John Connolly (Scottish footballer)

Football player infobox
playername = John Connolly
fullname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1950|6|13|df=y
cityofbirth = Barrhead
countryofbirth = Scotland
height = height|ft=5|in=9
currentclub =
position = Outside left
youthyears = 1966–1968
youthclubs = Glasgow United
years = 1968–1972
1972–1976
1976–1978
1978–1980
1980–1982
1982
1982–1983
1983–1984
clubs = St Johnstone
Everton
Birmingham City
Newcastle United
Hibernian
Gateshead
Blyth Spartans
Gateshead
caps(goals) = 096 (41)
108 (16)
057 0(9)
049 (10)
034 0(8)
nationalyears = 1973
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 001 0(0)
manageryears = 1982–1983
1984
2000–2004
2004–2005
managerclubs = Blyth Spartans
Whitley Bay
Queen of the South
St Johnstone

John Connolly (born 13 June 1950) is a Scottish former footballer who later worked as a football manager.

Connolly played for St. Johnstone of Perth, Everton, Birmingham City, Newcastle United, Hibernian, Gateshead and Blyth Spartans during an 18-year professional career. He earned one full international cap for Scotland. He held the role of player-manager while with Blyth and has also managed Whitley Bay, Queen of the South and St Johnstone.

Playing career

t Johnstone

Connolly was born in Barrhead, Scotland. He began his football career as a junior with Glasgow United F.C. before turning professional with St. Johnstone in January 1968.cite book |author=Matthews, Tony |title=Birmingham City: A Complete Record |year=1995 |publisher=Breedon Books |location=Derby |pages=p. 79 |isbn=978-1-85983-010-9] He played in the 1969 Scottish League Cup final at Hampden Park against a Celtic side on their way to their second European Cup final in four seasons. Saints lost narrowly 1–0 with Connolly later commenting, "We gave them the fright of their lives". With Connolly, Saints plundered league wins at Ibrox Park and Celtic Park. ["The Queens" by Iain McCartney on Creedon Publications, 2004]

John Connolly's only experience of playing European club football occurred while at St Johnstone after finishing third in Scotland's top division. St Johnstone knocked out Hamburger SV.

Everton

Everton manager Harry Catterick paid £75,000 to take Connolly to Goodison Park in March 1972. Such was Catterick's determination to conclude the signing that he forced himself off his sick bed. ["The Queens" by Iain McCartney on Creedon Publications, 2004]

While at Everton, Connolly earned a full international cap playing for Scotland against Switzerland in Berne. Connolly already had four under-23 caps. ["The Queens" by Iain McCartney on Creedon Publications, 2004]

Connolly twice had to comeback from leg breaks. Catterick was replaced by Billy Bingham and the two did not see eye to eye. Eventually, Connolly asked for a transfer and signed for Birmingham City in September 1977 for a fee of £90,000. ["The Queens" by Iain McCartney on Creedon Publications, 2004]

Later career

Connolly spent two seasons with Birmingham, the second of which was disrupted by injury, beore joining Newcastle United. He later played for Hibernian, Gateshead and Blyth Spartans, where he acted as player-manager.

Managerial career

Connolly was appointed manager of Dumfries club Queen of the South in July 2000. With the captaincy of Jim Thomson, he led the club to the Scottish Second Division title in 2002, clinched with a 3–0 win away to Forfar Athletic. This made Connolly the first manager to give Queens a national competition victory since Jimmy McKinnell, Jr. with the same competition in 1951. The following season Connolly's Queens side won the Scottish Challenge Cup after defeating Brechin City 2–0 in the final at Clyde's Broadwood Stadium. Robbie Neilson and Andy Goram were among those lining up beside Thomson for Queens.

Connolly left Queens in May 2004 to join former club St Johnstone, with his former assistant Iain Scott taking over at Queens. Connolly managed St Johnstone for just 11 months.

References

External links

* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=438 Profile at Sporting Heroes]