Family of man named after the entire Leeds United FA Cup winning team of 1972 pay tribute to 'lovable rogue'

Father-of-three David Paul Terry Billy Jack Norman Peter Allan Mick Johnny Eddie Gibson – known simply as ‘Gibby’ – sadly died on August 27 last year while staying at a friend’s house. An inquest into his death held in Wakefield yesterday (Monday) found that he died aged 37 as a result of a drug overdose.

Mr Gibson was named by his Leeds United-mad father after the FA Cup winning team of 1972, which beat Arsenal 1-0 at Wembley thanks to a goal from Allan Clarke. As well as the goal scorer, Mr Gibson’s father named his son after the rest of the team that lined up that day – David Harvey, Paul Reaney, Paul Madeley, Billy Bremner, Jack Charlton, Norman Hunter, Peter Lorimer, Mick Jones, Johnny Giles and Eddie Gray. He was also named after left-back Terry Cooper, who did not feature in the FA Cup final due to a broken leg.

During the inquest it was heard that Mr Gibson lived in Morley with his wife of 16 years, Sarah, and worked as a refuse lorry driver for Leeds City Council. Paying tribute after the inquest, Mrs Gibson said: “He didn’t wish any badness or anything to anybody. He was one of those blokes that would give you the shirt off his back.

"He was a loving and hardworking dad and a good husband. We all loved him every day.”

Mr Gibson was also described as “goofy” and “a loveable rogue” by his family, who said that he loved football. Despite his numerous Leeds United namesakes though, Mr Gibson’s sister Helen Ramsdale said that he would go on to support Manchester United, adding: “David being the tinker that he was knew that would wind dad up.”

The court heard that Mr Gibson was born in Plymouth but moved to Leeds at a young age to live with his grandmother. After leaving school he worked for a skip hire firm and went on to work as a transport manager at Future Forwarding.

A statement from Mrs Gibson was read out in court, in which she said that her husband struggled with alcoholism and mental health issues in the later years of his life and also had severe stomach pains which were never diagnosed.

Before Mr Gibson’s death he had moved into a friend’s house because of issues between him and his wife, though the two had said that they would try and fix the relationship.

Mrs Gibson said that she was expecting a call from David on the morning of August 27 last year when a police officer arrived to tell her that he had been found dead at the house he was staying at.

The coroner, Oliver Longstaff, concluded that Mr Gibson died as a result of acute mixed drug toxicity and addressed his family, saying: “It’s clear there is a great deal to remember about David that is better and happier than what we have discussed in the inquest today.”