Forfar Athletic’s Graham Gibson is glad to be back being a footballer that plays football as opposed to just being a footballer. The Loon’s came out of cold storage last week when they won 2-1 at Dumbarton and this week, Station Park hosted its first game since 6th November as Dick Campbell’s side played out a goalless draw with East Fife.
Gibson said: “We had managed to keep training throughout the bad weather as we have access to great indoor facilities at Heriot Watt University. It was sometimes a struggle to get there all the same and that was also the case when I tried to get to my local gym to do some work on my own.
“It has been a relief to get playing again although at Forfar, we seem to have had a shutdown in the last couple of seasons.
“We may have a few games in hand but at the moment, that is all it is, so time will tell if Alloa getting all their games on will pay off for them.”
Gibson came off the bench at Strathclyde Homes Stadium with half an hour still to be played last week and played his part as Forfar came from a goal down to win.
Gibson said: “The boys were really keen to get going again but in some way, it felt like a pre-season game.
“We were the better team,” before semi-joking, “and I would like to think that Bryan Deasley and myself made a huge difference when we came on. It was 1-0 to Dumbarton then and within a few minutes it was 2-1 to us, so we definitely changed the game!”
This week, Forfar and Gibson returned to home turf and he said:, “It is the first time in three months that I had been at the ground. It was good to see the people at the club that are based in Forfar and that is when it felt that I was again a footballer that plays football as opposed to just being a footballer.”
Being a footballer that plays football runs in Gibson’s family as his Dad, Willie, was a striker in the 1970s with Heart of Midlothian before playing for brief periods at both Partick Thistle and Raith Rovers.
Gibson’s career began at the slightly less glamorous surroundings of Lochore Welfare and the frontman remains grateful to the Junior side for the start they gave him.
He explained: “I was there for a couple of seasons and matured as player and also physically as a person during that time. I suppose you could class me as a late developer and it prepared me well for a trial game at Brechin City.
“Dick Campbell decided to have a look at me when he was Brechin boss and I scored twice so I signed on at Glebe Park.
“I spent five years there and it was a good time as we won a Second Division title one season and also won promotion to the Second Division at the first attempt after being relegated.”
A Challenge Cup Final success slipped through Brechin’s hands in late 2002 when they were defeated 2-0 by Queen of the South at Broadwood Stadium.
Gibson still has regrets over that game saying: “Queen of the South were a good side and had experienced guys like Andy Goram in their ranks but we simply never turned up. We did not do ourselves justice that day and that remains a disappointment to me.”
Manager Campbell left for Partick Thistle and guided them to promotion before returning to Brechin to sign Gibson in 2006. The move gave the six foot four inch attacker a first taste of full-time football aged 26 however, the switch did not last too long.
Gibson explained: “I was there for about six months but never fully got going so I went out on loan to Dave Baikie’s East Fife in January 2007.
“That move saw me play in the Third Division Play-Offs however, we lost out to a very good Queen’s Park side in the Final.”
To compound Gibson’s disappointment, he was released by Partick Thistle and then saw a move to join East Fife on a permanent basis fall through when he picked up an injury that kept him out for six months.
Forfar’s opponents this weekend, Stenhousemuir, came to his rescue as Gibson explained: “I knew a couple of the boys that were at Stenhousemuir and they encouraged me to get back playing there. I spoke to John Coughlin and he agreed to give me a deal until the end of the season.”
Campbell came back in for Gibson during the summer of 2008 but Gibson opted to remain at Ochilview.
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is decision was reversed before the end of August as the front-man explains: “I had wanted to stay at Stenhousemuir however, I had reservations over playing on the artificial surface every second week after being injured so Dick and I got back together at Forfar.”
The first season promised a promotion push until a backlog of games took its toll however, there was the consolation of facing Rangers in the Scottish Cup. Gibson said, “We were on a good run but playing games Saturday – Tuesday – Saturday caught up with us.
“In the middle of all that, we also had the Rangers cup tie which was a great experience.”
Gibson, who now combines his playing career with that of being a journalist with the Dunfermline Press, found himself featured on Sky TV as part of the build up to the big game being shown live.
Gibson explained: “David Tanner from Sky Sports met me at the Sky Customer Contact Centre in Dunfermline where Claudia Winkleman was the subject of an interview.
“David was to interview me about my job and the Rangers game but he also filmed part of my interview with Claudia as well so it was all a bit high profile.
“It was a bit different today as I was on court duty in Dunfermline this morning.
“Mind you, I get a lot of variety.and also get to cover football at Junior level and do some work with The Pars at East End Park as well.”
The excitement in the build up to the Rangers game was only outdone by the actual game itself with Gibson saying: “The atmosphere at Station Park was fantastic, really electric and it is games like that one that make you glad to be a footballer.”
Last season, promotion was secured to the Second Division via the Play-Offs with Gibson saying, “Livingston were placed in the Third Division right at the start of the season and they ended up winning the title. We would have won the League had they not been in that division so I reckon we deserved to go up.
“I was involved in both of the games against Arbroath in the Play-Off Final and they were great occasions as well. The first one finished goalless which added to the atmosphere and Martyn Fotheringham scored a great goal to put as ahead.”
Life in the Second Division is agreeing with Gibson and Forfar with the striker saying: “We adjusted really well to the higher division and have performed at a high level since the season began.
“That has raised expectation levels regarding achieving a Play-Off place and one is in our sights now but we have a backlog of games to contend with so you cannot predict what will happen.”
As for this weekend’s game, Gibson laughed and said: “Well, since it is at Stenhousemuir and on the artificial surface, it is more likely to be on and it will be good to see some old friends as well.
“One other thing about Stenhousemuir is that having been a Hearts fan all my days, I always enjoy seeing teams that play in maroon!”
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