Gilbert: 'I guess I must just be quite unlucky'
Shrimpers left-back Peter Gilbert is out suspended and was due to return to the starting eleven on New Year's Eve in the away clash at AFC Wimbledon, but is unable to after floodlight failure forced the Aldershot Town game on Boxing Day to end prematurely with his side one up.
Gilbert told www.echo-news.co.uk: "I'm just absolutely mad it's happened again and I can't believe it. Games are hardly ever called off because of floodlight failures these days but it's happened two seasons in a row now and both times I've been banned. What must be the chances of that happening? It's just incredible and I guess I must just be quite unlucky."
Sadly for him the former Northampton defender is talking about last season when he was banned for the match at Cheltenham Town which was also abandoned because of a floodlight failure!
That, along with the worst winter weather for decades, delayed his return to the team and Gilbert is annoyed once again to have an extended spell on the sidelines!
Gilbert said: “You never like to miss matches and it’s really annoying that my suspension has to last to longer now. I was looking forward to the AFC Wimbledon game and I’m really disappointed to have to miss that match as well. Last season the weather was really bad too so my suspension ended up being even longer. This time around we’ve been lucky with the weather but not the lights and it’s just so frustrating especially as the team was in a good position to go on and win the game as well. I just hope that the weather and the lights at AFC Wimbledon are both OK and that I can come back for the game against Dagenham on Monday.”
Well, replacement Luke Prosser can thank his lucky stars as he has at least another chance to shine in Pete's position, while the player himself can enjoy the game from the stands with best mate Bilel Mohsni and striker Liam Dickinson, also both suspended for the Dons trip.
The Gilbert Files
 Gilbert playing for Sheffield Wednesday in 2008 |
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Eric Peter Gilbert[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 31 July 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Newcastle upon Tyne, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Southend United | ||
| Number | 3 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| – | Birmingham City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2002–2003 | Birmingham City | 0 | (0) |
| 2003–2005 | Plymouth Argyle | 78 | (1) |
| 2005–2006 | Leicester City | 5 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2006–2009 | Sheffield Wednesday | 34 | (0) |
| 2007 | → Doncaster Rovers (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2009 | Oldham Athletic | 5 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Northampton Town | 30 | (0) |
| 2010– | Southend United | 43 | (2) |
| National team | |||
| 2004–2005 | Wales U21 | 8 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:19, 20 December 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). |
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(Full player info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Gilbert)
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