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Alex Gilbert (footballer)

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Alex Gilbert
Personal information
Full name Alexander George Henry Gilbert[1]
Date of birth (2001-12-28) 28 December 2001 (age 22)
Place of birth Birmingham, England
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[2]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Middlesbrough
Number 14
Youth career
0000–2020 West Bromwich Albion
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2023 Brentford 0 (0)
2021–2022 → Swindon Town (loan) 8 (0)
2023– Middlesbrough 13 (1)
International career
2019 Republic of Ireland U19 3 (0)
2021 Republic of Ireland U21 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10:44, 8 September 2024 (UTC)

Alexander George Henry Gilbert (born 28 December 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for EFL Championship club Middlesbrough.

Gilbert is a graduate of the West Bromwich Albion Academy and began his professional career with Brentford in 2020. After failing to break into the first team, he transferred to Middlesbrough in 2023. Gilbert has been capped by the Republic of Ireland at youth level.

Club career

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West Bromwich Albion

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An attacking midfielder,[3] Gilbert began his career in the West Bromwich Albion Academy at U9 level and progressed to sign a two-year scholarship deal in 2018.[4] He was offered a professional contract at the end of the 2019–20 season, but declined to sign it and departed The Hawthorns.[5]

Brentford

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On 29 September 2020, Gilbert transferred to the B team at Championship club Brentford on a two-year contract, with the option of a further year,[6] on a free transfer.[7] Gilbert was an unused substitute during 9 first team league matches between December 2020 and March 2021 and made what would be his only first team appearances for the club with two FA Cup appearances.[8] He was not involved during Brentford's successful 2021 playoff campaign and finished the 2020–21 B team season with 10 goals from 22 appearances.[8][9][10]

Gilbert was involved with the first team squad during the 2021–22 pre-season and on transfer deadline day August 2021, he joined League Two club Swindon Town on loan until the end of the 2021–22 season.[10] He made 12 appearances prior to the termination of the loan on 4 January 2022.[11] Gilbert played the second half of the 2021–22 season with the B team,[11] with whom he won the London Senior Cup.[12]

The one-year option on Gilbert's contract was taken up at the end of the 2021–22 season and he captained the B team during the 2022–23 season.[13][14] On 8 November 2022, Gilbert won his first senior call-up for nearly two years, for an EFL Cup third round match versus Gillingham and he remained an unused substitute during the shoot-out defeat.[8] He was included in the first team squad for its mid-season training camp in Girona and scored in a 2–1 friendly defeat to Bordeaux.[15] Half of Gilbert's 16 goals scored during the B team season came in the team's victorious 2022–23 Premier League Cup campaign.[8][16] His performances were recognised with the team's Player of the Year award.[17]

Gilbert entered discussions over a contract extension at the end of the 2022–23 season,[18] which proved fruitless.[14] He departed the club in July 2023 and finished his B team career with 79 appearances.[14]

Middlesbrough

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On 4 July 2023, Gilbert transferred to Championship club Middlesbrough and signed a four-year contract.[19] Though he was signed as a free agent, the club was required to pay a compensation fee of "around £1 million", due to his age.[20] Gilbert was a regular inclusion on the substitutes' bench during the 2023–24 season,[8] but played just 80 minutes across his 10 substitute appearances in league matches.[21] He started in Middlesbrough's final two matches of the season and marked his maiden start for the club with the first senior goal of his career,[21] in a 4–1 victory over Cardiff City on 27 April 2024.[22]

International career

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Gilbert was capped by the Republic of Ireland at U19 and U21 level.[8][23][24][25][26][27]

Personal life

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Gilbert supported Aston Villa while growing up.[28]

Career statistics

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As of match played 31 August 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brentford 2020–21[29] Championship 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
2022–23[30] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 ― 0 0
Total 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Swindon Town (loan) 2021–22[31] League Two 8 0 1 0 ― 3[c] 0 12 0
Middlesbrough 2023–24[22] Championship 12 1 1 0 2 0 ― 15 1
2024–25[32] Championship 1 0 0 0 2 0 ― 3 0
Total 13 1 1 0 4 0 ― 18 0
Career total 21 1 4 0 4 0 3 0 32 1
  1. ^ Includes FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes EFL Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in EFL Trophy

Honours

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Brentford B

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "EFL club list of registered players as at 23rd June 2020" (PDF). p. 27. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Alex Gilbert". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  3. ^ "Historic goals, Boro links, Ireland caps – Who is Middlesbrough new boy Alex Gilbert?". The Northern Echo. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Meet Albion's new first-year scholars". West Bromwich Albion. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  5. ^ "Albion announce retained list". West Bromwich Albion. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Alex Gilbert joins Brentford B". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  7. ^ "2020 Summer Transfer Window round-up". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Alex Gilbert at Soccerway. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Bees beat Swans to reach Premier League". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Alex Gilbert joins Swindon Town on Season-Long Loan". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Alex Gilbert returns to Brentford from Swindon Town loan". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Match Report: Brentford B win London Senior Cup on penalties". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  13. ^ "Brentford B Squad Update". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  14. ^ a b c "Alex Gilbert departs Brentford FC". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  15. ^ "Brentford 1 Bordeaux 2". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  16. ^ @BrentfordFC (20 June 2023). "#BrentfordB duo Alex Gilbert and Ryan Trevitt had a spectacular 2022/23 campaign! #BrentfordFC" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  17. ^ a b c "Mee wins Brentford Supporters' Player of the Year". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  18. ^ "Brentford B squad update". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  19. ^ "Alex Gilbert Is Boro's First Summer Signing". www.mfc.co.uk. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  20. ^ "Middlesbrough confirm first signing of summer as top-flight forward joins". The Northern Echo. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  21. ^ a b Johns, Craig (29 April 2024). "Gilbert insists 'I'm ready for this level' and reflects on tough first Boro year". Teesside Live. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  22. ^ a b "Games played by Alex Gilbert in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  23. ^ "2019 Review: Ireland U19". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  24. ^ "Republic of Ireland 13 – 0 Gibraltar | 2019 – UEFA Under-19 Championship". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  25. ^ "Ireland U19 edged out by Denmark in Sligo". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  26. ^ "Ireland U19 fall to 2–0 defeat against Denmark". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  27. ^ "U21 | Review of 2021". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  28. ^ "Get to know Alex Gilbert!". www.swindontownfc.co.uk. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  29. ^ "Games played by Alex Gilbert in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  30. ^ "Games played by Alex Gilbert in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  31. ^ "Games played by Alex Gilbert in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  32. ^ "Games played by Alex Gilbert in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
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