Gibbo’s Perfect Year

A sad but somewhat satisfying departure for our player of the season

Photo courtesy of Cambridge United

In the 32nd minute of Cambridge United’s 4-0 win over Notts County in April, Sullay Kaikai swung a free kick into the visitors’ box. The low delivery found the foot of James Gibbons, who controlled in an instant, killing the ball and pushing it perfectly into his stride so he could lash a shot high past County keeper James Belshaw to make it 3-0 to the U’s.

Gibbo wheeled away jubilantly, arms outstretched as he celebrated like a man possessed in front of the South Stand. It was perhaps the perfect distillation of Turbo Gibbo, the unlikely renaissance of a player who looked average at best as United sank without a trace in 2024/25 but came up clutch on so many occasions in 2025/26. After a remarkable campaign that yielded six goals, six assists, a promotion winners medal, and a player of the year trophy, the announcement earlier this week that he is leaving for a (presumably) more lucrative contract closer to his home in the north west feels a lot sadder than it would have last summer.