Sibbald: Robert Louis (Bobby)

1965-1969 (Player Details)

Right Back

Born: Hebburn, Co Durham: 25-01-1948

Debut v Everton (a) (Substitute): 04-02-1967

5’7” 10st 3lb (1966)

Sibbald played for Jarrow, Felling and Hebburn Boys and also represented Durham at schoolboy level before joining Leeds as an apprentice straight from school, after also having trials with Airdrie. He signed initially as a wing-half, but was converted to a full back after signing professional forms on his seventeenth birthday in January 1965. With Paul Reaney a virtual ever-present Sibbald’s chances were severely restricted and while he was a member of the United squad for three seasons he only managed one substitute appearance in 1966-67, when he came on for Terry Cooper, and a full game in the last game of the 1967-68 season when United fielded a very understrength team in a 3-0 defeat at Burnley in an inconsequential final game of the season. He went to York City in February 1969, where he scored seven goals in seventy-nine appearances in just over two seasons and was their captain for most of that time. In the summer of 1970, Sibbald welcomed one of his former Leeds United colleagues, fleet footed South African left winger Albert Johanneson, to Bootham Crescent. York City won promotion from the Fourth Division in 1970/71 when they also enjoyed a decent run in the FA Cup. Sibbald lost his first team spot during the campaign. In July 1971 he joined Southport on a two-month trial before signing permanently. It proved an excellent move as in his six years at Haig Avenue he made two hundred and forty League appearances and scored thirteen goals. He did have some success at Southport when they won the Fourth Division championship in 1972-73, but the success was brief as they were relegated in their first season in the Third Division and ultimately lost their Football League status in 1978, just one year after Sibbald had left the club. While with Southport he also went over to the USA to play with Los Angeles Aztecs in 1975 and played in the summer months and before returning to play with Southport in the English League season. In 1975 he scored three goals in twenty-two games in the NASL. Sibbald did not make much of an impression at Elland Road but rubbed shoulders with some of the all-time greats in the NASL, playing in the same side as Johann Cruyff and George Best. After leaving Southport in June 1977, he scored once and played five games for Witton Albion between 3rd and 27th December 1977. He then stayed with Los Angeles Aztecs and in 1980 he was appointed Assistant Coach. He continued to play for the Aztecs in the NSL from 1977 until he retired in 1980 and scored four goals in one hundred and sixteen games and he also scored twice in thirty games in the Indoor League in that time. He then had several youth coaching positions before he quit football completely in 1982. He made a successful business out of selling German hair products. He won US$412,000 in a lottery in May 1989 and became the Assistant Coach of Los Angeles Heat a couple of months later. He became head coach in 1990. Head Coach Bobby Sibbald and assistant John Britton were offered new contracts at the end of the season but the club folded in 1991 before the start of the following season.