Jay Tabb

Jay Tabb (born February 21, 1984) is a professional Football (soccer), currently playing for Coventry City F.C. in England.

He 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 national football team Under-21 team). He is a skillful, combative player with a good first touch and shows composure in front of goal.

He was released from Crystal Palace F.C. 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 F.C., 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 the Jay Tabb was placed on the transfer list on May 18, 2006. One day later, Tabb was called up to the full Republic of Ireland national football team squad. He was signed by Coventry City on 30 June 2006. 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 . He is also widely regarded as a kind and friendly person, as well as a good footballer.

Tabb wears number 21 for Coventry City and made his debut as a substitute against Cardiff on 12 August 2006, coming on for the injured Adam Virgo who himself was a substitute.

In his first interview for Coventry City, 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 Paul 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. Mr 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.

Jay Tabb was wrongly credited for the first Sky Blues goal of the 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.