By playing for Manchester United's first team, Patrick Colm McGibbon fulfilled something millions of football fans can only dream of.
And while Pat might have made only one senior appearance in the world-famous red shirt, in a League Cup tie against York City at Old Trafford in September 1995, it has still helped him to develop a profile that can now be used to poignant, positive and powerful effect in the community.
In his case, the community is Northern Ireland, the country he was born and grew up in –
The positive effect McGibbon is seeking to achieve is on the mental health and well-being of young people, through the charity he founded, Train 2 Be Smart (TTBS) Juniors. According to its official website, train2bsmart.com, TTBS aims to “successfully develop and implement a structured and progressive coaching network, further promoting and providing development opportunities for physical, technical and emotional improvements for all its players, allowing these children the opportunity to reach their full potential.”
In his case, the community is Northern Ireland, the country he was born and grew up in –
“we had an absolutely brilliant childhood”– and went on to represent at various levels of international football, including the men's team on seven occasions between 1995 and 2000.
The positive effect McGibbon is seeking to achieve is on the mental health and well-being of young people, through the charity he founded, Train 2 Be Smart (TTBS) Juniors. According to its official website, train2bsmart.com, TTBS aims to “successfully develop and implement a structured and progressive coaching network, further promoting and providing development opportunities for physical, technical and emotional improvements for all its players, allowing these children the opportunity to reach their full potential.”
“The charity promotes positive mental health and builds resilience through sport,”explains Pat, when speaking to UTD Podcast hosts Sam Homewood, David May, and his compatriot Helen Evans.
“We have affiliated teams doing outreach work and we go into schools a lot, both primary and secondary schools.
”It's about being proactive rather than reactive with your mental health.“
The latter topic is an intensely personal one for Pat. While training with United in the spring of 1993, as a 19-year-old prospect on Sir Alex Ferguson's first-team radar, he learned the awful, distressing news that his brother Phillip had passed away.
“Brenda Gosling was the landlady and she asked me to sit down. She said she had received a phone call to say that Phillip had taken his own life through suicide.
”That was obviously a very difficult stage. I went [home to Northern Ireland], and the wake and the funeral were all quite a blur.“
“I was at The Cliff training ground, for a normal day of training on 13 April, and came back to my digs [lodgings],”recalls Pat, bravely retelling the story on our podcast.
“Brenda Gosling was the landlady and she asked me to sit down. She said she had received a phone call to say that Phillip had taken his own life through suicide.
”That was obviously a very difficult stage. I went [home to Northern Ireland], and the wake and the funeral were all quite a blur.“
Pat recalled how supportive the club was, something he previously conveyed in a long read on ManUtd.com.
“But after a week and a half, maybe two weeks, there was nothing really for me [at home]. I'd worked really hard to make a career for myself. So I came back to Manchester and I probably just parked the bus.”
By that, Pat means he didn't talk about his brother's suicide and instead threw himself into five years of football with United, followed by a further five with Wigan Athletic.
“I had a very stable 10 years. It was only really [after that] when I went back home that I started to struggle. When you finish your playing career, it almost feels like it's a death. [People] say, 'There's that boy who used to play professional football.'
”I missed walking out on the pitch... the changing room, the banter, all the craic. It was a very difficult time.“
“I remember the gaffer [Sir Alex] was great in that he said, 'Look, take as much time as you need,'”he said during the podcast.
“But after a week and a half, maybe two weeks, there was nothing really for me [at home]. I'd worked really hard to make a career for myself. So I came back to Manchester and I probably just parked the bus.”
By that, Pat means he didn't talk about his brother's suicide and instead threw himself into five years of football with United, followed by a further five with Wigan Athletic.
“I had a very stable 10 years. It was only really [after that] when I went back home that I started to struggle. When you finish your playing career, it almost feels like it's a death. [People] say, 'There's that boy who used to play professional football.'
”I missed walking out on the pitch... the changing room, the banter, all the craic. It was a very difficult time.“
McGibbon's own struggles with mental health have led to that being a focus of his work for Train 2 Be Smart, as it evolved from purely being the football coaching programme it was when he founded it in 2013.
“I feel purposeful now. I go out and do very important outreach work in terms of people being proactive rather than reactive within your mental health. It has evolved into something I just love doing."
“Phillip's the driver, in terms of the mental health work and purpose,”acknowledged Pat, referencing his late brother.
“I feel purposeful now. I go out and do very important outreach work in terms of people being proactive rather than reactive within your mental health. It has evolved into something I just love doing."
This real sense of purpose includes raising funds in Craigavon, Northern Ireland, where there's an aspiration to develop an old existing gravel pitch into a community hub which will promote well-being, and both educate and inspire local people.
If you feel you can make a donation to help Pat's cause, please visit his JustGiving page via the button above.
Pat McGibbon's emotive episode of UTD Podcast is available now in the United App and on ManUtd.com, and will be on other streaming platforms from Tuesday.