ‘A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles ’. James Gibson was a hero to United, to the fans and to the world of football. He should be remembered as the greatest Chairman the club has ever known, someone who put the club first, who worked for the good of the club. His achievements were an inspiration. His family, his wife Lillian – who herself was devoted to the club and worked tirelessly for United for over 4 decades - and son, would continue the work James Gibson had started for many years to come.

In contrast to many who have taken from the club – financially or otherwise - James Gibson gave much that United and we as supporters should be thankful for. He gave funds, vast funds, firstly to help the club survive and to build the foundations of a great institution – foundations which have stood the test of time. He gave innovation, creating the youth team system which has produced so many immortal players in the club’s history. He gave to the supporters – creating a faster and more convenient way for them to travel to Old Trafford, and always putting the players and the supporters first. Above all, though, James Gibson gave himself to the club, dedicating his life to United, something his son Alan would also do for the many years he served tirelessly on the board, as vice-Chairman and finally as vice-President.

What we see before us today is a club, now the most successful in English football. Their 19 League titles, 11 FA Cups are unsurpassed by any other team in the country. We see today a club that, for the past 25 years under Sir Alex Ferguson, has embodied a never-say-die attitude, most notably on that glorious night in Barcelona in 1999 when they came back to win the European Champions League and complete the Treble. But that never-say-die attitude has been at the club for a lot longer than 25 years – the origins of that mentality were born on the day James Gibson declared that there was room for two clubs in Manchester, when he saved a stricken club from certain death. That part of the club’s history has been forgotten, buried beneath the silverware that has been raised high in triumph and left to gather dust. Surely the greatest triumph the club has known was to fight back from their doom, with James Gibson as their knight in shining armour leading the way to the promised land.

Manchester United, the club, the team, the supporters, the institution has much to be grateful to the Gibsons for. Little is mentioned of the Gibson’s in the official records of the club, but those who know about what they achieved hold them in their hearts and minds as the true saviours of the club, a club that was in tatters, a club on its knees; a lifeless club until the Gibson’s timely intervention. It is time that their story should be told to the new generation of supporters, so that their memory and their selfless deeds live on. The world should know the real history of United, the forgotten history of United, the untold history, a glorious history.

‘Some people make headlines while others make history’ . 80 years ago James Gibson embarked on a quest to save a football club. He achieved that wish. He was more than just a saviour. His foresight and innovation set the foundations for the future. History should be remembered. James Gibson should be remembered.

troy andreas
16-01-2013, 02:44 AM
Gitu toh ceritanya.. Kuburannya opa James ada "give thanks" dari klub gak yah?

Btw English semua, teler bacanya :))

beckz_on7
16-01-2013, 06:51 AM
translate please.. :ngacir:

iamsetia
31-01-2013, 12:52 AM
"Gibson is one of the most crucial figures in Reds' history."

"But without James Gibson, Manchester United might not even exist.

Sangat disayangkan sekali ya, Tuan Gibson tidak bisa ikut serta untuk menyaksikan kemenangan United saat itu, krn dirinya mendapatkan serangan stroke pada saat yg tdk tepat, yakni disaat United telah berhasil memasuki final FAcup di stadion Wembley pada tahun 1948. dan Saat itu United keluar sebagai juara dengan mengalahkan Blackpool 4-2.Itu adalah kali pertama keberhasilan united merebut kembali tropy setelah sebelumnya puasa gelar dr tahun 1909. :(:(

"Without James Gibson there would be no Manchester United. When the club was at the point of bankruptcy and extinction, this man from Salford stepped forward and created the platform on which our club could exist and, more importantly, survive. Through his hard work, selflessness and personal financial risk James Gibson gave Sir Matt, Sir Alex and the club's future staff the opportunity to create their magic and the legend that has become Manchester United."

wow! jasanya sangat luar biasa besar bagi United. Sebuah tempat terhormat dan terbaik utk legenda kita Tuan Gibson. dirinya akan selalu dikenang dlm memori para fans united. :beer:

rondwisan
11-09-2014, 09:13 PM
11 September 1951

63 years ago, James Gibson died. The unsung/forgotten hero who saved Manchester United from bankruptcy.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BxQCnUYIIAAoGQe.jpg

rio vander vidic
12-09-2014, 08:26 AM
Pernah baca sepintas..dan baru liat artikel lengkapnya sekarang..
Makasih udh share artikel..

bangkit
12-09-2014, 10:39 AM
"Gibson is one of the most crucial figures in Reds' history."

"But without James Gibson, Manchester United might not even exist.

Sangat disayangkan sekali ya, Tuan Gibson tidak bisa ikut serta untuk menyaksikan kemenangan United saat itu, krn dirinya mendapatkan serangan stroke pada saat yg tdk tepat, yakni disaat United telah berhasil memasuki final FAcup di stadion Wembley pada tahun 1948. dan Saat itu United keluar sebagai juara dengan mengalahkan Blackpool 4-2.Itu adalah kali pertama keberhasilan united merebut kembali tropy setelah sebelumnya puasa gelar dr tahun 1909. :(:(

"Without James Gibson there would be no Manchester United. When the club was at the point of bankruptcy and extinction, this man from Salford stepped forward and created the platform on which our club could exist and, more importantly, survive. Through his hard work, selflessness and personal financial risk James Gibson gave Sir Matt, Sir Alex and the club's future staff the opportunity to create their magic and the legend that has become Manchester United."

wow! jasanya sangat luar biasa besar bagi United. Sebuah tempat terhormat dan terbaik utk legenda kita Tuan Gibson. dirinya akan selalu dikenang dlm memori para fans united. :beer:

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