Unique double for former Town man who coached the stars

2:10pm Thursday 8th May 2008

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IT should perhaps come as a surprise that the man who helped the likes of David Beckham, Michael Owen, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Micah Richards reach the international stage is not a household name.

Countless footballers have benefited from his guidance and gone to become famous across the world, yet Warrington's Alex Gibson is a virtual unknown to football fans in England.

And if his list of proteges - throw in Paul Scholes, John Terry and Sol Campbell for good measure - was not impressive enough, Gibson has now completed a unique double.

Fifteen years ago, a side coached by Gibson became the first - and only - England team to win the European Under 18s Championships.

Last month, he guided Manchester City to FA Youth Cup victory for only the second time in the club's history.

Now 53, Gibson represented Warrington Schoolboys in his youth and went to join Manchester United's junior ranks before injury meant he would play out his career in the higher echelons of non-league.

He took his first coaching exam when he was 17 and was on the staff at Warrington Town when they reached the final of the FA Vase in 1987.

Having also qualified as a teacher, Gibson went on to join the FA, coaching in 60 youth international matches - including a brief period working with Howard Wilkinson in the under 21s set-up as well as a spell as under 15s technical director.

His seven-year spell at the FA was crowned when his under 18s side including stars such as Scholes, Campbell, Gary Neville and Robbie Fowler defeated Turkey in the final of the European Championships in 1993. Beckham, a slight lad for his age, did not even make the squad.

International success was followed by a move to Manchester City's Academy, where Gibson is now youth team coach.

His spell with City has come at a time when Premier League clubs have been criticised for not developing and blooding young talent, yet Gibson has helped an incredible 30 Academy players reach the first team in 10 years.

Wright-Phillips has since moved on but Richards, Michael Johnson, Nedum Onouha and Stephen Ireland remain, while current youth-team striker Daniel Sturridge has been tipped by many for a big future in the game.

City's youth development programme is the envy of many across the country and, having lost to Liverpool in the FA Youth Cup Final two years ago, they went one better when they defeated Chelsea 4-2 on aggregate in this season's final.

"It's quite an achievement to win the Youth Cup and the European Championships," said Gibson, who lives in Appleton. "They were both special occasions - one with my country and one with the players you work with all week. That was a wonderful achievement.

"We've got an excellent group of young boys, they're enthusiastic and there are a lot of technically gifted young boys.

"For a coach it's the ultimate to see them play in the Premier League and then for them to play internationally is a great honour.

"But it's not a personal crusade. We've got good players and a good coaching network.

"It's about working hard with the players every day from pre-season onwards."