Terry Hibbitt

Terence Arthur " Terry " Hibbitt ( born December 1, 1947 in Bradford, † August 5, 1994 in Newcastle -upon- Tyne ) was an English footballer. The spirited midfielder won the Fairs Cup in 1968 and a year later the English championship with Leeds United, but was only the result of club Newcastle United and Birmingham City later for a regular player and team captain.

Sports career

Immediately after completing his school leaving is Hibbitt devoted a career as a professional football player, and in December 1964 he signed the first contract to this effect. He belonged to a very talented young team where also were players such as David Harvey, Mick Bates, Eddie Gray, Jimmy Green Hoff, Peter Lorimer and Rod Belfitt. The midfielder was able henceforth rarely penetrate into the root formation. The competition consisted of numerous national team players and coaches Don Revie was in it mostly only use as a reserve player. Making its debut on 19 February 1966, he had made ​​regardless of which immediately attracted attention, as at the City Ground with the first touch he scored a goal after coming off the bench against Nottingham Forest. He recorded another personal success in September 1968, when he was in the starting lineup for the second leg of the final game in the Fairs Cup against Ferencvaros Budapest and helped the 1-0 in the first leg with a 0-0 defense - after the hour Mick Bates was for in to replace him. In the pecking order but he was mostly behind the respective permanent employees, the first Albert Johanneson, later, Terry Cooper and Michael O'Grady and last names were Eddie Gray. His most productive period was in addition to his achievements in the season 1967/68 at the beginning of the following 1968 season / 69th In the year when Leeds won the English championship, Hibbitt contributed twelve league inserts and three gates to the success. In the subsequent two years, his athletic perspective, however, did not improve further characterized and so he asked in 1971 to the release for a change of club.

With the trained by Joe Harvey Newcastle United there was a prospective buyer and the transfer fee was £ 30,000. In four years Hibbitt regulars was in the " Magpies " and biggest success was in 1974 reaching the final in the FA Cup - although this clearly went 0-3 against Liverpool lost. Well, he specifically harmonized with Malcolm Macdonald, who had as Hibbitt on August 14, 1971 against Crystal Palace ( 0-2) makes his debut for Newcastle. For the first time he was able to demonstrate his strength, which was mainly based on good technique with his left foot over long distances. He was quickly emerging as one of the best ball players and especially his long balls were characterized by high accuracy. Although he was physically always a little fragile, but in the game he showed mostly very persistent. The counter attacks from Newcastle was mainly focused on Hibbitt, as he was often alluded to by enemy attacks from deep in their own half and with long passes immediately tried to put forward Macdonald in position. This simple pattern often resulted in gates, including the second goal in the 1974 FA Cup semi-final against Burnley (2-0). Disadvantage looked for offensive players Hibbitt, however, the low own goal rate and in 138 league games were just seven goals to book. Another problem was Hibbitts temperament, which he used to often fight with opponents, referees and even their own teammates. Accordingly, his departure from Newcastle was not silent. Newcastle had just lost 2:3 at Derby County, as Hibbitt found his football boots after the shower on a pile of garbage. Manager Gordon Lee finally sat him thereof, that he had agreed to a transfer to Birmingham City and that Birmingham's trainer Freddie Goodwin wished to speak to him. The irritation ended Hibbitt for the day so that Newcastle team bus took without him for the return trip.

The move to Birmingham was finally reached in September 1975, the transfer fee was £ 100,000. In a new environment Hibbitt learned to control his temper, which was also the fact that he was given the task of the team captain. In three years he completed for the " Blues" a further 110 league games, before he returned in May 1978 to Newcastle United. The return transfer to the Magpies included an exchange transaction with Stewart Barrowclough, who moved in the opposite direction. Newcastle was now relegated from the English top flight and, as Lee and Macdonald had left the club. Here Hibbitt took the role of the team captain, but the intended revival should not succeed. In addition, Hibbitt suffered from knee problems that it ultimately in 1981 to end his professional career led - operation Hibbitt beyond sports a newsagent and later a restaurant. In unterklassigen amateur football Hibbitt graduated from 1981-1986 a total of 130 appearances for FC Gateshead and from May to October 1986, he was to briefly coach of the team. Then took Hibbitt, whose brother Kenny had also found their way into professional football, to an assistant position at Durham City.

At the age of only 46 years Hibbitt died on 5 August 1994 from the effects of cancer.

Title / Awards

• English Championship ( 1): 1969
• Fairs Cup ( 1): 1968