William Kennedy Gibson (1 October 1876 – 9 December 1949) was an Irish footballer and political activist.
[3] He also spent time in the north-east of England and played with local teams on an amateur basis, including Sunderland, for whom he made one appearance in the Football League in the 1901–02 season[4] when the club finished as English champions.
[2] He played thirteen matches for the Ireland national team from 1894 to 1902, making his debut aged 17, scoring once (against England) and captaining the side on four occasions.
[5] He won numerous honours with Cliftonville, including the Irish Cup in 1897 and 1901, before becoming President of the club, then becoming active in its management.
He defeated future Lord Mayor of Belfast William George Turner, who had the unofficial backing of the Conservative Party.