What was the name of your first team?
The first team I played for was Purley
Panthers, they were based in Purley,
which is in Croydon, south London.
We trained at my old high school –
Riddlesdown.
First
Team
My
What kit did you wear?
The kit was the old Inter Milan style –
black and blue stripes with black shorts
and black socks. We played our home
games on the Purley Way – that was
where our home ground was. I don’t
know if it is still there though.
Why did you join them?
I joined them because one of my mates
played for them, and he said to me and
my twin brother – Jayden – to come
along for a trial. So we did and it went
from there. We were nine years old at
the time.
PURLEY
PANTHERS
Facts
What league did you play in?
We played in the Tandridge League,
I can remember a few of the teams
we played against – Wandle,
Selsdon, Carshalton Athletic –
teams like that.
Kieran
Gibbs
In the first of our series looking back at
players’ first clubs, we reminisce with England
International Kieran Gibbs about his time with
Purley Panthers.
The Purley Panthers last season
Kieran in the Arsenal Under-16s in 2004 (middle row, fourth from left). Can you spot Gavin
Hoyte, Jay Simpson and Mark Randall on the picture?
• Purley Panthers
is one of the
longest running
and most
successful clubs
in the Tandridge
League
What position did you play back then?
Well mainly I used to play in midfield,
but basically I played anywhere I had
to, because we were often short of
players. I used to prefer playing in
midfield though, anywhere across the
middle really.
was a good manager, he just let us play,
really. His son played for the team too.
We had a coach called Dave and his son
played for the team as well. When you
look back now, you realise that those
coaches were the early influences on
my career.
What do you remember about your
team-mates, or coaches?
Well my brother played in the team too,
and also my good friend Ricardo. My
manager was called Peter Harvey. He
Do you remember your first ever game?
Yes, I think it was against Battlebridge.
Me and my brother were playing a year
above our age group. We were both
quite small for our age. We played
for Purley Panthers A, but when the B
team started up, we went to play for
them. We obviously weren’t quite good
enough! So we joined them, got up
into the same league as the A team,
and then we beat them. Maybe we
wanted to prove a point that we were in
the wrong team! I remember when we
played Purely A, that was a big game
for us.
There were big games against our rivals
Wandle and Selsdon too – I remember
getting really excited about those
games. We really wanted to beat those
teams – so badly! I don’t ever remember
being nervous though.
Do you remember any personal
highlights?
I used to score quite a few goals,
but I was usually the one to provide
the assists. My brother was the real
goalscorer up front. Being twins we
obviously had a good understanding,
and I would set a lot up for him.
Were you and your brother competitive
with each other, despite being on the
same team?
Yes we were. We used to always argue
about who was scoring more goals, who
was playing better. But it was all good
fun, we got on well. It’s weird to think
about it now, that we were in the same
team for a few years, because he is so far
away from football now, and I’m obviously
here at Arsenal. It’s strange how things
happen. We’ve got some videos of when
we played in tournaments as kids, so I’ll
have to get them out at some point and
have a look at them.
054
arsenal magazine
• It was officially
established in
1979.
• In the 2010/2011
season they run
teams at Under 7,
8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16
and 17 levels.
• They are an
FA Standard
Charter Club
• The home
ground is Croygas
Sports Club, Surrey
• They train on
Wednesdays at
Warlingham High
School, Surrey
• All their coaches
and club officials
are voluntary and
all coaches have
at least Level 1
qualifications.
He’s a good player though, and he’s
trying to get back involved in it. He
works a lot in the city so hasn’t got
as much time. He has just signed for
Guildford though, so will hopefully get
back into it. Our paths went separate
ways after I left Wimbledon for Arsenal.
He came to train a bit with us at Arsenal
in the Hale End Academy, but it finished
shortly afterwards for him.
When did you last play football
with him?
A long time ago, probably on a family
holiday on a beach a few years ago.
Nowadays we play football against each
other more on the computer – that still
goes on.
How successful were Purley Panthers?
We won a few trophies – we won our
league twice, and I was only there for
three seasons I think, so that wasn’t
bad. We won a summer tournament too.
I remember one tournament we played,
we remained unbeaten throughout it. I
remember that really clearly.
“I used to score
quite a few
goals, but I was
usually the one
to provide the
assists.”
Did anyone else from the team make it
as a professional?
There wasn’t anyone else in the
team who went on to make it at a
league club. There was a striker who
played at another team in the league
who everyone used to talk about as
someone who would make it, but I
don’t think he ever did.
Are you still in touch with any of your
old team-mates?
I stay in touch with my brother of
course, and my friend Ricardo, but not
so much any of the others. I should
really get back in touch with the team,
see how they are getting on. My mum
was friends with a few of the other
parents, so I think they will still be
in touch.
When did you leave?
I left the team when I was 11, to go
and play for Wimbledon. They had
been scouting me, but I think that was
when I was playing for my school team,
in a tournament, rather than when I
was playing for Purley Panthers at the
weekend.
september 2010