bertie gibson

A clerk with Lanark County Council, Bertie was given a trial at centre half for the Aberdeen Reserves against Rangers Reserves at Ibrox on 20th December 1958. Despite the 6-2 defeat he impressed the two watching Aberdeen Directors enough for their recommendation to be that he was signed. Bertie signed for the Dons on Christmas Day 1958 and went straight into the Reserve team against Airdrie Reserves.
A powerful centre half he acquitted himself well but poor weather in January 1959 would see his playing opportunities limited. It meant that with regular first team centre-half Jim Clunie failing to gain his release from the RAF, Bertie found himself promoted to the first team after only three reserve games. He made his debut against Hibernian at Easter Road on 18th February 1959, the game being played on a Wednesday under what was a relatively new addition for Scottish football, floodlights. Finding it difficult to judge the flight of the ball in the lights Bertie had a shaky start but settled down and showed enough in his play to suggest he could make the grade. It was however also reported that he showed a concerning lack of pace.
Returned to the Reserves for a few weeks before another midweek match saw Clunie in what was to become a regular pattern fail to gain his release. This time against Kilmarnock at Pittodrie, Bertie struggled against more experienced opposition and it was becoming obvious that he wasn?t yet ready for first team football. However, two weeks later he again found himself deputising for Clunie in a midweek match this time against Raith Rovers in Kirkcaldy. There was a much improved performance from Bertie, especially in the second half as he helped the Dons to a 1-0 victory. The following Wednesday would see Bertie at centre half against Celtic at Parkhead. Disappointingly after the much improved performance in Kirkcaldy it was to prove a miserable evening for him with his inexperience on full view. Up against the nimble and intelligent Ian Lochhead, the Celtic centre forward baffled and bamboozled Bertie as the Dons went down 4-0, Lochhead scoring the first in 28 minutes. It was to prove to be Bertie?s last first team match for the club. Back in the reserves for the start of the following season, two good performances in the Reserve League Cup made it look like Bertie had finally begun to find his feet. Unfortunately against Hibernian in the first Reserve League game of the season, Hibs reserve centre forward Jock Buchanan had other ideas as he tormented Bertie both in the air and on the ground, scoring a hat-trick in the process. Despite it only being August the match all but ended Bertie?s season and he was dropped for the next Reserve game.
He was only to make a handful of appearances competitively for the Reserves in the whole season and was to find himself out on loan to Lossiemouth in the Highland League in March 1960. He returned to Pittodrie in May 1960 and signed on for the 1960-61 season. Bertie would find Reserve appearances much easier to come by in this season, where being moved from centre half to playing at left half or left back he was able to find some consistency. Despite the improvement it was by now obvious that another first team opportunity would not come his way and he was released at the end of the season. Bertie would later go on to serve as a Police Officer in England.

Career: Larkhall Thistle/Aberdeen 25th December 1958/Lossiemouth 11th March 1960 (On Loan)/Aberdeen 9th May 1960, Freed on 30th April 1961 First Team Debut: Hibernian v Aberdeen SL 18th February 1959