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®Êby IAN MURTAGH

DARRON GIBSON talks about the future with the wide-eyed enthusiasm of a fresh-faced youngster at the start of a journey.

It’s easy to understand why. For Gibson, the past is not a chronicle of heart-warming memories.

The Sunderland midfielder is 29 years old and tomorrow he lines up against Manchester City at the Stadium of Light. But it will be only his 55th Premier League start.

When he came off the bench as an 18-year-old for his Manchester United debut against Barnet in the Carling Cup in 2005, an illustrious career appeared to beckon.

The Derry-born youngster was even being compared to another Ulster starlet who crossed the Irish Sea four decades earlier but, upbringing apart, Gibson shares little common ground with George Best.

He’s spent much of the past decade injured, rehabilitating or playing catch-up.

Now fully fit and convinced his problems are behind him, it’s no wonder Gibson is excited about linking up with his former Everton boss David Moyes, even if his move to Wearside has thrown him into a grim battle for survival.

“It’s true my career has not gone to plan,” he said.

“I should have played an awful lot more games, considering I made my United debut so young. “There’s nothing you can do about the past but I can affect