Reports: Gibson charged for drink-driving

He has a duty to the club who pay his wages to perform professionally and that go’s for anyone in any job.

....and he walked away, uninjured? I rest my case your honour.

-Lionel Hutz.

Crashed into a gas pump???

Lucky he didn't go up in flames.

Think maybe this level of commitment to conditioning has had something to do with his injury jinx?

One four-letter word applies. SACK.

We should probably wait for it to be confirmed before making my judgements though.

Tut tut, Gibbo.

So what’s changed to turn us all pious and self righteous over Darron Gibson’s misdemeanour?? Comparisons to AvdM are I suspect well wide of the mark. He was beyond redemption and simply stole his wages. Gibson when fit is the only midfielder we have who can see a forward pass. I don’t ever condone what he did but I think the "sack him" merchants may wish to bear that in mind!! "He who is without sin" and all that.

I’d rather he concentrated on getting himself fit and not getting pissed before getting behind the wheel. But I wouldn’t be looking to sack him for this. Hopefully he’ll learn his lesson and contribute to the team throughout this season. We need him more than we need the way past his sell by date Pienaar

He kicks a ball for a living, that's his job, the amount he gets paid is neither here nor there.

Drink Drive = Fine, ban and / or jail. One law for all. You can't sack people for being stupid... much as we would like to. Even if it does free up his obscene wages...just to give it to another.

The only notable thing I can remember him doing was scoring in his first game against Man City. I’d be surprised if he’s played more than 3 consecutive games in over 3 years.

Loving the hypocrisy on here. Whilst some employers may sack staff for criminal convictions, I imagine a number of ponitificators, sorry posters, would no longer be gainfully employed if this were standard practice.

Yeah sack him, but be consistent and terminate the contracts of Ferguson and Pienaar as well. Or maybe just fine him, if the contract allows for that...

Don't let the doorknob hit you in the ass.

Tragic. Such skill.

As another poster pointed out, there are many non-driving jobs whereupon this kind of behaviour, once proven, would lead to the sack.

Footballers aren't just paid to kick a ball; they're role models to thousands of kids (and some adults) and, while they often fall short of the expected standard, a drunk hit-and-run conviction is a step too far.

Fortunately, as good as he can be on his day, Gibson is one player we can probably afford to part with.

We'd be fucked then if Stones was done? Although the media would love it...

Maybe we should pay someone to spike the drinks of Hibbert, Ossie and a couple of others as "we could probably afford to part with" them?

When will these suckers learn to get a driver?

It's then up to club to decide their own punishment. However, it doesn’t mean he generally has a problem with alcohol that I think some on here suggest he does.

And the comment about Duncan Ferguson is valid. Wasn’t he also found guilty of drink driving not long after he came to Everton? It doesn’t seem to have held him back in the minds of Everton fans. Perhaps the difference is the alleged hit and run.

You wouldn’t see him still at a club that genuinely has ambitions of going places, and low and behold another season starts and guess what? Oh yes, Darron Gibson is injured yet again!!

Just find a potential suitor for him in the Championship or wherever, even without his truly appalling episode of drink driving, hitting a cyclist, apparently he’s always been a bit of a tool anyway when it comes to off field behaviour.

Let’s be honest, people go on about waiting for his return like he’s friggin Andrea Pirlo or Iniesta!

He’s a semi decent performer, decent passer but due to his injuries he can’t strike a ball hard anymore and okay, he played well in the home game against Young Boys but he was totally anonymous in the few others he turned up for.

Get shut!

He should be put on gardening leave and, if convicted, sacked immediately.

On the over-the-limit thing, how many of us can honestly saw we haven’t driven the morning after a heavy one?

Absolutely!

They’re ludicrously wealthy and could use a tiny proportion of their wages to keep themselves and everyone else safe (maybe the clubs should be exerting more pressure).

I don’t expect genius from footballers but the level of thick some of these lads operate at is staggering (always imagine for managers it must be like dealing with a load of Rupert Ritziks from Bilko/The Phil Silvers Show).

It’s frustrating to watch but it seems for many pea-brained players, making the obvious sensible, safe decision (that doesn’t put lives in danger) will always be trumped by the urge to be seen behind the wheel of a huge, shining, fat-wheeled lump of metal.

I’m (also) always staggered when they get done for twatting someone in a nightclub at some Christmas do -- it’s obvious they don’t want anything to do with the public so... why go?

Why not just hire a private gaff and make sure there isn’t a mobile in the place?

You could almost guarantee them trouble-free careers with the following four-point plan.

1) Don’t drive, get a driver.

2) Don’t open a fucking twitter account.

3) Steer clear of night-clubs.

4) Don’t get married -- you know your knob makes 96% of all your decisions and as you’re also plug-ugly and spotty, you won’t be able to resist any plazzy-titted, satsuma-coloured scrubber who puts it* on a plate for you (nb: single, you’ll be ’Jack The Lad’; married, you’ll be ’Love-rat loses house and custody of his tattooed, earringed, Armani-wearing toddlers!’).

(* her fanny -- just in case any footballer is reading this and asking himself "What does he mean by ’it’?")

People on here very quick to say "Sack him" to a fringe player. Wonder whether it would be the same if it were Lukaku or Stones?

Not being funny but, even though he’s currently injured, he should be doing all he can to prove to the club that he deserves an extension at the end of the season, off the pitch as much as on it, when he can get on it, and this hasn’t helped his cause one bit.

There’s no doubt about it Gibson is top quality on his day, just look at that pass to Mirallas vs ??? (I can’t remember but we all know the one). Unfortunately those performances are few and far between and I’ve said it on here before (and got shot down) but players like Gibson, Pienaar, Hibbert shouldn’t even still be at the club taking up valuable resources and paying out wages while injured.

I feel this may be the beginning of the end for him at Everton as, with only one year left on his contract (if true), and this happening, the board may have to cut their losses with him. If they don’t, then it will take something spectacular for a new contract to be on the table at the end of the season. I think Pienaar and Hibbert also only have until the end of the season so, come next summer ,we may actually have some treatment tables available again.

Matt Traynor, Ferguson was sent to jail for an on-field action, not pretending to be Rambo and demolishing a town. Gibson is a useless drain on resources. Sticking by injured players is fine but, when they ruin a club's reputation, then it’s time to go.

ps: Eugene -- hilarious and accurate as always.

Make an example and sack him.

In his defence, he must be gutted his career has panned out the way it has, all the injuries and such. Maybe he’s taken to going on the lash to forget about what might have been? Who knows?

You can never condone driving under the influence, however, we’re never privvy on TW to all the info so I’m not gonna slate him too much.

I don’t suppose it will turn out, but for all we know he could be under the limit, or just over. The cyclist could have been wearing drab clothing and not had lights, or pulled out in front of him, or veered out into his path. The cyclist could have been listening to an iPod or even been drunk!

The player could even have had a reaction from a drink to anti-inflammatories or something else that we are unaware of.

I must add that, if he is found to be guilty of these things, he will face serious consequences. As stated above, others on our staff have had similar problems and are in our employment, So it won’t necessarily mean the sack.

Recent links to Song and Huddlestone suggest that his time is up here anyway.

I’m not sure if I’d ever stretch to Gibson ever being "a great player" even on his day.

He’s never been a great player, he’s a guy that has only been really unfulfilled potential from his early days at Manchester United, due to injuries mostly... but dickhead behaviour doesn’t help.

I think the facts are pretty clear, he’s been pissed at 9:45 on a Sunday morning, crashed his expensive car, and sat in the cells and been charged.

What gets me is why the hell is this guy paid £50 grand a week at Everton?? When he barely kicks a ball in anger?

I think it’s about time we found a new home for our Michael Ironside lookalike pretty sharpish.

He may or may not have done it and there may be circumstances surrounding it that won’t condone it but maybe will understand it. But hey fuck all that nonsense -- let's just sack him because it's in the Echo.

Addiction?

Well... I agree that money is not an issue with addiction, but is he an addict?

Have you heard (or do you know) something?

The problem, on the face of it, appears to be one of unbelievable stupidity -- drinking and driving, but if it is alcoholism, then of course that is a different matter.

However in fairness to Evertonians passing comment, the story as reported on the news (on the bleedin’ hour on the BBC) begins ’Everton footballer....’ not ’Alcoholic Everton footballer...’

I'm reminded of Peter Crouch's very honest and comical response to the question:

"Peter, if you weren't a professional footballer, what would you be?"

"A virgin!"

For instance I doubt you'd see guys like Baines, Naismith, Stones for example doing what Gibson or the likes of a Johnny Evans does.

Fair play to guys like Naismith, he is what a proper footballing role model is about.

The poor man once had to endure almost an entire half of Celtic supporters continuously singing (to the tune of The Piranhas ’Tom Hark’) ’Davie Dodds, the Elephant Man, Davie Dodds, the Elephant Man’

Imagine how hurtful that would have been Link er... to Mr Merrick.

These players must be thick. They get £50k contracts based upon their ability to play football, their value to the side and marketability. So currently he is not on the pitch, no value to the team and now with a possible serious criminal offence. Making him as marketable as a fanny in a eunuch sect.

If Everton have offered him a new contract, then it needs changing to pay-as-you-play. Thus matching Gibson’s own ambition to carry forward his career.

Sorry to you and anyone I have offended my comments had no evidence. I do think football needs to support young people with vast amounts of money and time on their hands through education.

Everyone makes mistakes in life and hopefully he will learn from it.

Any normal person doing the above would be convicted. The judge might spare a prison sentence for first a offender but there would definitely be a suspended sentence at least with a driving ban and fine. If the above is true then the club should sack him - the above is simply not acceptable and whatever people say about second chances, there is a limit. he could have killed the cyclist. Didn't the WBA striker go to prison for killing someone whilst DUI?

The guys' contract is up end of this season and I would be amazed if there were any plans in giving him an extension as it is. Get rid if true.

What an absolute doughnut he seems to have been.

I’m not sure about the whole sacking thing but we wouldn’t be missing anything would we!

Perhaps the best thing we could do is give him a pay-as-you-play contract extension with clauses for bonus payments itemised:

Don’t drink alcohol and drive a car
Don’t hit cyclists with your car
Don’t drive into petrol pumps
Each journey without the above incurs you £100

Appear on pitch £50k
Make an assist 10k
Score £25k

Etc...

Frankly, I don't give a shit what he does in his spare time (if reports are true) as this has nothing to do with his playing career. As long as he’s on the teamsheet end of August, I see no reason to for the up-in-arms posts from many on here.

Little side-note regarding player misdemeanors: What Adam Johnson did was far more scandalous and damaging to his club and he managed to hang on to his job so for fans to speculate that Gibson could/should be sacked for this triviality is ridiculous.

"Alcohol consumption also appears to have a causative effect in sports related injury, with an injury incidence of 54.8% in drinkers compared with 23.5% in nondrinkers (p < 0.005). "

Draw your own conclusions.

(Ref. Paul John Gascoigne et al)

That's me, but I suppose that's (one of the reasons) why I'm not a pro footballer.

Now here's someone who really thinks out an argument.

He refers to the offence as a 'triviality', despite it being obvious it was only by sheer (coincidentally) fucking dumb luck that someone on a bike wasn't killed and/or Gibson wasn't incinerated.

He adds - 'As long as he's on the teamsheet end of August I see no reason to for the up-in-arms posts from many on here'.

I'll make a guess that had it been a relative of his on the bike, he'd now be demanding a mob with flaming torches march on Finch Farm.

(Tut! This bluekipper overspill is becoming intolerable).

Finally, at the end of the day, footballers are not role models, but there to kick a ball around, hopefully, to those on the same side. Otherwise, a team would have be full of ex-alter boys to fulfil the request of some people.

Gibson if found guilty should apologise to the manager and pay a hefty fine and then try and get fit as soon as possible, because he can really pass the ball to an Everton player.

Hit and run = triviality?!?!
Colliding with a petrol pump = triviality!?!?

The word I would use is criminality. A relative of mine was killed whilst cycling to work just before Xmas. The driver failed to stop. Gibson's alleged actions could've caused this level of misery for the family of the cyclist.

Some things are more important than football mate. I don't care how important the player is. If it was John Stones I'd want him gone!

Further, vise-vie your remark:

’’I’ll make a guess that had it been a relative of his on the bike, he’d now be demanding a mob with flaming torches march on Finch Farm.’’

All we know at this point is that no-one was hurt. There are no details as to the speed he was travelling. We do know, however, that the cyclist wasn’t injured and that Gibbo did not go up in flames.

In the past, possibly.

But anyone these days who is drink-driving, after fucking years of anti drink-driving warnings and information, wants fucking shooting.

To risk the lives of innocent people (and potentially ruin your own) just because you're too fucking stupid to use a taxi service is fucking insane.

He is pretty irrelevant to us now anyway. McCathy, Barry, Cleverley, Besic, thats 4 players for 2 positions without counting Gibson.

He's probably been in bed, got up and went for his loaf of bread and a pint of milk...unfortunately he was slightly over the limit.

I won't get too judgemental, as the cyclist was unhurt, so the "hit" may have been his mirror clipping the handlebar or tapping the pedal, we don't know yet.

Also the "crash" in the garage might have been him turning in too quickly and clipping the pump, or may have hit it with his door when opening it. I know loads of people who do that.

Not overly arsed about "what might have been!", He didn't hurt the cyclist and the garage never blew up so all this outrage is a little over the top.

If he hadn't been slightly over the limit then I imagine the press wouldn't have been that arsed about the story.

Yes, he's a dick for driving in the morning, but how many of us know what our alcohol level is when we first get up after a few the night before?

The limit is just less than 2 pints, so he was just over that. hardly pissed was he?

Will he be charged with DUI? Or as some seem to think he is out ploughing pedestrians, I guess he will be charged with attempted vehicular homicide.

Maybe he turned to drink cause he’s a young man unable to work for the best part, depressed, anxious about his long term future if injuries persist. Maybe those fears are reinforced when he reads ToffeeWeb and people talk of sending him to the glue factory.

Quite simply - none of you have any idea what happened; how much alcohol he had in his system (it was early - he may have had a few the night before and still been over the limit), or if indeed he did hit a cyclist or a petrol pump.

He's been bailed to appear before the court; at least wait until the facts are released before nailing him to the cross.

As good as he is when fit, I think I have to agree with the majority and its time to cut our losses. We have more than enough cover in his position.

Perhaps a loan? or a free transfer? But we cannot sack him over this or we will look silly and set a dangerous precedent.

To desperately attempt to justify your 'aww leave him alone, he never killed nobody' position, you ask me..

'Eugene Raune, were you this hysterical post Steven Pienaar's domestic abuse charge??'

Whatever that means (and despite getting my name wrong) tou-fucking-ché!!! (your two question marks and I'll raise you an exclamation mark).

You continue (to dig a fucking big hole for yourself) - "Further, vise-vie your remark: ''I'll make a guess that had it been a relative of his on the bike, he'd now be demanding a mob with flaming torches march on Finch Farm'' All we know at this point is that no one was hurt. There are no details as to the speed he was travelling. We do know, however that the cyclist wasn't injured and that Gibbo did not go up in flames'

Let me spell this out (in basic poltroon).

The only reason no one was hurt and that Gibbo didn't go up in flames was...luck (spawn, jamminess, fluke etc).

And without knowing you at all, I'll state this as a fact - if your mother or father or brother or sister or child was hit by a drunk driver, your response wouldn't be 'well I don't know what all the fuss is, he didn't kill them' ('and I just want to see the driver back at work').

A beyond ludicrous stance (I'm guessing by 'vise-vie' you meant viz-a-viz?)

Thousands of people have lost family members to this stupid act.

Drinking and driving is simply inexcusable.

Re Gibson, I hope there is some genuine excuse/reason for why he hit someone on a bike and hit a petrol pump and was arrested and charged.

I too think he's an asset and have defended him (as a player) on TW in the past.

As he was a sick-note before the move I would suspect that good business sense would prevail and that the club would have some sort of insurance policy that pays out a substantial portion of his wages when injured.

Anyway, I'm hopeful that there are mitigating circumstances to this although I don't condone drink driving either.

I cannot see any contractor in any other job being kept on in his position. He is showing no respect for the club or fans who pay his unearned salary.

Let the courts take care of it & wish him well when his contract expires at end of the season regardless.

If it turns out to be a very serious offence where a person’s life was very much endangered by an individual heavily over the drink limit, then the punishment, both from the courts and the club, should be fitting.

If it turns out to be an ill judged decision from an individual still legally over the limit from the night before, with the incident with the cyclist being of a lesser variety, then the punishment again, both from the courts and the club, should be fitting.

That said, idiotic in either case.

The fact is that he was unsafe to get behind the wheel, and he has been extremely lucky that he hadn’t killed someone or even himself.

I would've thought the very last thing a so-called top-flight Premier League footballer, who is very prone to injuries, would be downing large amounts of alcohol. Especially considering how our club has supported him.

We live in a different world to the players admittedly and you might say everything's relative, but if any player is seriously worried about his future whilst on a 4 year £10m contract, then he can do one and go work in a hospital or inner city school for a month!

We don't know the full facts and we'll wait to see what happens in Sept. However given he's in court barely 2 weeks after the offense I imagine the powers that be consider this to be serious.

For those saying it doesn't matter because their job is to kick a ball, I'll assume you're being sarcastic or are 5 years old. Given that millions of kids around the globe watch the game and run around wearing shirts with the players names on the back, then I would suggest it does matter!

Just because they are young and have loads of cash does not make it ok to break the law and endanger other people's lives. They are supposed to be role models and also represent the club. Personally I have zero tolerance for footballers who break the law and they should face the same punishment as anyone else, if guilty. Youth plus cash is a pathetic excuse given the amount of counselling the clubs provide. He's also not exactly a teenager.

However or whatever happened, there really is no excuse to get in a vehicle when over the limit and that relates to anyone. Simple.

Stop???!!!.............and Darron Gibson???

Is it April Fools Day or what?

The point is he’s put innocent people’s lives at risk by his actions and cheated on his employers -- like any athlete, in his profession, it’s well-known that alcohol reduces performance.

A shocking signing by our former manager -- his fitness record at OT was awful & they couldn’t wait to get rid. We should never consider wasting our funds on players often not available to do what they’re paid for.

Criminal to give him a new contract and this incident just means the spotlight is on him and his lack of input to our cause is highlighted. I repeat, what a tit.

As for the Ferguson comments, I agree with the majority. With the wages they get, and with their supposed love of the fans and the club, is it too much to ask to lay off the booze and the fags during the season. By all means blow up like big nev after you hang your boots up and become an alcy like Kendall supposedly is, we'll still love you, just don't piss your wages (our money) down the drain whilst your still playing for us, and particularly in the case of Gibbo and Ferguson, when you're always injured. and It is an irrefutable fact that alcohol affects injury recovery.

The only good thing to come out of this latest Gibson debacle is our supporter base is more cynical about such things.

Surely he can see that he has an obligation to the fans, the club, his family and himself that he puts all the chances in his favour to commit to a successful career. If he is still pissed in the morning imagine how much he must have tucked away the previous night. An athlete? Worse still an athlete in rehab.

This is all about his mentality and his commitment. I do not need to compare him to Ferguson or anyone, this about the commitment of Darron Gibson to Everon FC and his football career. If he had an exemplary fitness record I may possibly be more lenient with him, but he doesn’t. I find it unforgiveable.