| Paul McCarthy | |
| Fullname: | Paul Jason McCarthy[1] |
| Birth Date: | 4 August 1971 |
| Birth Place: | Cork, Ireland |
| Position: | Defender |
| Years1: | 1989–1996 |
| Caps1: | 181 |
| Goals1: | 6 |
| Years2: | 1996–2003 |
| Caps2: | 212 |
| Goals2: | 9 |
| Years3: | 2003 |
| Clubs3: | → Oxford United (loan) |
| Caps3: | 6 |
| Goals3: | 1 |
| Years4: | 2003–2004 |
| Caps4: | 29 |
| Goals4: | 2 |
| Years5: | 2004 |
| Caps5: | 7 |
| Goals5: | 2 |
| Years6: | 2004–2013 |
| Clubs6: | Ebbsfleet United |
| Caps6: | 141 |
| Goals6: | 6 |
| Totalcaps: | 576 |
| Totalgoals: | 26 |
| Nationalyears1: | 1989–1994 |
| Nationalteam1: | Republic of Ireland U21 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 10 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 1 |
Paul Jason McCarthy (4 August 1971 – 19 February 2017) was an Irish footballer who last played for Ebbsfleet United as a defender. He made over 500 appearances in the Football League and Football Conference, notably for Brighton & Hove Albion, Wycombe Wanderers and Ebbsfleet United.
Born in Cork, County Cork, McCarthy began his career as a trainee with Brighton & Hove Albion, where he made over 200 league and cup appearances before joining Wycombe Wanderers for a fee of £100,000 in July 1996.[2] He made over 250 appearances for Wycombe in seven seasons at the club, helping the club to a FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool in April 2001.[3] He scored Wycombe's first goal in their quarter-final win over Premier League side Leicester City, paving the way for Roy Essandoh to score the winner. McCarthy joined Oxford United on loan in March 2003,[4] joining the club on a permanent basis at the end of the season.[5]
After 35 appearances for Oxford, he was released on a free transfer in summer 2004 and joined non-League club Hornchurch.[6] He became available after Hornchurch ran into financial trouble and signed for Conference National club Gravesend & Northfleet (now Ebbsfleet United) in November 2004.[7] He became club captain[8] and by the end of the 2007–08 season, had made over 110 appearances for Ebbsfleet and collected a winners medal when Ebbsfleet won the FA Trophy in May 2008.[9] [10] He signed a new one-year contract with Ebbsfleet in June 2008 and a year later he was appointed as player–assistant manager at the club.[11] [12] Paul left Ebbsfleet in July 2013 following a change of owner at the club. He subsequently signed with Crowborough AFC on 4 August 2013.
McCarthy died suddenly on 19 February 2017, aged 45,[13] of a suspected heart attack.[14]
He played and scored for the Republic of Ireland national football team at the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship.[15]
2008