Jimmy Gabriel
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | James Gabriel[1] | ||
Date of birth | 10 October 1940 | ||
Place of birth | Dundee, Scotland | ||
Date of death | 10 July 2021 | (aged 80)||
Place of death | Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | ||
Position(s) |
Defensive midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
Tyneside Boys Club | |||
Dundee North End | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1957–1960 | Dundee | 55 | (0) |
1960–1967 | Everton | 256 | (33) |
1967–1972 | Southampton | 191 | (25[2]) |
1972–1974 | AFC Bournemouth | 53 | (4) |
1973 | → Swindon Town (loan) | 6 | (0) |
1974 | Brentford | 9 | (0) |
1974–1979 |
Seattle Sounders | 53 | (7) |
1981–1982 |
San Jose Earthquakes (indoor) | 7 | (0) |
Total | 630 | (69) | |
International career | |||
1959–1964 |
Scotland U23 | 6 | (0) |
1960[3] | SFL trial v SFA | 1 | (0) |
1960–1963 | Scotland | 2 | (0) |
Managerial career | |||
1977–1979 |
Seattle Sounders | ||
1980 | Phoenix Fire | ||
1980–1982 |
San Jose Earthquakes | ||
1985–1988 | Seattle Storm | ||
1990 | Everton (caretaker) | ||
1993–1994 | Everton (caretaker) | ||
1997–2005 |
Seattle Sounders (assistant) | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
James Gabriel (10 October 1940 – 10 July 2021) was a Scottish
Playing career
Dundee
Jimmy Gabriel first came to the attention of Dundee when he played at right-half for the Scotland under-15 schoolboys in an international at Dens Park. His talent shone through and Dundee manager Willie Thornton snapped him up after the game, despite interest from several other top clubs.
He was initially loaned out to Dundee North End Juniors, but was recalled to Dens Park a year later. He made his debut for Dundee as a 17-year-old on 13 August 1958 in a 2–1 Scottish League Cup victory over Motherwell.
He was to remain a first team regular at Dundee, going on to make 67 appearances. In March 1960, Bob Shankly had taken over as manager at Dundee and, although he wanted to keep Gabriel, was unable to refuse the offer of £27,000 from Everton's manager, Johnny Carey. This made Jimmy the most expensive player to leave Scotland.
Everton
Gabriel joined Everton after three years at Dundee in March 1960. Although it took him some time to settle into the pace of the English game, there was a steely determination about the young Scot that was to stand him in good stead. Gabriel became a strong influence in the Everton side as a powerful right-half whose preference for a defensive role made him a useful partner in the midfield for the more attacking Brian Harris on the left.
He played 304 games for Everton, scoring 37 goals and won two Scottish caps. At Everton he won the First Division title in 1962-63 and the FA Cup in 1966.[4]
By 1967, he was being challenged for his place in the side by
tried to sign him initially in March 1967 but Gabriel was reluctant to move South. Eventually, when it was clear that Kendall was to be first-choice, Gabriel agreed to sign for the Saints in July, joining them for a fee of £42,500.Southampton
At Southampton, Gabriel was a vital part of the defence alongside
He played a total of 224 matches for the Saints, scoring 27 goals, and was a firm crowd favourite.
AFC Bournemouth, Swindon and Brentford
He left
He also spent a short period on loan at Swindon Town before finishing his UK playing career at Brentford.
Seattle Sounders
In 1974 Gabriel moved to the United States where he joined the
International
Gabriel earned two
Managerial career
Seattle Sounders and San Jose Earthquakes
Prior to becoming head coach of the Sounders, Gabriel had acted as an assistant coach and head of the Sounders' reserve team program. When he became head coach he had several Sounder legends including
In 1980 he was contracted to coach ASL expansion team the Phoenix Fire, but the team folded in pre-season.[6]
Gabriel then went on to coach
AFC Bournemouth and Everton
On returning to Britain in 1986, he spent four years as coach of Bournemouth, before going back to Goodison Park in 1990, where he became assistant to Colin Harvey at Everton.
He was briefly caretaker manager of Everton for one game in November 1990 and for seven games between December 1993 and January 1994. According to Yahoo! Sports Gabriel's points per game average of 0.14 from his seven games makes him statistically the least successful manager of the Premier League era with one point from a possible 21 gained.[7]
He continued coaching Everton's reserves until 1997.
Back to Seattle
Gabriel returned to
Gabriel also served several years as an assistant coach with the Sounders. On 2 October 2005, the Sounders defeated the Richmond Kickers to take the US Second Division championship. On this high note, Gabriel retired from the Sounders.[9]
On 29 March 2009, Gabriel was honoured by the new Seattle Sounders FC MLS club with the "Golden Scarf" award for his services to soccer in Seattle. He received the scarf at a ceremony on the pitch before the Sounders' second game, versus Real Salt Lake.[citation needed]
Death
Gabriel suffered from Alzheimer's disease in the later years of his life.[10] He died on 10 July 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona, aged 80.[11]
Honours
Player
Everton
- Football League champions: 1962–63
- 1966
Manager
Seattle Sounders[13]
- NASL Championship: Runners-up 1977
- NASL Pacific Conference Championship: 1977
- NASL PC Western Division: 1977
References
- ^ "Jimmy Gabriel". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ISBN 978-0-9926-8640-6.
- ]
- ^ Jimmy Gabriel is "All the Best" of Sounders | goalWA.net
- ^ "Scotland U23 Player Jimmy Gabriel Details". fitbastats.com. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
- ^ "1980 Phoenix Fire • Fun While It Lasted". 3 May 2011.
- ^ "The least successful Premier League managers". Yahoo Sport. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
- ^ a b Player profile – Jimmy Gabriel, UW Huskies Sports, retrieved 24 February 2011
- ^ Massey, Matt (2 October 2005). "Sounders win championship in extra lengthy finale". The Seattle Times.
- ^ Prentice, David (11 July 2021). "Jimmy Gabriel obituary - Everton legend who was a warrior and a gentleman". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
- ^ Evans, Jayda (10 July 2021). "Jimmy Gabriel, known as the original Mr. Sounder, dies at age 80". Seattle Times. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
- ^ "1963/64 Charity Shield". footballsite.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ "Seattle Sounders FC". History Link. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
"Sound Investment". When Saturday Comes. Retrieved 21 March 2021.