Arthur Henry Gibson, known as Victor Raine Gibson (18 July 1888 – 8 April 1958) was an English professional football player and coach active in Spain and France.

Victor Gibson
Personal information
Full name Arthur Henry Gibson
Date of birth (1888-07-18)18 July 1888
Place of birth Woolwich, England
Date of death 8 April 1958(1958-04-08) (aged 69)
Place of death Ruislip, England
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Plumstead
1911–1912 Espanyol
1912–1924 Olympique Cettois
Managerial career
1914–1924 FC Cette
1924–1925 Montpellier
1925–1929 Marseille
1929–1934 Sochaux
1934 SC Bastidienne
1934–1935 Hispano-Bastidienne
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early and personal life

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Arthur Henry Gibson was born in Woolwich in 1888.[1] He married in 1910 and had an infant daughter who died.[1] He divorced his English wife in 1938 and married a Frenchwoman in 1939, with whom he also had a daughter.[1]

Playing career

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Under the name 'Victor Raine Gibson' he toured Catalonia with Plumstead FC, and in a match against RCD Espanyol on 18 May 1911, he put up a great performance which impressed the Catalan club enough for them to sign him, along with Frank Allack and William Hodge.[2][3] After a year in Spain he moved to French side Olympique Cettois.[1]

Coaching career

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Gibson coached the club sides of FC Cette,[4] Montpellier,[4] Marseille,[4] Sochaux,[5] SC Bastidienne and Hispano-Bastidienne.[6]

He guided FC Cette to the 1923 Coupe de France Final, which they lost 4–2 to Red Star Olympique.[7]

He also performed the functions of a coach with the Catalonia national team once, in what was the team's first-ever game recognized by FIFA on 20 February 1912, which ended in a 7–0 loss to France.[8]

Later life and death

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He returned to England in the 1930s, working as a gardener or groundsman.[1] He divorced his English wife in 1938 and married a Frenchwoman in 1939, with whom he also had a daughter.[1] He died in Ruislip in 1958.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Revealed: the true identity of Victor Gibson". Scottish Sport History – devoted to our sporting heritage.
  2. ^ "Plumstead FC de Londres contra CD Español" [Plumstead FC London v Spanish CD] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 18 May 1911. Archived from the original on 1 May 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  3. ^ "CD Español ingressa refuerzos del Plumstead FC" [CD Español joins reinforcements from Plumstead FC] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 1 June 1911. Archived from the original on 23 July 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "France – Trainers of First and Second Division Clubs". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  5. ^ "Les anciens entraîneurs du FCSM" (in French). FC Sochaux-Montbéliard official website. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  6. ^ "Scots in opposition: Peter Farmer and Victor Gibson at the French Cup Final of 1924". Scottish Sport History – devoted to our sporting heritage.
  7. ^ "1923 Coupe de France Final Report" (in French). Archived from the original on 29 November 2006. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Catalonia 0-7 France". hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com (in Spanish). Hemeroteca. 22 February 1912. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2022.