Ronnie Suzanne Gibbons (born 16 January 1980) is a former professional footballer. She played as a right-back for Fulham Ladies and the Republic of Ireland national team.

Club career

Gibbons joined

Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea. The area faces Wandsworth ...

as a 13-year-old and became captain at the age of 17. Three years later in 2000, when Fulham became the first full-time professional

women's football Women's football most often refers to: * Women's association football (hannah jones ). Women's football may also refer to: * Women's gridiron football * Women's Australian rules football * Ladies' Gaelic football * Women's rugby league * Women's ...

club in Europe, Gibbons was one of six existing players to be kept on. The more experienced Katrine Pedersen took over the captaincy during the 2000–01 season, as

won the South East Combination but lost the FA Women's Cup final to

Arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...

. Over the next two seasons Gibbons remained with

as they won successive trebles of Southern Premier, League Cup and FA Women's Cup in 2001–02 and National Premier, League Cup and FA Women's Cup in 2002–03. She was named as a substitute in both FA Women's Cup final wins. Gibbons joined Charlton Athletic shortly after

reverted to semi-pro status in 2003. She made her debut against Tranmere Rovers on 9 November 2003.

International career

Although born in Wandsworth, Gibbons was eligible for the Republic of Ireland as her grandparents were from Galway and

County Mayo County Mayo (; ga, Contae Mhaigh Eo, meaning "Plain of the Taxus baccata, yew trees") is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Conn ...

. She was invited for a trial in April 1999 while still playing in the Greater London League with

and made her debut in January 2000.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gibbons, Ronnie Fulham F.C. Women players Charlton Athletic W.F.C. players Footballers from the London Borough of Wandsworth People from Wandsworth Republic of Ireland women's international footballers FA Women's National League players 1980 births Living people Republic of Ireland women's association footballers Women's association football defenders