Young footballer Gibbs signs up for Aberdeen at the age of 13

Talented young footballer Cam­eron Gibbs has signed for the youth team of Scottish Premier League side Aberdeen.

Gibbs, 13, from Nesting, train­ed and played with Inver­ness Caledonian Thistle over the winter but, with the new season looming next month, his family realised that Flybe’s decision to cease Saturday flights between Sumburgh and Inverness was going to make it very difficult for him to get there each weekend.

That coincided with new interest from Aberdeen, who got in touch after being impressed with what they had seen during a recent tournament in Ding­wall.

Because Caley Thistle had not registered him by 1st July, he became a free agent and after a few phone calls from the Dons’ chief scout, he was invited down to Pittodrie earlier this week.

Gibbs’ father Martin said they had been very happy with the set-up at Caley Thistle – where he was voted under-14 player of the year – and stressed the move was mainly down to logistics. But he said Aberdeen was “one of the best, if not the best club at youth level, so for them to come looking for him is fantastic”.

They were shown around the stadium at Pittodrie and introduced to coaches and ex-players, before he was offered a one-year deal (the maximum permitted for a player of his age) without the need for a trial.

He said: “At Caley he was getting in the team quite easily, but at Aberdeen he’ll have to work a bit harder. They’re brilliant at youth level, and we’re chuffed to bits with Cameron. He’s worked really hard.”

The versatile youngster, who is two-footed and can play anywhere across defence or midfield, is still able to play informally for Spurs at local level.

Gibbs follows in the footsteps of Whalsay’s Karl Williamson, who signed schoolboy forms with the Dons and then moved on to play for Brechin City before returning to Shetland.

Gibbs will now travel down to the Granite City every weekend over the 2009/10 season and his family are keen to find anyone who can offer any kind of accommodation or sponsorship. Any interested parties can contact Martin on 07979 507046.