Early Life
Born in the city of St Albans, Gibbs attended How Wood primary school, and as a nine-year-old striker helped his team win a district six-a-side competition. Gibbs began training with and supporting Watford from an early age, and was watching from the Main Stand at Vicarage Road as Watford sealed the Fourth Division title in 1978. Although part of Watford's youth system, he occasionally played for St Albans City's youth team due to their close proximity to his home and school. He also played for Hertfordshire schools at under-14 to under-16 levels.
Although initially a striker, Gibbs switched to the position of right-back as a teenager. Further success came with Watford's youth teams; he played in the first leg of the youth team's 7–6 aggregate FA Youth Cup win against Manchester United in 1982, and in the final as Watford finished runners up in the Southern Junior Floodlit Cup. These performances earned him a callup to England's youth team, for whom he played nine times. However, after signing as an apprentice in July 1982, Gibbs played in midfield for the reserves. Due to his height, first team manager Graham Taylor was concerned about Gibbs' ability to cope with the physiciality of being a first-team full back, and placed 17-year-old Gibbs on a steak and Guinness diet as an attempt to "beef him up."
Read more about this topic: Nigel Gibbs
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