Danny Gabbidon

West Bromwich Albion

Born in Cwmbran, Wales, Gabbidon played youth football for local sides Court Farm and Cwmbrân Town. Gabbidon began his senior career at West Bromwich Albion, joining as an apprentice in November 1996 before turning professional in July 1998. He made his Albion début in a 1–0 home defeat against Ipswich Town on 20 March 1999 and, utilised as a right-back, he went on to make 27 appearances for West Brom in all competitions. Following the appointment of Gary Megson as manager towards the end of the 1999–2000 season, Gabbidon failed to keep his place in the team. Megson switched to a 5-3-2 formation, signing Des Lyttle to fill the right-wingback position. Gabbidon joined Cardiff City on a one-month loan at the start of the 2000–01 season.

Cardiff City

Gabbidon signed a permanent four-year deal with Cardiff City in September 2000, for a fee of up to £500,000 depending on appearances and future honours. His performances in the 2001–02 season helped Cardiff to the Division 2 play-offs, saw him make his senior international debut for Wales in March 2002 and win the Welsh clubman of the year award in October 2002. He signed an extension to his contract in April 2002, saying that it was the prospect of exciting times ahead that had persuaded him to do so. A back injury that had troubled him for some years, forced him off the pitch during a match against Barnsley in November 2002 and it was not until April 2003 that he returned to competitive…

Gabbidon was born in Wales to a Jamaican father and a Barbadian mother. Gabbidon had made 17 appearances for the Welsh Under-21 team, when an unexpected call up for the Welsh senior squad in the World Cup qualifier against Belarus in October 2001 prevented him from making his final appearance for the under 21 side. He was an unused substitute in that match and was again called into the senior squad for a friendly game against Argentina in February 2002 but it was not until the next month that he made his debut in a 0–0 home draw against the Czech Republic on 27 March 2002. He became a regular in the team despite a back problem that caused him to miss a large part of the 2002–03 season, and was part of the squad that narrowly missed out on a place at Euro 2004, losing to Russia in the play-offs, and the squad that did not qualify for the 2006 World Cup. Roy Evans, the Wales assistant coach, tipped Gabbidon to be a future captain of the national side, saying, "I see him as potential captain material even if it is not my decision. But he has all the qualities. You do not always have to be vocal, you need to lead by example." Gabbidon captained the side in place of the injured Ryan Giggs in 1–0 away defeat against Cyprus in November 2005 and again in place of Craig Bellamy in a 1–0 win against Bulgaria in August 2007. In October 2010 Gabbidon announced his retirement from international football. However, on 6 January 2011, it was revealed that new Wales manager Gary Speed had…

Club

International

Cardiff City

Football League Second Division play-offs: 2003 West Ham United

FA Cup runner-up: 2005–06 Crystal Palace

Football League Championship play-offs: 2013 Individual

Welsh Footballer of the Year: 2005 PFA Team of the Year: 2003–04 First Division