Ted McMinn

Infobox Football biography
playername = Ted McMinn


fullname = Kevin Clifton McMinn
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1962|9|28|df=y
cityofbirth = Castle Douglas
countryofbirth = Scotland
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height = height|ft=6|in=0
position = Winger
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1981–1982
1982–1984
1984–1987
1987–1988
1988–1993
1993–1994
1994–1996
1997
1997–1998
clubs = Glenafton Athletic
Queen of the South
Rangers
Sevilla
Derby County
Birmingham City
Burnley
ECU Joondalup
Slough Town
caps(goals) =
068 (5)
063 (4)
022 (0)
123 (9)
022 (0)
046 (3)
009 (0)

Kevin Clifton "Ted" McMinn (born 28 September 1962) is a Scottish former association footballer who played as a winger. His nickname is "The Tin Man".

Early years

Born in Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway, Kevin Cuthbert McMinn was called 'Teddy' at school because he ran as if he had a teddy bear tucked under his arm. [http://news.scotsman.com/rangersfc/A-Tin-Man-made-of.2664257.jp]

McMinn started his playing career at Scottish junior side Glenafton Athletic in 1981.

Queen of the South

Ted McMinn returned to south-west Scotland joining Dumfries club Queen of the South in 1982. The transfer fee was, "£325 so that Glenafton could buy a new carpet for their club house and 1,000 Queens lottery tickets." When McMinn debuted in 1982-83 it was for a Queens team who had just been relegated after one season in the middle of Scottish football's three divisions - a season where Willie Harkness and his fellow directors had decided to run the club without a manager and select the team themselves. McMinn's debut was in the 1-1 draw versus Meadowbank Thistle on 6th November. McMinn remained with Queens until October 1984. ["The Queens" by Iain McCartney on Creedon Publications, 2004]

Ted McMinn returned to Palmerston Park under the new regime of Norman Blount to play for a Queen of the South select on 23rd April 1995. The opposition in the 2-2 draw was Rangers in a game to mark Queens' 75th anniversary and the opening of the new stand. Other guests for Queens included Andy Thomson, Davie Irons and Rowan Alexander. ["The Queens" by Iain McCartney on Creedon Publications, 2004]

Rangers

Glasgow giants Rangers, managed by Jock Wallace, signed him for £100,000. His unpredictable style of wing play quickly made McMinn a fans favourite at Ibrox as per previous Rangers wingers such as Davie Wilson, Willie Henderson, Willie Johnston and Davie Cooper. McMinn was also noted for his exceptional performances against Rangers' local rivals Celtic, starring in a number of Old Firm matches including the 1987 League Cup final win.

McMinn's debut came as a substitute on Saturday, 13th October 1984 in a 2-0 win at St Mirren. [http://sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=20211]

In McMinn's full Rangers debut against Dumbarton at Boghead he scored direct from a corner kick. "Jackie Stewart, my dad's hero, gave me a tankard after that game. I still have it."

Ex team mate Derek Ferguson recalled, "I'll never forget playing with Ted in a reserve game at Ibrox. He was running down the wing full speed and crossed the ball into the box. He just kept running so he had to jump over a wall into the Copland Road stand, carried on up the stairs then disappeared down the other side."

Graeme Souness succeeded Jock Wallace as Rangers manager in April 1986. Souness went on to remark, "How can I tell Ted McMinn what to do when he doesn't know what he's going to do?" When Rangers were Scottish Champions in 1986-87 McMinn had not played enough league games to qualify for a medal.

McMinn later said of his time at Rangers, "Davie Cooper was my hero and we got on well." He added, "I wasn't getting on with Souness. I was stepping out of line too often." [http://news.scotsman.com/rangersfc/A-Tin-Man-made-of.2664257.jp]

evilla

Ted McMinn joined Spanish club Sevilla on 1st August 1987, again signed by Jock Wallace. McMinn again achieved cult status with The Sevillans saying, "Jock taught us; Ted inspired us". A Spanish journalist observed, "With his inelegant Tin Man running style, erratic crossing and unquenchable zest for lager, he was the soul of football. [http://www.ted-mcminn.co.uk/Biography.htm]

Ted McMinn broke his leg three weeks after signing but he recovered to play 22 league games. The departure from the club of Wallace unsettled McMinn. Despite public protests at his impending departure McMinn decided to return to the U.K. ["The Queens" by Iain McCartney on Creedon Publications, 2004]

Derby County

Ted McMinn emulated fellow ex Queen of the South player Hughie Gallacher by joining Derby County. This was on 5th February 1988 for £300,000 where he also became a fans favourite. [http://sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=20212]

Arthur Cox landed the flying winger and was rewarded with a series of outstanding performances from the Scotsman. McMinn scored on his Derby debut in the 2-1 defeat at Portsmouth the day after he signed. Along with Peter Shilton, Mark Wright and Dean Saunders the club finished fifth in 1989. [http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/features/derby_history.html] With English clubs banned from Europe at the time McMinn missed out on a UEFA Cup place. [http://www.answers.com/topic/derby-county-f-c]

In November 1989 – with McMinn on the verge of a call-up to the national side ahead of the 1990 FIFA World Cup – he was struck by a serious knee injury in an away game against Tottenham Hotspur. McMinn was out for 14 months.

A lack of further investment from controversial chairman Robert Maxwell lead to a decline shortly after. With Maxwell soon dead from suspected suicide, the club was relegated back to the Second tier of English football in 1991.

McMinn was back to his best form in 1991/92 when he was named as the club’s player of the year, having helped them to an immediate top-flight return.

In November 2004 Igor Stimac was voted Derby County's all-time cult hero by BBC's Football Focus viewers. Stimac won with 59% of the vote, ahead of Ted McMinn who came second with 30%. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/football_focus/3980149.stm]

Birmingham

Ted McMinn had one season with Birmingham City signing on 28th July 1993.

Burnley

Ted McMinn joined Burnley on 5th April 1994 for two years. Burnley were on a push for promotion that seen them achieve a play off place. McMinn played in the play off final 2-1 victory at Wembley against Stockport County before a crowd of 44,806. [http://www.thelongside.info/content/category/4/26/75/]

Despite only 2 seasons at Turf Moor McMinn came third in the BBC Football Focus Burnley cult heroes poll behind Jimmy McIlroy and Leighton James.

Later playing career

Ted McMinn ended his playing career with Australian club ECU Joondalup and then Slough Town.

Coaching

As assistant to Mark Wright McMinn had a spell coaching at Southport.

Wright left to manage his former club Oxford United in June 2001. McMinn went with him. Oxford had just been relegated to the 4th tier of English Football. After an unremarkable start to the season Wright parted with the club in December amid allegations of racial abuse against a match official. Again McMinn followed Wright out the door.

McMinn appeared again on 17th January 2002 [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chester/1766092.stm] when Wright soon took over at Conference strugglers Chester City. The club avoided relegation as the pair set about turning the club's fortunes around.

Life after football

In 2004 McMinn became the match summariser for BBC Radio Derby, working alongside Ross Fletcher. [ [http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=124615&command=displayContent&sourceNode=124519&contentPK=16630080&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch McMinn to summarise for BBC Radio Derby] This is Derbyshire] In his three years with the station he attended all Derby County's matches.

McMinn contracted a mystery infection that led to most of his right foot being amputated. McMinn then opted to have more of his leg removed in a bid to gain more mobility and independence with a prosthetic limb. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/content/articles/2005/09/13/rams_ted_mcminn_second_operation_feature.shtml] As a tribute to McMinn, on 1 May 2006, former players of both Derby County and Rangers contested a match at Derby County's Pride Park Stadium in which a record 33,475 spectators attended - around 10,000 of them being Rangers fans. [http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/sport-news/scottish-football/tm_objectid=16981011&method=full&siteid=64736&headline=mcminn-for-a-treat--name_page.html] McMinn said to the Scottish press that he had also received well wishes from Queen of the South fans. [http://news.scotsman.com/rangersfc/A-Tin-Man-made-of.2664257.jp] Terry Butcher recalled after the benefit game, "Nigel Spackman said to the physio (at the match) he had a tight calf, Ted said 'So have I' and lifted his trouser leg up and there is just the metal stump there. It does make you think. You never know what can happen to you."

To coincide with the benefit game McMinn embarked on a 300 mile sponsored bike ride from Glasgow to Derby to help raise money for the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary's limbs unit. [http://www.blackandwhitepublishing.com/sport/tinmanderby/tinmanderby.php]

He left Radio Derby after only the first game of the 2007–08 season, saying he felt "let down" and undervalued by the station following contract negotiations. [ [http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=132267&command=displayContent&sourceNode=128309&contentPK=18118006 McMinn leaves Radio Derby] This is Derbyshire] It was announced in the Derby Evening Telegraph on 13 February 2007 that McMinn has started up a courier and taxi business.

References

External links

* [http://www.ted-mcminn.co.uk/ Ted McMinn benefit match - Official Website]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/content/articles/2005/08/10/rams_ted_mcminn_operation_feature.shtml BBC Derby news article - Tin Man recovers from foot operation]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/content/articles/2005/09/13/rams_ted_mcminn_second_operation_feature.shtml BBC Derby news article - Ted faces second op]
* [http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=5267 Soccerbase player profile]
* [http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player1/tedmcminn.htm Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database]