Alex Gibb was an Australian professional soccer player who played as many half-back roles with Queensland clubs and was captained for the

Australia national team Sport is an important part of Australia that dates back to the early colonial period. Australian rules football, rugby league, rugby union, association football, cricket and tennis are among the earliest organised sports in Australia. Sport ha ...

. Gibb is recognised as Australia's first international captain and was awarded retrospectively by Football Federation Australia cap number 1 for Australia's first match against New Zealand.

Early life

Gibb was born in Leinster, Ireland, but was raised to Scottish parents in

Musselburgh Musselburgh (; sco, Musselburrae; gd, Baile nam Feusgan) is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, east of Edinburgh city centre. It has a population of . History The name Musselburgh is Ol ...

. He played at local clubs Musselburgh Union, Newton Grange and Musselburgh Athletic. He migrated to Ipswich, Queensland in 1911.

Club career

In a career lasting over twenty years, In 1913, he played for the Queensland state side to play against the New South Wales state team in a two-match series. Gibb played for a number of Queensland clubs including Bundamba Athletic, Bundamba Rangers and South Brisbane Scottish. He had left the Bundamba Rangers and was transferred to South Brisbane Scottish as a player-coach on 22 March 1923.

International career

At age 34, Gibb began his international career playing through a 14-match tour with

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

playing in central midfield and right-half positions. He made his international debut for

in June 1922 in Australia's first recognised international match, against New Zealand. Gibb played six matches for Australia between 1922 and 1923, playing as captain in all of those matches where he had played in Australia's first international win.

Managerial career

After the end of his club career, Gibb managed many Australian state teams and became a selector of Australia in 1936.

Outside football

Gibb was a secretary for the Booval Bowling Club.

Personal life

Family and relationships

Alex Gibb married Margaret Allan in November 1911 children Margret, Lex, Alan, Alf and Mary born in Ipswich. Gibb's brother, Aired died at age 53 in October 1939. His mother, Mary Rennie Gibb had then died at age 91 in February 1951 in Yonkers, New York.

Career statistics

International

Honours

In 2000 Gibb was inducted to the

Australian Football Hall of Fame The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the Centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media personalities, coa ...

References

Australian soccer players Year of birth missing Year of death missing Association football wing halves Australia international soccer players {{Australia-footy-bio-stub