Tony Hibbert

Anthony James Hibbert (born 20 February 1981) is an English retired footballer. Originally a midfielder, Hibbert converted to play at right back. He spent his entire career with Everton, having joined the club in 1991. He made his senior début for Everton in 2001, and went on to make over 300 appearances for the club in all competitions. Hibbert's one-club man status, coupled with his down to earth demeanour, earned him the status of cult figure among Everton fans.

Not to be confused with Tony Hibbert (British Army officer) or Tony Hibbert (musician).

Tony Hibbert
Hibbert training with Everton in 2009
Personal information
Full name Anthony James Hibbert[1]
Date of birth (1981-02-20) 20 February 1981[2]
Place of birth Liverpool, England
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[3]
Playing position(s) Right back
Youth career
1990–1998 Everton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2016 Everton 265 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Football career

Club career

Hibbert was born in Liverpool and brought up in Huyton. Growing up as an Everton supporter, Hibbert joined the club as a boy.[4] He was a member of the Everton youth team that won the FA Youth Cup in 1998 beating Blackburn Rovers 5–3 on aggregate.[5] Three years later, he made his first team début for the club in a Premier League match against West Ham United on 31 March 2001,[5] in which a high challenge from Stuart Pearce into Hibbert's chest saw Everton earn a penalty.[6] In the 2002–03 season, in the wake of an injury to fellow right-back Steve Watson, Hibbert was a regular member of the Everton first-team. The ACTIM index rated him the best English right back in the 2004–05 season.[7]

He missed the end of the 2005–06 season with a hernia problem and his preparations for the 2006–07 season were hampered after he was infected by cryptosporidium parasite.[8] Hibbert's 2006–07 season was seriously disrupted by injury. He again played regularly in the 2007–08 and in the 2008–09 seasons. He was the victim of a high-profile burglary in 2006.[9]

As of the 2010–11 season, Hibbert was Everton's current longest-serving player,[6] the only player who has been at the club throughout the entire reign of former manager David Moyes,[4] and has appeared in more competitive European games than any other Everton player.[10] In addition, he has never scored in a competitive game during his professional career.[11] Alongside his commitment to the club, the goal drought has contributed to his cult hero status among Everton fans, to the extent that a banner reading "If Hibbert Scores, We Riot" was displayed at the 2009 FA Cup semi-final.[12]

Hibbert was awarded a testimonial match for Everton following 10 years of service. The match was played on 8 August 2012 against Greek side AEK Athens, the team against whom Hibbert made his eighteenth appearance in all European competitions for Everton, equalling a club record.[13] Hibbert scored Everton's fourth goal in a 4–1 win prompting a pitch invasion. Hibbert's 2012–13 season was littered with injuries. In the early part of the season he suffered neck and calf injuries which kept him out of action until November. He only returned for a few games before a recurrence of the calf injury forced him to have surgery which meant he did not play again until he came on as a substitute in Everton's final home game of the season.[14] The match was manager David Moyes last home game in charge of the side following his decision to end his 11-year reign to join Manchester United. Hibbert's appearance meant that he was the only remaining player at the club who had featured in Moyes' first squad.[15]

Hibbert's 2013–14 season was severely impacted by injuries and the form of Séamus Coleman, who was later named the club's player of the season, to such an extent that he only made one league appearance during the campaign.[16] Despite his limited first team opportunities, manager Roberto Martínez said he was ready to offer a new deal to Hibbert.[17] In July 2014, Hibbert signed a two-year contract with the club.[18][19] He barely played any first team games in the following two seasons, and at the end of the 2015–16 season Hibbert was released from the club after 26 (18) years, retiring soon after.[20]

International career

Hibbert was called up to the England under-21 team in October 2002 for games against Slovakia and Macedonia but he did not play in either game due to a hamstring injury.

Career statistics
As of match played 30 April 2016.[21]
Club League Season League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Everton Premier League 2000–01 300000—30
2001–02 1001010—120
2002–03 2400010—250
2003–04 2503030—310
2004–05 3601030—400
2005–06 290401040380
2006–07 1300000—130
2007–08 240102080350
2008–09 170600010240
2009–10 200102070300
2010–11 2001010—220
2011–12 3202020—360
2012–13 600000—60
2013–14 102010—40
2014–15 4000104090
2015–16 1000000010
Career total 26502201802403290

Honours
Everton

Business career

In 2013, Hibbert purchased a 33-acre French carp fishery on the outskirts of Reims called Lac de Premiere.[22]

See also

References
  1. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2009). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84596-474-0.
  2. Tony Hibbert – UEFA competition record
  3. http://www.evertonfc.com/players/t/th/tony-hibbert
  4. Hart, Simon (28 October 2011). "Tony Hibbert: True blue". The Independent. London. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  5. "Tony Hibbert player profile". Everton FC. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  6. Lewis, Andy (31 March 2011). "Exclusive Hibbo interview". Everton F.C. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
  7. McLeod, Scott (25 May 2005). "Trio make hit list". Everton F.C. Retrieved 19 December 2007.
  8. "Everton defender has rare illness". BBC Sport. 11 August 2006. Retrieved 18 August 2006.
  9. Barkham, Patrick (5 October 2009). "The away-day robberies". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
  10. Bould, Giulia (16 December 2009). "Hibbert's Captain Call". Everton F.C. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  11. https://www.90min.com/posts/5908253-goalless-wonders-8-players-who-have-played-the-most-premier-league-games-without-ever-scoring
  12. Tuft, Andrew (1 April 2011). "Club Focus – Everton – More takeover talk as Hibbert marks a decade as a Toffee". A Different League. Different League Media. Archived from the original on 7 May 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  13. Alston, Daniel (12 June 2012). "Hibbo Testimonial Announced". Everton FC. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  14. "Everton duo Kevin Mirallas and Tony Hibbert ruled out for a few weeks by injury". Sky Sports. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  15. "Match Report: Everton 2–0 West Ham United". nsno.co.uk. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  16. "Tony Hibbert Profile". Everton. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  17. "Transfer News: Everton to offer long-serving defender Tony Hibbert a new deal". Sky Sports. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  18. "Premier League: Roberto Martinez confirms Tony Hibbert in Everton contract talks". Sky Sports. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  19. "Transfer news: Tony Hibbert signs new two-year contract with Everton". Sky Sports. 1 July 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  20. "Trio Included On Released List". evertonfc.com. Everton F.C. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  21. "Tony Hibbert Career Stats". Soccerbase. 24 November 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
  22. "Lac De Premiere | Northern France". Angling International.com. Archived from the original on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
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