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Ronnie Gibbons

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Ronnie Gibbons
Personal information
Full name Ronnie Suzanne Gibbons
Date of birth (1980-01-16) 16 January 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth Wandsworth, England
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–2003 Fulham Ladies
2003–2004 Charlton Athletic Ladies
International career‡
2000–2004 Republic of Ireland
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 09:50, 23 May 2010 (UTC)

Ronnie Suzanne Gibbons (born 16 January 1980) is a former professional footballer. She played as a right-back for Fulham Ladies and the Republic of Ireland national team.

Club career

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Gibbons joined Fulham as a 13-year-old and became captain at the age of 17.[1] Three years later in 2000, when Fulham became the first full-time professional women's football club in Europe, Gibbons was one of six existing players to be kept on.[2] The more experienced Katrine Pedersen took over the captaincy during the 2000–01 season,[1] as Fulham won the South East Combination but lost the FA Women's Cup final to Arsenal.

Over the next two seasons Gibbons remained with Fulham as they won successive trebles of Southern Premier, League Cup and FA Women's Cup in 2001–02 and National Premier, League Cup and FA Women's Cup in 2002–03. She was named as a substitute in both FA Women's Cup final wins.[3][4]

Gibbons joined Charlton Athletic shortly after Fulham reverted to semi-pro status in 2003. She made her debut against Tranmere Rovers on 9 November 2003.[5]

On 18 October 2024, in an interview with The Athletic, Gibbons alleged that Fulham's owner, Mohamed Al-Fayed, had sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions in the year 2000, while she played for the club. In the interview, she said she felt she could not leave the club because doing so would cause the collapse of Fulham's women's team. Gibbions' allegations formed one part of a vast array of sexual misconduct allegations against Al-Fayed.[6][7][8][9]

International career

[edit]

Although born in Wandsworth, Gibbons was eligible for the Republic of Ireland as her grandparents were from Galway and County Mayo.[1] She was invited for a trial in April 1999 while still playing in the Greater London League with Fulham[10] and made her debut in January 2000.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Ronald Atkin (6 May 2001). "Glory daze on Fulham's second front". The Independent. London. Retrieved 23 May 2010.[dead link]
  2. ^ Jon Henderson (13 August 2000). "PREMIERSHIP 2000–01: End of one era and a new one for women: Making the league is a job for the girls". The Observer.
  3. ^ "Fulham Ladies bag cup". BBC. 5 May 2003. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  4. ^ "Fulham too strong for Belles". BBC. 6 May 2002. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  5. ^ "Tranmere Rovers 1 Charlton 4". Charlton Athletic FC. 9 November 2003. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  6. ^ Ornstein, David; Williamson, Laura (18 October 2024). "Mohamed Al Fayed accused of sexually assaulting Fulham Ladies captain at Harrods: 'I was used'". The Athletic. Archived from the original on 18 October 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  7. ^ Garry, Tom (18 October 2024). "Former Fulham women's captain alleges sexual assault by Mohamed Al Fayed". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 October 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  8. ^ Scott, Laura (18 October 2024). "Ex-Fulham Ladies captain Ronnie Gibbons 'groped' by Al Fayed". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 October 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Former Fulham women's captain Ronnie Gibbons says she was groped by Mohamed Al Fayed at Harrods". Associated Press. 18 October 2024. Archived from the original on 18 October 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  10. ^ Cliona Foley (17 April 1999). "Keegan plays ball with the girlies". Irish Independent. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  11. ^ "Ronnie Gibbons". BBC. 25 April 2003. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
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