PURE SWANSEA: ‘He can go and rip it up every week’: Gibbings thriving on Midwinter’s backing

Bradley Gibbings is really enjoying his football at Pure Swansea, and he credits his manager for it.

“I’m really enjoying my football at the minute. Jack [Midwinter] has given me confidence to go and play and express myself,” the winger said.

Four for Gibbings in a 16-goal front three

Gibbings has four goals and two assists for the unbeaten leaders of the Novira Cymru South.

Kyle Copp and Casey Coughlin have six each, so Pure’s front three have scored 16 of the club’s 25 league goals between them.

His four include two in three minutes as Pure came from behind to win 5-1 at Caerau Ely. He also cut inside to smash home the second against Pontardawe Town.

The coaching staff want more end product from him, and he likes the challenge. “They challenge me to add goals and assists to my game, which is a good challenge, because over the years I don’t think I’ve shown or had enough numbers,” he said.

“Hopefully it will continue this season, as it’s started quite well, but it’s more to do with the confidence that the coaches and the boys have put into me.”

The attackers have the green light. “Jack does set us up on the pitch to attack,” Gibbings said, “so we do have the licence and the freedom to go and play and link up and express ourselves.”

Midwinter has said before that a back line that keeps people out lets his front three go and win games.

“It’s been a real pleasure playing with the boys. We’ve got a bit of everything in the front three,” Gibbings said. “We’ve been linking up quite well, and it’s been a good start considering there’s been a few new additions. I’m just hoping that it continues and we keep setting each other up and scoring goals.”

Midwinter on Gibbings: ‘a proper Swansea boy’

The feeling is mutual. Jack Midwinter said the winger settled straight away. “He’s been great for us. I think he’s a proper Swansea boy, so he’s fitted in straight away with his ways,” the Pure boss said.

“Maybe he hasn’t had staff or a club that love him the way that he’s going to be loved at this club.”

Midwinter wants him to back himself. “He’s a local boy, we know what he’s good at, we appreciate that skill set, and it’s about giving Brad the confidence to know that he can go and rip it up every week,” he said.

“He’s going to be a key player in what we do, so it’s looking after him, giving him confidence and keep reminding him that he’s got the ability to do things he’s done.”

The manager remembered a moment from pre-season. “There’s a moment in pre-season where I know one of our players gave him a bit of stick because he didn’t take a shot on, and then the next minute he’s put it in the top corner,” Midwinter said.

“He’s like ‘oh yeah, I could do that’, so we want Brad to back himself.”

From the Swans academy to ‘one of the more senior boys’ at 24

Gibbings came through the Swansea City academy and played in the Cymru Premier for Carmarthen Town and Llanelli Town. He joined Pure in the summer alongside his good friend Danny Williams.

He says the dressing room made it easy. “It’s been a great start in the league, still being unbeaten, but it’s all credit to the boys, to be fair. They’ve made me feel so welcome coming in. They’re a great group of boys; you can tell that they’ve done good things together and they’re all mates, which made it a lot easier coming into a group,” he said.

“A lot of the boys are Swansea boys, which I am, so it does help.”

Midwinter sees the same thing. “There’s a lot of talent in our squad and they’re all local boys that all want to do well for each other,” he said.

At 24, Gibbings finds himself among the old heads. “It’s a bit mad being 24 and one of the more senior boys at the minute. We’ve got a really good young group and I’m just trying to give them a bit of my experience, especially in the Cymru South itself, because I know how tough and demanding it can be throughout the season,” he said.

“It’s just about keeping our professionalism and our standards high, because ultimately that is what makes the results on the weekend. As long as we can keep our professionalism and all the standards high throughout the week, the weekend then takes care of itself.”

Familiar faces at Afan Lido

Tonight brings a reunion. A few of his old Llanelli team-mates moved to Afan Lido in the summer.

“I know a few of the boys obviously from my time at Llanelli that do play for Lido, and I had Danny, who’s a good mate of mine, come with me,” he said.

“It’ll be good to see some familiar faces, but hopefully we can get the three points on the night and then have a pint later or something to catch up.”

Pure travel to Princess Margaret Way tonight (7.30pm kick-off), and Midwinter has warned his side to expect a battle.