Daniel Gabbidon, nicknamed ‘Danny’, is an international football defender who was born on August 8, 1979 in Cwmbran, Wales. He started playing for Wales at the Under-21 level in 1999 and made 17 appearances for the side. He was called up for the Welsh senior squad in October 2001 for an International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup qualifying match against Belarus. Again, in February 2002, Daniel Gabbidon was included in the squad for a friendly match against Argentina, and in the next month he finally made his debut in the goalless draw against the Czech Republic. He was awarded the Welsh Footballer of the Year award in October 2005. Daniel Gabbidon had also captained the side in a game against Cyprus in November 2005 and in the 1-0 win over Bulgaria in August 2007.
Daniel Gabbidon started his career as an apprentice at West Bromwich Albion in November 1996. He turned professional in July 1998 and made his debut for West Bromwich Albion in a home game against Ipswich Town on March 20, 1999. At the start of the 2000-01 season, Daniel Gabbidon was loaned out on a one-month deal to Cardiff City, with which he signed a permanent four-year contract later in September. He performed well in the 2001-02 season, taking Cardiff City to the Division Two play-offs to earn a contract extension. His form that year also won him the Welsh Clubman of the Year award in October 2002. After a small break due to injury, Daniel Gabbidon returned to competitive football in a reserve game in April 2003. And in May 2003, he was back in the first-team and helped Cardiff City to win the Division Two play-offs and eventually to get promoted to Division One.
In April 2004, Daniel Gabbidon was named in the Division One’s Team of the Year and in September 2004, he extended his contract by four more years with Cardiff City. In the first half of the 2004-05 season, Cardiff City was in the relegation zone, but its unbeaten run in January 2005 saw the team going five points clear off the danger zone and Daniel Gabbidon was named the Championship’s Player of the Month. In July 2005, he moved to West Ham United and helped the club finish in the middle of the points table in the 2005-06 season. Daniel Gabbidon was a part of the 2006 Football Association (FA) Cup runners-up team and for his performances in the 2005-06 season, he was voted ‘Hammer of the Year’. The next season he was forced out of a few games due to injury and in August 2007, he signed a two-year extension to his contract.
