In fact Gibbs' quartet piqued the interest of his hometown club Central Coast Mariners who will take the in-form striker on board in the upcoming season.

Gibbs, 20, will be joining the Mariners’ 2011-12 title-winning youth team but he’s hoping his scintillating form with Marconi Stallions will carry over to some senior team action.

“The Mariners is my local club – so I’m looking forward to it,” the Gosford native told au.fourfourtwo.com.

“I know (Phil) Moss the assistant from when I was at Manly (United). Actually, I’m really looking forward to playing under all the coaching staff – Graham Arnold, Mossy and the youth coach Tony Walmsley.

“They’re all great coaches who have done impressive things in their coaching careers and obviously at a club that focuses on its youth.”

If the Mariners needed any reminding just what the former Sydney FC youth teamer offers they only had to catch a glimpse of him in full-flight against Sydney Olympic last Sunday.

A classy brace from Gibbs delivered Marconi a 2-0 win and put the club in the thick of finals action this weekend when Luke Casserly’s men will take on Bonnyrigg White Eagles in the NSW Premier League.

Gibbs couldn’t be happier with his form. Named in the NSWPL team of the year, he’s notched up 11 goals so far this season and picked up Marconi's golden boot and young player of the year awards.

And he might have thought he was in with a shout for an A-League gig after slotting four past Nepean FC for Wanderers. But if life as a professional footballer has taught him anything it’s that you roll with the punches.

“I thought I did enough – but I guess it wasn’t to be,” Gibbs said. “That happens. Maybe Popa (Tony Popovic) had his eyes on something else which is just how it is.

“I’m just fortunate that I’ve been with Marconi in the state league this year which I feel as been a real positive change for me.

“I’ve had a good year and I think that’s why I got the trial with Western Sydney in the first place and maybe that helped the Mariners in their decision to bring me on board.

“I owe a lot to Marconi and the coach, Luke Casserly, for giving me that opportunity to play in such a strong team.”

If ever there was a time for Gibbs to shine this is it. At 20, he knows this is his last opportunity to play in the NYL and perhaps his best bet to push for a first team place.

Certainly it’s been a roller-coaster ride for the young footballer since winning the 2008 Lucas Neill scholarship. In 2010, he made his first and only senior team appearance for Sydney FC as an extra-time substitute in their Grand Final win over Melbourne Victory.

It was an unforgettable debut made all the more memorable by 45,000 screaming fans and a body check by Victory hard-man Kevin Muscat as he was haring towards goal.

“I just turned him I think and he shut me down,” Gibbs laughed. “I guess he’d play 116 minutes and I’d just come on. To tell the truth I was surprised just to be in the presence of a few of those boys out there.”

Following that magical moment was a blighted spell at Olympic Charleroi in the Belgian third division – a club so beset with financial problems he had no option but to return home. Not that you’ll hear Gibbs complain.

“I try not to think too far in the future,” he said. “I’m always quite focussed on the season I’m doing at the moment.

“Whenever I think about the future I just try and remember – what am I doing now? And if I’m doing it right then everything should work out.

“I’ve done a lot of travelling and had a lot of different experiences probably more than a lot of boys my age and I think that’s made me mentally stronger.

“You learn to cope with disappointments and soon realise that all you can do is play good football and focus on yourself.

“I feel that I’ve grown mentally tougher and I think that’s shown in my game this year, so I hope I go well for the Mariners. After that we’ll see what happens.”