James Gibbons

Project player

Cambridge United · 28 yrsTransferred to Notts County

27.4

Profile

Full nameJames Andrew Gibbons

PositionFull-back

NationalityEngland

Age28

Date of birth16 Mar 1998

BirthplaceStoke-on-Trent

Height175 cm

Shirt number#26

ClubCambridge United

More about J. Gibbons →

Full-back

Season stats

Full career & schedule →

Appearances

Goals

Assists

2956

Minutes

Domestic-league season · Cambridge United.

Performance data · by competition

Competition	Apps	G	A	Min	Match
League Two	39	6	6	2956	7.14
League Cup	2	0	1	180	6.9
EFL Trophy	2	0	0	173	6.65
FA Cup	2	0	0	74	6.9

Career

Full career & schedule →

Gibbons's current-season form is up 129% on last season (Season 17→39), while his Rating eased 37→27. That makes this his strongest season for form to date.

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Cambridge United · 3rd	39	6	6	7.14	27	39
2024/25	Cambridge United · 23rd	29	1	0	6.81	37	17
2023/24	Cambridge UnitedLoan · 18th	22	0	0	6.62	39	6
2023/24	Bristol Rovers	4	1	0	7.08	—	—
2022/23	Bristol Rovers · 17th	28	0	1	6.72	41	15
2021/22	Port Vale · 5th	26	2	4	6.89	33	20

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 5 earlier seasons in the full career.

Scout report

Project playerFull-back

J. Gibbons is a 28-year-old full-back at Cambridge United, enjoying a standout season — 6 goals and 6 assists in 39 appearances, a Season grade of 39, top 5% of League Two full-backs. On long-term scout potential he's rated 27.4, ranking 221st of 484 in the League Two. An experienced operator, he has been a regular starter (71.4% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.23 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Gibbons.

Judged on this season alone, Gibbons graded 39 — a standout campaign that ranks top 5% of the 66 full-backs in the League Two, on 14 clean sheets and 3.227 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 17 → 39). Across the 6 seasons we hold, it's his best return yet.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 27, 31st of 66 of the 66 full-backs in the League Two. At 28 Gibbons is in his prime years, and a market index of 3 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

A career still climbing — Gibbons is at his peak right now, and the curve hasn't flattened.

Peak: 2025/26Trending upBreakout: 2025/26Stepped up 2022/23

Current potential31st of 66 full-backs · League Two Current seasonTop 5% full-backs · League Two3rd-best full-back in the League Two221st in the League Two · potential31st-highest potential full-back in the League Two

27.4

Ratingi

31st of 66 full-backs

38.6

Seasoni

developing / rotation level

71.4%

Minutes

a regular starter

3.23

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Cambridge United finished 3rd of 24 · an upper-table side

3.23

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

3.23 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 14 clean sheets across 39 appearances. Behind an upper-table side (3rd of 24) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume. Going forward he chipped in 6 goals and 6 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 71.4% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.
Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.37 goal involvements per 90, useful for a full-back.

Watch points

Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 27.4, Gibbons carries the 31st-highest potential of the full-backs in the League Two of 66. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (3.23 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90), with a bit more on the ball than most in the role. Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.2× now → 0.9× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %71.4%

Available fixtures46 of 46

Goals / 900.183

Assists / 900.183

Goal contribution / 900.365

Defensive actions / 903.227

Player flow

Goal involvements12

Shot conversion %66.7

Shot accuracy %39.1

Pass accuracy %67

Dribble success %61.1

Cards / 900.183

Foul involvement / 901.218

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~5), then tapers with age. At 28, Gibbons sits on 3, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Gibbons's projected Rating — 27.4 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among full-backs in the League Two with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals6

Shots on target9

Shots23

Passing

Assists6

Chances created27

Passes1,307

Pass accuracy67%

Possession

Successful dribbles11

Dribble success61.1%

Duels won179

Duels won %60.3%

Fouls won14

Defending

Tackles56

Interceptions39

Blocks11

Fouls committed26

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards6

Red cards0

Transfer history

Notts County2026/27 – nowFree

Cambridge United(on loan)2023/24 – 2026/27

Bristol Rovers2022/23 – 2023/24Free

Port Valeuntil 2022/23

About J. Gibbons

James Andrew Gibbons is a 28-year-old full-back who plays for Cambridge United, born on March 16, 1998 in Stoke-on-Trent, standing 175 cm tall. He is from England. Cambridge United currently sit 3rd of 24 in the League Two.

This season

In the current season, J. Gibbons has made 39 appearances with 6 goals and 6 assists across 2,956 minutes, averaging a 7.33 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 6 yellow cards. His season has spanned the League Two, the League Cup, the EFL Trophy and the FA Cup.

When J. Gibbons plays, Cambridge United's record this season is 22W-15D-7L — and his match ratings average 7.23 at home against 6.99 on the road.

Recent matches

May 2, 2026: 0-0 draw away at Crewe (90 minutes, 6.9 rating)
April 25, 2026: 3-0 win at home vs Barrow (90 minutes, 1 goal, 8.2 rating)
April 21, 2026: 1-2 loss at home vs Grimsby (90 minutes, 6.3 rating)
April 16, 2026: 0-0 draw away at Bromley (90 minutes, 7.5 rating)
April 11, 2026: 4-0 win at home vs Notts County (90 minutes, 2 goals, 9 rating)
April 6, 2026: 1-1 draw away at Cheltenham (90 minutes, 6.7 rating)
April 2, 2026: 1-1 draw at home vs Swindon Town (90 minutes, 1 assist, 6.7 rating)
March 28, 2026: 0-1 loss away at Barnet (90 minutes, 6.2 rating)
March 21, 2026: 1-0 win at home vs Salford City (90 minutes, 1 goal, 8.3 rating)
March 17, 2026: 0-0 draw away at Walsall (90 minutes, 7.5 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates J. Gibbons at 27.4 with a Season form score of 38.6, ranking 221st of 484 full-backs in the League Two. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

Career

Across 10 recorded seasons, J. Gibbons has totalled 237 club appearances with 11 goals and 13 assists for 3 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2025/26, with 39 appearances for Cambridge United.

J. Gibbons's career has also included time at Notts County, Bristol Rovers and Port Vale.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Cambridge United finished 3rd of 24 · an upper-table side

Strengths

Watch points