Alexander George Henry Gilbert (born 28 December 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Premier League club Brentford. He is a graduate of the West Bromwich Albion Academy and has been capped by the Republic of Ireland at youth level.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander George Henry Gilbert[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (2001-12-28) 28 December 2001 (age 20) | ||
| Place of birth | Birmingham, England | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Left winger | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Brentford | ||
| Number | 37 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 0000–2020 | West Bromwich Albion | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020– | Brentford | 0 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | → Swindon Town (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019 | Republic of Ireland U19 | 3 | (0) |
| 2021– | Republic of Ireland U21 | 6 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:36, 10 December 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:00, 12 October 2021 (UTC) | |||
A left winger or forward, Gilbert began his career in the West Bromwich Albion Academy at U9 level and progressed to sign a two-year scholarship deal in 2018.[3] He was offered a professional contract at the end of the 2019–20 season, but declined to sign it and departed The Hawthorns.[4]
On 29 September 2020, Gilbert transferred to the B team at Championship club Brentford on a two-year contract, with the option of a further year,[5] on a free transfer.[6] Gilbert was an unused substitute during 9 first team league matches between December 2020 and March 2021 and made two FA Cup appearances.[7] He was not involved during Brentford's successful 2021 playoff campaign and finished the 2020–21 B team season with 10 goals from 22 appearances.[7][8][9]
Gilbert was involved with the first team squad during the 2021–22 pre-season and on transfer deadline day August 2021, he joined League Two club Swindon Town on loan until the end of the 2021–22 season.[9] He made 12 appearances prior to the termination of the loan on 4 January 2022.[10] Gilbert played the second half of the 2021–22 season with the B team,[10] with whom he won the London Senior Cup.[11]
The one-year option on Gilbert's contract was taken up at the end of the 2021–22 season and he captained the B team early in the campaign.[12][13] On 8 November 2022, Gilbert won his first senior call-up for nearly two years, for an EFL Cup third round match versus Gillingham and he remained an unused substitute during the shoot-out defeat.[7] Gilbert was included in the first team squad for its mid-season training camp in Girona and scored in a 2–1 friendly defeat to Bordeaux.[14]
Gilbert was capped by the Republic of Ireland at U19 level.[15][16][17][18] In March 2021, he won his maiden call up to the U21 team for a training camp and friendly match versus Wales U21.[19] He played the opening 69 minutes of the 2–1 victory.[20]
Gilbert supported Aston Villa while growing up.[21]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Brentford | 2020–21[22] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022–23[23] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ― | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Swindon Town (loan) | 2021–22[24] | League Two | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ― | 3[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| Career total | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 | ||
Brentford B
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Brentford F.C. – current squad | |
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