Brian McGlinchey explained

Brian McGlinchey
Fullname:Brian Kevin McGlinchey
Birth Date:26 October 1977
Birth Place:Derry, Northern Ireland
Position:Left-back
Years1:1995–1998
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:1998–1999
Clubs2:Port Vale
Caps2:15
Goals2:1
Years3:1999–2000
Clubs3:Gillingham
Caps3:14
Goals3:1
Years4:2000–2004
Caps4:67
Goals4:2
Years5:2003
Clubs5:Torquay United (loan)
Caps5:14
Goals5:0
Years6:2004–2006
Caps6:58
Goals6:0
Totalcaps:168
Totalgoals:4
Nationalyears1:1998–1999
Nationalteam1:Northern Ireland under-21
Nationalcaps1:14
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:1999
Nationalteam2:Northern Ireland B
Nationalcaps2:1
Nationalgoals2:0

Brian Kevin McGlinchey (born 26 October 1977) is a Northern Irish former football defender. He made a total of 195 competitive appearances in an eleven-year career as a professional player before he was forced to retire in 2006, aged 28, due to injury. He also won 14 caps for Northern Ireland under-21s and one cap for the Northern Ireland B team.[1]

Born in Derry, Northern Ireland, he started his career with Manchester City but joined Port Vale in 1998, having never made a first-team appearance at City. The next year, he moved on to Gillingham before he signed with Plymouth Argyle in 2000. He enjoyed four years with Plymouth before he joined Torquay United in 2004, having spent some time on loan at the club the previous year. He stayed with Torquay until his retirement two years later. His honours included three promotion campaigns, once each with Gillingham, Plymouth, and Torquay.

Career

Manchester City and Port Vale

McGlinchey started his career with Manchester City in 1995 but never made a first-team appearance in his three seasons with the club. In June 1998, he was signed by Port Vale manager John Rudge. He played 15 First Division games for "Valiants" during the 1998–99 season, bagging his first senior goal in a 2–1 defeat at Oxford United on 21 November 1998.

Gillingham

He was released by manager Brian Horton and subsequently joined Peter Taylor's Second Division side Gillingham in August 1999. He started just six games in the 1999–2000 promotion season. He did not feature in the play-off final victory over Wigan Athletic. He made just one appearance in the First Division under new boss Andy Hessenthaler before he left Priestfield Stadium, dropping down two tiers to the Third Division with Plymouth Argyle in December 2000.

Plymouth Argyle

He featured 22 times at left-back in 2000–01, as Paul Sturrock's "Pilgrims" posted a mid-table finish. He then made 29 league appearances in 2001–02, as Plymouth topped the Third Division table; his contribution was limited after he broke his foot.[2] He was limited to 21 appearances at Home Park in 2002–03 by new signing Hasney Aljofree,[2] and played no part of the club's success in 2003–04. He was instead loaned out to Third Division side Torquay United in October 2003,[3] with the deal being made permanent in January 2004.[4] A poll in 2019 saw him voted the club's 19th greatest ever full-back by fans, who nicknamed him "Mad Dog".[5] [6]

Torquay United

He played 34 league games in 2003–04, as the "Gulls" secured promotion into League One. Manager Leroy Rosenior could not keep the Plainmoor club in the third tier, however, and McGlinchey played 37 games as Torquay were relegated into League Two in 2004–05. He signed a 12-month contract in January 2005,[7] but picked up a hamstring injury two months later.[8] After a further medical examination in April his injury turned out actually to be a slipped disc.[9] An operation was necessary,[10] and in September 2005 he went under the knife.[11] However, this did not solve the problem and he was forced to retire in May 2006.[12]

Later life

Having passed qualifications after subsidisations from the PFA during his time at Plymouth Argyle, McGlinchey became a mortgage adviser and went on to manage ten other mortgage advisors at Lloyds Bank in Plymouth.[13] He also commentated on Plymouth Argyle games for BBC Radio Devon.[14] However, he continued to suffer with sciatic pain from the injury that ended his playing career and has a constant loss of feeling in his left leg.[13] As of November 2018, he is married with three children.[13]

Career statistics

SeasonClubDivisionLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester City1995–96Premier League0000000000
1996–97First Division0000000000
1997–98First Division0000000000
Total0000000000
Port Vale1998–99First Division151101000171
Gillingham1999–2000Second Division131414010223
2000–01First Division1000000010
Total141414010233
Plymouth Argyle2000–01Third Division180000020200
2001–02Third Division291301010341
2002–03Second Division191200020231
2003–04Second Division0000000000
Total672501070772
Torquay United2003–04Third Division340000000340
2004–05League One330101020370
2005–06League Two5000000050
Total720101020760
Career total168411170601935

Honours

Plymouth Argyle

2001–02[1]

Torquay United

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Brian McGlinchey. nifootball.blogspot.co.uk. 23 April 2012.
  2. Web site: profile. greensonscreen.co.uk. 23 April 2012.
  3. Web site: Torquay keep McGlinchey. 8 October 2003. BBC Sport. 14 June 2009.
  4. Web site: McGlinchey joins Torquay. 13 January 2004. BBC Sport. 14 June 2009.
  5. News: Greatest Full-Backs: 20–16 . 9 August 2019 . pafc.co.uk . 21 June 2019 . en-gb.
  6. News: Q & A With Brian McGlinchey . 9 August 2019 . Vital Plymouth Argyle . 18 May 2007 . en.
  7. Web site: Torquay pair agree new contracts . 19 January 2005. BBC Sport. 14 June 2009.
  8. Web site: Gulls hit by McGlinchey injury . 8 March 2005. BBC Sport. 14 June 2009.
  9. Web site: Injury ends McGlinchey's season . 22 April 2005. BBC Sport. 14 June 2009.
  10. Web site: Torquay want early McGlinchey op . 7 September 2005. BBC Sport. 14 June 2009.
  11. Web site: McGlinchey undergoes back surgery . 20 September 2005. BBC Sport. 14 June 2009.
  12. Web site: Gulls defender McGlinchey quits . 16 March 2006. BBC Sport. 14 June 2009.
  13. News: Errington . Chris . Former Argyle title winner on retiring at 28 and life after football . 9 August 2019 . Plymouth Herald . 30 November 2018.
  14. News: Errington . Chris . Argyle's slow start to season was no surprise, says Brian McGlinchey . 9 August 2019 . Plymouth Herald . 9 November 2018.