Dedicated football coach and scout Kevyn Gibbons dies, aged 79

 

MUCH-loved and respected football coach, scout, charity fundraiser and former Manchester United player Kevyn Gibbons has died aged 79 following a short illness.

Kevyn, also a lifelong Oldham Athletic fan, was known to thousands of youngsters across Greater Manchester.

As young winger he played with the likes of Nobby Stiles and Bobby Charlton and was a regular in the Manchester United reserves at the time of the Munich air disaster in 1958 which killed 23 people, including eight of the so-called Busby Babes.

But it was after he founded Kevyn's Soccer School encouraged by his wife Angela 30 years ago, that he found his true calling.

He coached young footballers at numerous sports centres across Oldham and in other towns and never took holidays in summer when he would rather be on the parks coaching children.

From the family home in Royton Angela told The Oldham Times said: "His love of the game was infectious. He was always surrounded by kids, wherever he went and he was always showing them the right way to play.

"He was a friend of Graham Taylor (former England and Watford manager) and had a lot to do with Andy Ritchie and Davie Eyres. He also coached Paul Scholes' son."

Angela told how he would organise matches in Holland for the football teams he coached.

"We would stay in hostels to keep the cost down," she said. "We only ever went on holiday in November because he loved coaching so much on the parks in the summer.

"He didn't care about making lots of money of it, but he would want to make sure everyone else was all right.

"But he could be quite strict. His lads always had to wear shin pads and have their shirts tucked in.

"At the same time he always raising money for charity. He must have raised thousands."

Kevyn was also an unpaid scout for Oldham Athletic, Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City.

"He'd let them know when there was a talented player he'd seen," said Angela with pride."

Kevyn leaves, Angela, an adult son and daughter and eight grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.