David_McGhee

David McGhee

David McGhee

English footballer (born 1976)

David Christopher McGhee (born 19 June 1976) is an English retired professional footballer, who made over 230 appearances as a utility player in the Football League for Brentford and Leyton Orient.

Quick Facts Personal information, Full name ...

Playing career

Early years

McGhee was born in Worthing. Starting out as a defender, he began his career in the youth system at Plymouth Argyle.[3] He was not taken on as a scholar by first team manager Peter Shilton and dropped into non-League football to sign for local South Western League club St Austell.[3]

Brentford

McGhee joined Second Division club Brentford on trial in 1993, after the club responded to a contact request from his father.[3] He signed a professional contract with the Bees in April 1994 and received his maiden call into the first team squad for a Football League Trophy first round match versus Brighton & Hove Albion on 19 October that year.[4][5] He remained on the bench for the 1–0 victory.[5] McGhee's professional debut came on 21 January 1995, when he replaced Darren Annon during a 2–1 league win over Hull City.[5] He was largely an unused substitute during the rest of the 1994–95 season, finishing with seven appearances and scored one goal.[6]

McGhee established himself in the first team during the 1995–96 season, wearing five different shirt numbers and proving to be an able utility player.[7] He made 45 appearances and scored six goals.[6]

McGhee's best season for Brentford came in 1996–97, when he made a season-high 53 appearances and scored two goals.[8] The Bees led the Second Division for much of the first two-thirds of the season, before dropping to fourth position and qualifying for the playoffs.[9] After beating Bristol City 4–2 on aggregate in the semi-finals, the Bees lost 1–0 to Crewe Alexandra at Wembley Stadium in the final.[10]

McGhee was again a regular pick during the 1997–98 season, making 33 appearances and scoring one goal in which Brentford's playoff hangover consigned them to relegation to the Third Division after a final-day defeat to Bristol Rovers.[11] A succession of injuries saw McGhee miss the entire 1998–99 season, and he retired in January 1999.[12] He made 138 appearances and scored 10 goals during his time at Griffin Park.[12]

Stevenage Borough

McGhee came out of retirement to sign for Conference club Stevenage Borough in August 1999.[12] He made two appearances before departing Broadhall Way before the end of the first month of the season.[13]

Leyton Orient

McGhee returned to the Football League to sign for struggling Third Division club Leyton Orient in November 1999.[1] He quickly established himself in the side, making 23 appearances and scoring one goal during the remainder of the 1999–00 season to help the Os retain their league status.[14] McGhee had an excellent 2000–01 season, making 51 appearances and scoring three goals as the Os finished in the playoff positions.[15] As with Brentford in 1997, McGhee suffered heartbreak in his second appearance at Wembley Stadium, with Orient crashing to a 4–2 defeat to Blackpool in the final, after having twice taken the lead.[16]

Orient suffered a hangover in the 2001–02 season, though McGhee again featured in almost all the club's matches, making 45 appearances and scoring two goals.[17] McGhee's run as a mainstay of the team came to an end on 10 September 2002, when he suffered a ruptured achilles tendon after 11 minutes of a 3–2 League Cup first round victory over Queens Park Rangers.[18][19] He returned to match play just over a year later and was named captain, but managed just 12 appearances and one goal during the 2003–04 season,[20] before leaving the club on 25 March 2004.[21] McGhee made 135 appearances and scored seven goals during five years at Brisbane Road.[22] His performances earned him the nickname "Mad Dog".[21]

Return to non-League football

On 25 March 2004, McGhee dropped into non-League football to join high-flying Isthmian League Premier Division club Canvey Island on a contract running until the end of the 2005–06 season.[21] Following the club's promotion to the Conference Premier at the end of the 2003–04 season, McGhee failed to hold down a regular place in the team and made 47 appearances and scored one goal before departing at the end of the 2005–06 season.[23][24][25]

McGhee continued his descent down the pyramid with short spells at Isthmian League clubs Chelmsford City and Wivenhoe Town respectively during the first half of the 2006–07 season.[26] McGhee returned to Cornwall in late 2006 to sign for South Western League club Falmouth Town.[27] He signed for East Cornwall League Premier Division club Lanreath in 2007 and played for the team until 2015.[28][29] He re-emerged with the club's veterans' team 2017, playing as a goalkeeper.[30]

Managerial career

McGhee has held coaching and assistant manager positions in the youth setup at local Cornish club Looe Town.[31] He served as joint-player-manager of East Cornwall League First Division club Lanreath during the 2014–15 season.[28]

Personal life

McGhee's son Callum played under his management at Lanreath.[32] In March 2015, McGhee was diagnosed with a brain tumour.[28]

Career statistics

More information Club, Season ...
  1. Includes FA Cup
  2. Includes League Cup
  3. Appearances in Football League Trophy
  4. Appearances in Second Division play-offs
  5. 3 appearances in Third Division play-offs, 1 appearance in Football League Trophy
  6. Appearances in FA Trophy

References

  1. [1]
    "David McGhee". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  2. [2]
    "David McGhee". Archived from the original on 10 June 1998. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  3. [3]
    Brentford F.C. Griffin Gazette versus Huddersfield Town. Quay Design of Poole. 21 February 1995. p. 28.
  4. [4]
    Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2013). The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. p. 412. ISBN 9781906796723.
  5. [5]
    Griffin Gazette versus AFC Bournemouth. Poole: Quay Design. 29 April 1995. pp. 34–35.
  6. [6]
    Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2013, p. 480-481.
  7. [7]
    Griffin Gazette versus AFC Bournemouth. Poole: Quay Design. 4 May 1996. pp. 30–31.
  8. [8]
    "Games played by Dave McGhee in 1996/1997". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  9. [9]
    "Brentford Home Page for the 1996–1997 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  10. [10]
    Wickham, Chris. "League One Guide: Crewe Alexandra". www.brentfordfc.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  11. [11]
    "Games played by Dave McGhee in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  12. [12]
    Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 46. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  13. [13]
    "Dave McGhee – Defence – Player Profile". BoroGuide. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  14. [14]
    "Games played by Dave McGhee in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  15. [15]
    "Games played by Dave McGhee in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  16. [16]
    "Clockwatch: Blackpool 4–2 Orient". BBC. 26 May 2001. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  17. [17]
    "Games played by Dave McGhee in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  18. [18]
    "Games played by Dave McGhee in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  19. [19]
    "McGhee blow for O's". SkySports. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  20. [20]
    "Games played by Dave McGhee in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  21. [21]
    "McGhee Makes Canvey Switch". leytonorient.com. 25 March 2004. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  22. [22]
    David McGhee at Soccerbase
  23. [23]
    "Player Details: Season 2003–2004". SoccerFacts UK. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  24. [24]
    "David McGhee Unknown team or unattached – Hull City AFC". Hull City Mad. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  25. [25]
    "David McGhee Unknown team or unattached – Hull City AFC". Hull City Mad. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  26. [26]
    "All Competitions : Player's Appearances – McGhee David". Football.mitoo.co. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  27. [27]
    "Town crumble in second half". Falmouth Packet. 13 December 2006. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  28. [28]
    "News: David McGhee". leytonorient.com. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  29. [29]
    "Best Wishes To Dave McGhee". Canvey Island FC – The Official Website | The Pride of Essex Football. Archived from the original on 24 September 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  30. [30]
    "Wadebridge Town 7–0 Lanreath". Q Cornwall Leisure Veterans League. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  31. [31]
    "Looe News August 12". yudu.com. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  32. [32]
    "Match Report – Pensilva 1st XI". Pensilva FC. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
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