Jay Tabb

Football player infobox
playername = Jay Tabb


fullname = Jay Tabb
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1984|2|21|mf=y
cityofbirth = Tooting
countryofbirth = England
height = height|ft=5|in=7
currentclub = Coventry City
clubnumber = 21
position = Midfielder, Winger
youthyears = 1999–2000
youthclubs = Crystal Palace
years = 2000–2006
2003
2006–
clubs = Brentford
→ Crawley Town (loan)
Coventry City
caps(goals) = 128 (20)

080 0(9)
nationalyears = 2005–2006
nationalteam = Republic of Ireland U21
nationalcaps(goals) = 007 0(1)
pcupdate = 23:50, 20 September 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 23:50, 20 September 2008 (UTC)

Jay Anthony Tabb (born February 21, 1984 in Tooting, Greater London) is an Anglo-Irish professional footballer, currently playing for Coventry City.

Tabb is a versatile player who can play on either wing, in central midfield, and occasionally centre forward (he has regularly played in the centre forward position for the Republic of Ireland Under-21 team). He is a skillful, combative player with a good first touch and shows composure in front of goal.

Playing career

Tabb was released from Crystal Palace as a junior at the age of 16, after being deemed too short to play professional football (he is just 5'7"). Undeterred, he signed for Brentford, and was widely recognised as one of the best midfielders in Football League One during the 2005–06 season.

In his spell at Brentford Tabb made 114 starts for Brentford and 42 appearances from the substitutes bench scoring 24 goals for the Bees. His passion for the club made him a fans favourite at the club and a cult hero.

In May 2006, Tabb respectfully made clear his intentions to leave Brentford in pursuit of football at a higher level in order to fulfill his potential. The club respected the player's wishes and Tabb was placed on the transfer list on May 18. One day later, Tabb was called up to the full Republic of Ireland squad. He was signed by Coventry City on 30 June. He is widely respected by the fans at Griffin Park, and became the latest Brentford player to post on the Griffin Park Grapevine, a popular unofficial fans forum, where he posted a long goodbye to fans [http://www.griffinpark.org/forums/showthread.php?t=44357] .

Tabb wears number 21 for Coventry and made his debut as a substitute against Cardiff City on 12 August, coming on for the injured Adam Virgo who himself was a substitute.

On 23 April, 2008, Tabb was awarded the Player of the Year accolade for his services to Coventry City during the 2007–08 season.

Other Information

In his first interview for Coventry, which was shown on the official website, the interview appeared to cut out halfway through only for it to reappear and show a slightly confused Tabb looking at the interviewer receiving instructions from what appeared to be Coventry City Managing Director Paul Fletcher. The truth about Fletcher's comments came out during the pre-season dinner at the Ricoh Arena. Mr Fletcher admitting to playing a prank on the young Irish star. He confessed to announcing that Liverpool had just make a £2 million pound bid for the player who had yet put on a Coventry shirt. Fletcher continued the joke by adding that he had accepted the offer. Tabb, however caught onto the joke when Fletcher claimed that Tabb was to be Steven Gerrard's replacement. Tabb later denied the existence of the prank, in an interview for "The Observer". ["The Observer", Sport Section, 06/08/2006.]

Trivia

Tabb was wrongly credited for the first Sky Blues goal of the 2007–08 season. Stern John had scored it but the announcer and BBC Teletext both awarded it to Jay Tabb, who had not even made it on to the pitch.

References

External links

* [http://www.ccfc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10269~12218,00.html Jay Tabb player profile] at ccfc.co.uk
* [http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/page/FirstTeamProfiles/0,,10421~12218,00.html Jay Tabb player profile] at brentfordfc.co.uk
*soccerbase|id=24695|name=Jay Tabb