Newcastle Jets forward Ben Gibson has no qualms about putting the boot into his former side when he tackles Sydney FC this weekend.
In fact, the 21-year-old’s been a revelation for the Hunter club in his A-League Men’s (ALM) debut season, scoring three goals in his past two matches.
And, he’s keen to continue that strike rate against the organisation, which gave him his start as an Academy product, at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday 4 January.
“Even though it’s just another game, it would be nice to bring them down,” Gibson said.
“We need the three points to kick-start our season, and the new year, the way we want to.
“Of course, I had dreams of playing for Sydney FC… they were my team growing up.
“But, I was only there for a brief couple of seasons towards the end of my Youth and Academy days.
“I think every person [who goes through the ranks] wants to play in that first side.
“However, it’s slim.
“There are plenty of boys that I know who probably had the quality.
“But, they didn’t end up there or went somewhere else.
“I’m now in Newcastle and I’m happy here.”
Gibson, who’s signed with the Jets until the end of 2025/26, made his mark with APIA Leichhardt in the NSW NPL.
He finished as the top scorer in the league with 18.
Just recently, the young gun bagged a double in Newcastle’s 4-0 rout of the Perth Glory and he followed up with another in the team’s 2-1 loss to Wellington Phoenix in round 10.
“There’s a massive difference between the two competitions,” Gibson said.
“Not only the quality, but the intensity of the matches.
“I reckon a few more boys in the NPL could make the step up into the ALM if they wanted to.
“However, for me, I’m just enjoying the experience.
“I guess I’ve surprised myself, too.
“My whole aim this season was to play as many minutes as possible… and build on from there.
“I wasn’t expecting to start or get as much game time as I have from the bench.
“I’m lucky coach Rob Stanton has faith in me and allows me to play with a bit of freedom.
“However, I’ll reassess my goals now for 2025.
I mean, regardless of the first minute, we’ve been playing well and, despite trailing 1-0, we didn’t cave in or drop our game plan
Ben Gibson
“Instead of aiming to get more minutes, I’ll probably focus on capitalising moments.
“If that means I have to be in the side to score goals, then that’s what I’ll do.”
One area the Jets must concentrate on is their start.
A blunder in the opening exchanges gave Wellington a leg-up in the previous outing.
“They got that goal very early, which allowed them to set-up how they wanted to,” Gibson told the Newcastle Weekly.
“It was tough to break them down.
“Then they grabbed a second before we pulled one back.
“That’s definitely something we want to improve on.
“I mean, regardless of the first minute, we’ve been playing well and, despite trailing 1-0, we didn’t cave in or drop our game plan.
“So, making sure we’re switched on from the start is going to be crucial, especially against Sydney FC.
“They’ll be tough.
“They have a quality side, with a good blend of experience and youth.
“But, it’s important for us to play our way, particularly at home, if we want to come away with the win.
“A victory is vital to start off the New Year right – and taking a step forward in regards to our campaign.
“We haven’t won at home yet.
“So, if we can achieve that, it’ll be good for us and our fans.”
The match kicks off at 5pm.
For more sports stories:
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- ALM: Another poor start hurts resilient Jets
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