Jon McCarthy
{{short description|Association football player (born 1970)}}
{{Similar names|John McCarthy (disambiguation){{!}}John McCarthy}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jon McCarthy
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Jonathan David McCarthy{{cite book |editor-first=Barry J. |editor-last=Hugman |title=The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2003/2004 |year=2003 |publisher=Queen Anne Press |location=Harpenden |isbn=978-1-85291-651-0 |page=270}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|8|18|df=y}}
| birth_place = Middlesbrough, England
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}{{cite book |first1=Dave |last1=Windross |first2=Martin |last2=Jarred |title=Citizens and Minstermen: A Who's Who of York City FC 1922–1997 |year=1997 |publisher=Citizen Publications |location=Selby |isbn=978-0-9531005-0-7 |page=64}}
| position = Winger
| currentclub = Connah's Quay Nomads
(assistant manager)
| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1987–1989| clubs1 = Hartlepool United | caps1 = 1| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 1989–1990| clubs2 = Shepshed Charterhouse | caps2 = | goals2 =
| years3 = 1990–1995| clubs3 = York City | caps3 = 199| goals3 = 31
| years4 = 1995–1997| clubs4 = Port Vale | caps4 = 94| goals4 = 11
| years5 = 1997–2002| clubs5 = Birmingham City | caps5 = 124| goals5 = 8
| years6 = 2002 | clubs6 = → Sheffield Wednesday (loan)| caps6 = 4| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2002 | clubs7 = Port Vale | caps7 = 8| goals7 = 0
| years8 = 2002 | clubs8 = Doncaster Rovers | caps8 = 1| goals8 = 0
| years9 = 2002 | clubs9 = York City | caps9 = 1| goals9 = 0
| years10 = 2002–2003| clubs10= Carlisle United | caps10= 21| goals10= 1
| years11 = 2003–2004| clubs11= Hucknall Town | caps11= 34| goals11= 6
| years12 = 2004–2007| clubs12= Northwich Victoria | caps12= 95| goals12= 1
| totalcaps = 582| totalgoals = 58
| nationalyears1 = 1996–1998 | nationalteam1 = Northern Ireland B| nationalcaps1 = 2| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 1996–2001 | nationalteam2 = Northern Ireland| nationalcaps2 = 18| nationalgoals2 = 0
| manageryears1 = 2016–2017 | managerclubs1 = Chester
| manageryears2 = 2017–2021 | managerclubs2 = Southport (assistant)
| manageryears3 = 2021– | managerclubs3 = Connah's Quay Nomads (assistant)
|
}}
Jonathan David McCarthy (born 18 August 1970) is a former professional footballer who is the assistant manager at Cymru Premier club Connah's Quay Nomads.
McCarthy played as a winger and made around 700 appearances in his career, many of which were in the English Football League. Twice a Northern Ireland B international, he went on to win 18 senior caps for Northern Ireland. He began his career at Hartlepool United in 1987 before heading into the non-League scene with Shepshed Charterhouse in 1989. He returned to the professional game the following year after signing a contract with York City. He spent the next five years with the club, helping York to promotion via the play-offs in 1993, and twice being voted Clubman of the Year. In 1995, he joined Port Vale for a £450,000 fee. In his first year at Vale Park, he was awarded the club's Player of the Year award and also played in the Anglo-Italian Cup final.
In 1997, he was sold to Birmingham City for £1.5 million. The highlight of a five-year injury-plagued stay in Birmingham would be a League Cup final appearance in 2001. The next year, he was loaned out to Sheffield Wednesday before a return to Port Vale was followed by a brief spell with Doncaster Rovers and a cameo return at York City. Settling with Carlisle United, he left the Football League in 2003 to play for non-League Hucknall Town. Hucknall were crowned Northern Premier League Premier Division champions in 2003–04, and following this success, he won a deal with Northwich Victoria. He helped the club to the Conference North title in 2005–06, before he retired in 2007. He was appointed as first-team coach at Chester in January 2014, and after a brief spell as caretaker, became manager of the club in May 2016, before he was sacked in September 2017. He then joined Southport as assistant manager for four years before being appointed assistant manager at Connah's Quay Nomads in October 2021.
Club career
=Early career=
Born in Middlesbrough, McCarthy began his career with Hartlepool United on non-contract terms in November 1987 under manager John Bird, making his first-team debut at the age of 17 by playing the last ten minutes of the last game of the 1987–88 season. Bird was sacked later in the year, and his successor, Bobby Moncur, released McCarthy.{{cite web |title=Super Jon McCarthy |url=https://aleandthevale.podbean.com/e/super-jon-mccarthy/ |website=aleandthevale.podbean.com |access-date=14 April 2021 |language=en}} He had a short spell outside of the professional game after joining Shepshed Charterhouse of the Northern Premier League in March 1989.{{cite web |title=Jon McCarthy |url=http://nifootball.blogspot.com/2007/07/jon-mccarthy.html |publisher=NIFG |date=7 July 2007 |access-date=2 May 2016}}
=York City=
John Bird persuaded McCarthy to join York City on a part-time contract in March 1990. He made his debut in a 1–1 draw against Gillingham on 29 September. While still studying at university he signed professional forms with York in March 1991.{{cite book |last1=Windross |last2=Jarred |title=Citizens and Minstermen: A Who's Who of York City FC 1922–1997 |pages=64–65}} He was named Clubman of the Year for 1991–92, after which he helped the club to promotion after winning the 1993 Football League Third Division play-off final at the end of 1992–93.{{cite book |last1=Windross |last2=Jarred |title=Citizens and Minstermen: A Who's Who of York City FC 1922–1997 |page=65}} York chairman Douglas Craig revealed the club had turned down a £150,000 offer from Bradford City for McCarthy, valuing him at at least three times that amount. Following a 1994–95 season described as "superb", he was named Clubman of the Year a second time. He played for York for five years and developed a reputation as one of the Football League's foremost right-sided wingers.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}}
=Port Vale=
He was bought by John Rudge's Port Vale for a £450,000 fee in August 1995, which at the time was York's record transfer fee received.{{cite news |title=Red raiders net Greening |url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/7969999.Red_raiders_net_Greening/ |newspaper=York Evening Press |date=24 March 1998 |access-date=2 May 2016}} With McCarthy on the right-wing and Steve Guppy on the left-wing, Rudge played attacking wing-based football.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Michael |title=Is this the best Port Vale select team of last 50 years? Have your say |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/port-vale-best-ever-team-4025394 |access-date=7 April 2020 |work=Stoke Sentinel |date=6 April 2020}} During his spell with Vale, McCarthy earned plaudits for his league performances and his display in the club's FA Cup tie against Everton, scoring the winning goal in a 2–1 victory at Vale Park.{{cite web|url=http://www.bcfc.com/page/WhereAreTheyNowDetail/0,,10412~1030860,00.html |title=Jon McCarthy |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090622073152/http://www.bcfc.com/page/WhereAreTheyNowDetail/0%2C%2C10412~1030860%2C00.html |archive-date=22 June 2009 |url-status=dead }} He played in the 1996 Anglo-Italian Cup final, as Vale lost 5–2 to Genoa.{{cite book |first=Jeff |last=Kent |title=Port Vale Personalities |year=1996 |publisher=Witan Books |location=Stafford |isbn=0-9529152-0-0 |page=190}} He won the club's Player of the Year award in 1996. He played over 100 games within two seasons at Vale Park before he was snapped up by Birmingham City manager Trevor Francis in September 1997, who paid Vale a £1.5 million fee for him.{{cite news|title=Jon McCarthy: Port Vale add ex-Chester manager to backroom team|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42032490|access-date=19 November 2017|publisher=BBC Sport|date=17 November 2017}} Vale had offered him a new three-year deal as his current contract was due to expire the following summer, which he had rejected in favour of a move elsewhere.{{cite news |last1=Baggaley |first1=Mike |title=Old failings return as Port Vale are held at Lincoln City |url=https://portvalethevaliant.substack.com/p/old-failings-return-as-port-vale#poll-118963 |access-date=12 November 2023 |work=Valiant's Substack |date=12 November 2023}}
=Birmingham City=
He helped Birmingham reach the First Division play-offs in 1998–99, where they lost out to Watford after a penalty shoot-out. They again reached the play-offs in 1999–2000. Still, McCarthy missed the semi-final defeat to Barnsley after breaking his leg. After his recovery he played in the 2001 League Cup final defeat against Liverpool.{{cite news |title=Blues shot down as Liverpool lift cup |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/worthington_cup/1187654.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=25 February 2001 |access-date=2 May 2016}} Despite breaking his leg three times within five years as a Birmingham player,{{cite news |title=McCarthy suffers third leg break |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/birmingham_city/1338199.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=18 May 2001 |access-date=28 May 2016}} he made well over 100 appearances for the club.{{Soccerbase|id=4994|access-date=28 May 2016}}
He had a one-month loan spell at fellow First Division side Sheffield Wednesday in April 2002.{{cite news |title=Owls' double swoop |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_wed/1898696.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=28 March 2002 |access-date=28 May 2016}}{{cite news |title=Owls release nine players |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_wed/1946016.stm|publisher=BBC Sport |date=23 April 2002 |access-date=28 May 2016}} Told he had no future at the club by manager and former teammate Steve Bruce, he left Birmingham on a free transfer.{{cite news|title=McCarthy released by Bruce |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/1909136.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=3 April 2002 |access-date=28 May 2016}}{{cite news |title=Birmingham release trio |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/birmingham_city/1998331.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=21 May 2002 |access-date=28 May 2016}}
=Later career=
In August 2002, McCarthy returned to their previous club, Port Vale, who were now in the Second Division.{{cite web |title=Jon McCarthy – League appearances – Birmingham City FC |url=http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/birmingham-city-fc/jon-mccarthy-7745/league-appearances_a16500/ |website=Sporting Heroes |access-date=14 April 2021}} Two months later he was released by Vale{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/2290531.stm |title=Vale release McCarthy |publisher=BBC Sport |date=1 October 2002 |access-date=28 May 2016}} in the midst of a financial crisis{{cite news |title=Clubs in crisis |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/westmidlands/series1/football-finance.shtml |publisher=BBC Inside-Out |date=21 October 2002 |access-date=14 June 2009}} and moved on to Doncaster Rovers in the Third Division.{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Pete |title=McCarthy joins Doncaster |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/doncaster/2312839.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=9 October 2002 |access-date=28 May 2016}} On 7 November 2002, he was on the move again, re-joining York on non-contract terms after training with the club.{{cite news |title=Mac's contract thriller |url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/7918516.Mac_s_contract_thriller/ |newspaper=York Evening Press |date=7 November 2002 |access-date=28 May 2016}} His fourth club in three months was Carlisle United, signing on a one-month contract on 29 November 2002.{{cite news |first=Dave |last=Stanford |title=Macca's anguish at return |url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/7917368.Macca_s_anguish_at_return/ |newspaper=York Evening Press |date=29 November 2002 |access-date=28 May 2016}} He remained at Brunton Park for the rest of 2002–03, playing in the 2003 Football League Trophy final at the Millennium Stadium, which ended in a 2–0 defeat to Bristol City despite McCarthy linking up well with Stuart Green and almost providing an assist for Richie Foran.{{cite news |title=Bristol City sink Carlisle |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/2898425.stm |access-date=14 April 2021 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=6 April 2003}} It was in this tournament that he scored his first goal for the club, in a 2–0 win over Wrexham.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/2553545.stm |title=Carlisle 2–0 Wrexham |publisher=BBC Sport |date=10 December 2002 |access-date=15 January 2014}} His only other goal for the club came in a 1–0 league win over Southend United.{{soccerbase season|4994|2002|access-date=14 August 2015}} However, after failing to agree terms with the club he was released in May 2003.{{cite news |title=McCarthy leaves Carlisle |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/carlisle_united/3031569.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=15 May 2003 |access-date=28 May 2016}}
In the 2003–04 season, he teamed up with Steve Burr at Hucknall Town, helping them win the Northern Premier League Premier Division title, making 34 league appearances and scoring six goals. He then followed Burr to Conference National club Northwich Victoria at the start of 2004–05.{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Pete |title=Burr mounts double raid |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/northwich_victoria/3555460.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=11 August 2004 |access-date=28 May 2016}} He helped Northwich win the Conference North title in 2005–06, and therefore promotion back into the Conference National. Despite working as a full-time teacher he still managed to play the majority of Northwich's games until the end of 2006–07,{{cite news |first=Pete |last=Oliver |title=McCarthy's juggling act |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/northwich_victoria/6338445.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=7 February 2007 |access-date=28 May 2016}} at which point he retired from football.{{cite news |title=Jon McCarthy's Thoughts |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/articles/2007/07/03/jon_mccarthy_blog_feature.shtml?page=3 |publisher=BBC Stoke & Staffordshire |date=3 July 2007 |access-date=2 May 2016}}
International career
In 1991, McCarthy won a bronze medal as part of the Great Britain football team at the XVI Summer Universiade, commonly known as the "World Student Games", in Sheffield.{{Cite book
| last = Batters
| first = Dave
| title = York City: The Complete Record
| year = 2008
| publisher =Breedon Books
| isbn = 978-1-85983-633-0
| page = 184 }} He was eligible to represent Northern Ireland on the international stage through parentage, making his debut against Sweden in 1996 while with Port Vale. He earned 18 caps for Northern Ireland from 1996 to 2001. He was capped twice by the Northern Ireland B team, in 1996 and 1998.
Style of play
Port Vale player and lifelong fan Tom Pope described McCarthy as "a winger that drove at you" with raw pace and a player with good crossing ability.{{cite news|last1=Pope|first1=Tom|title=We're are almost ready for big kick off says Port Vale star|url=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/tom-pope-why-i-might-get-a-bit-misty-eyed-against-port-vale-hero/story-30458866-detail/story.html|access-date=29 July 2017|work=Stoke Sentinel|date=28 July 2017|language=en}} In May 2019, he was voted into the "Ultimate Port Vale XI" by members of the OneValeFan supporter website.{{cite news |last1=Fielding |first1=Rob |title=This is the OVF viewers all-time Port Vale XI |url=https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/2019/05/this-is-the-ovf-viewers-all-time-port-vale-xi/ |access-date=4 June 2020 |work=onevalefan.co.uk |date=26 May 2019}}
Coaching career
In January 2014, he was appointed as first-team coach at Conference Premier club Chester by manager Steve Burr.{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Green |title=Match report: Woking 0 Chester FC 1 |url=http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/match-report-woking-0-chester-6536071 |newspaper=Chester Chronicle |date=21 January 2014 |access-date=22 January 2014}} He took over as caretaker manager with Ian Sharps as assistant after Burr was sacked on 7 April 2016,{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Green |title=Chester FC: Steve Burr sacked as manager |url=http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/chester-fc-steve-burr-sacked-11155382 |newspaper=Chester Chronicle |date=7 April 2016 |access-date=2 May 2016}} and after three wins from four matches that ensured Chester's survival in the National League, signed a one-year contract as permanent manager in May.{{cite news |first=Dave |last=Powell |title=Chester FC: Jon McCarthy named new Blues boss |url=http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/chester-fc-jon-mccarthy-named-11297683 |newspaper=Chester Chronicle |date=7 May 2016 |access-date=7 May 2016}} In January 2017, he signed a new {{frac|2|1|2}}-year contract.{{cite news|title=Jon McCarthy: Chester manager agrees new contract|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38755816|access-date=26 January 2017|publisher=BBC Sport|date=26 January 2017}} However, after a poor start to the 2017–18 season, with the club picking up just one win from the opening eight league games, he was sacked on 6 September 2017.{{cite news|title=Jon McCarthy: Chester sack manager after one win in eight games|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41175813|access-date=6 September 2017|publisher=BBC Sport|date=6 September 2017}}
McCarthy returned to their former club, Port Vale, in November 2017, working as the new manager Neil Aspin's fitness coach.{{cite news|last1=Baggaley|first1=Michael|title=Port Vale legend Jon McCarthy joins Neil Aspin's backroom team|url=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/port-vale-legend-jon-mccarthy-787135|access-date=16 November 2017|work=Stoke Sentinel|date=16 November 2017}} Aspin was a former teammate at Port Vale, but said "It is not a case of jobs for the boys, it is because Jon is well qualified for the job that I want him to do, to deal with the fitness of the players and also to be another coach". However, he left the following month to take up a new post at Southport as assistant manager to Kevin Davies.{{cite news|last1=Baggaley|first1=Michael|title=Jon McCarthy leaves Port Vale to become assistant boss at Southport|url=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/jon-mccarthy-leaves-port-vale-966469|access-date=22 December 2017|work=Stoke Sentinel|date=22 December 2017}} He was retained at Southport after Liam Watson replaced Davies as manager in May 2018.{{cite news |title=Liam Watson Returns As Southport FC Manager |url=https://southportfc.net/liam-watson-returns-as-southport-fc-manager/ |access-date=14 April 2021 |work=Southport Football Club |date=7 May 2018 |language=English |archive-date=8 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508121611/https://southportfc.net/liam-watson-returns-as-southport-fc-manager/ |url-status=dead }} He joined Cymru Premier champions Connah's Quay Nomads as assistant to manager Craig Harrison in October 2021.{{cite news |last1=Mesney |first1=Nik |title=McCarthy appointed as Harrison's new Assistant |url=https://www.the-nomads.co.uk/news/article.php?id=1118 |access-date=3 October 2021 |work=Connah's Quay Nomads FC |date=2 October 2021}}
Personal life
After retiring, McCarthy started working for BBC Radio Stoke as a match day reporter for Port Vale in August 2007.{{cite news |title=Jon McCarthy's Thoughts |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/articles/2007/07/03/jon_mccarthy_blog_feature.shtml |publisher=BBC Stoke & Staffordshire |date=1 August 2007 |access-date=2 August 2007}} He then moved on to Birmingham Radio Station BRMB and Gold as a commentator on Birmingham City matches.{{cite news |last1=Tattum |first1=Colin |title=Jon McCarthy: Birmingham City squad is good enough |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jon-mccarthy-birmingham-city-squad-81730 |access-date=14 April 2021 |work=BirminghamLive |date=6 January 2009 |language=en}}
During his early years with York City, he attained a degree in sports science from Nottingham Polytechnic. After retiring, he used that degree to take up lecturing at Mid Cheshire College. He is also a qualified UEFA A licence coach.{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Green |title=Chester FC: Jon McCarthy confirms desire to become manager |url=http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/chester-fc-jon-mccarthy-confirms-11185396 |newspaper=Chester Chronicle |date=14 April 2016 |access-date=7 May 2016}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
=International=
| class=wikitable style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan=5|Northern Ireland{{NFT player |id=20202 |name=McCarthy, Jon |accessdate=28 May 2016}}
|1996 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1998 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2001 | 2 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total | 18 | 0 |
=Managerial statistics=
{{updated|matches played 2 September 2017}}
| class=wikitable style="text-align: center"
|+ Managerial record by team and tenure | ||||
| rowspan=2|Team
!rowspan=2|From !rowspan=2|To !colspan=5|Record !rowspan=2|{{abbr|Ref|Reference}} | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| {{abbr|P|Matches played}} | {{abbr|W|Matches won}} | {{abbr|D|Matches drawn}} | {{abbr|L|Matches lost}} | {{abbr|Win %|Win percentage}} |
| align=left|Chester
|align=left|7 April 2016 |align=left|6 September 2017 {{WDL|62|19|15|28|decimals=1}} |{{cite web |title=Managers: Jon McCarthy |url=http://www.soccerbase.com/managers/manager.sd?manager_id=3926 |work=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |access-date=31 May 2017}} | ||||
| colspan=3|Total
{{WDLtot|62|19|15|28|decimals=1}} !— |
Honours
York City
Port Vale
- Anglo-Italian Cup runner-up: 1995–96
Birmingham City
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2000–01
Carlisle United
- Football League Trophy runner-up: 2002–03
Hucknall Town
Northwich Victoria
Individual
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{soccerbase|4994|Jon McCarthy}} (not including Northwich Victoria)
- {{soccerbase|39067|Jon McCarthy}} (Northwich Victoria only)
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards
| bg = gold
| fg = navy
| list1 =
{{York City F.C. Clubman of the Year}}
{{Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year}}
}}
{{Chester F.C. managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCarthy, Jon}}
Category:Footballers from Middlesbrough
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association footballers from Northern Ireland
Category:Northern Ireland men's B international footballers
Category:Northern Ireland men's international footballers
Category:Men's association football wingers
Category:Hartlepool United F.C. players
Category:Shepshed Dynamo F.C. players
Category:York City F.C. players
Category:Port Vale F.C. players
Category:Birmingham City F.C. players
Category:Sheffield Wednesday F.C. players
Category:Doncaster Rovers F.C. players
Category:Carlisle United F.C. players
Category:Hucknall Town F.C. players
Category:Northwich Victoria F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Northern Premier League players
Category:National League (English football) players
Category:FISU World University Games bronze medalists for Great Britain
Category:Summer World University Games medalists in football
Category:English football managers
Category:Chester F.C. managers
Category:National League (English football) managers
Category:Schoolteachers from Yorkshire
Category:Alumni of Nottingham Trent University
Category:Association football coaches