John Connolly (Scottish footballer)

John Connolly (born 13 June 1950) is a Scottish former football player and manager who played as an outside left.

John Connolly
Personal information
Date of birth (1950-06-13) 13 June 1950
Place of birth Barrhead, Scotland
Position(s) Outside left
Youth career
1966–1968 Glasgow United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1968–1972 St Johnstone 96 (41)
1972–1976 Everton 108 (16)
1976–1978 Birmingham City 57 (9)
1978–1980 Newcastle United 49 (10)
1980–1982 Hibernian 34 (8)
1982–1983 Gateshead ? (?)
1982–1983 Blyth Spartans ? (?)
1983–1984 Gateshead ? (?)
Total 344 (84)
National team
1973 Scotland 1 (0)
Teams managed
1982–1983 Blyth Spartans
1984 Whitley Bay
2000–2004 Queen of the South
2004–2005 St Johnstone
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Connolly played for St Johnstone, Everton, Birmingham City, Newcastle United, Hibernian, Gateshead and Blyth Spartans during an 18-year playing career. Connolly earned one full international cap for Scotland. Connolly became a player-manager with Blyth Spartans and then managed Whitley Bay, Queen of the South and St Johnstone.

Playing career

St Johnstone

Connolly was born in Barrhead, Scotland and began his football career as a junior with Glasgow United before turning professional with St Johnstone in January 1968.[1] Connolly played in the 1969 Scottish League Cup Final at Hampden Park versus Celtic, who were on their way to their second European Cup Final in four seasons. The Perth club lost narrowly 1–0 with Connolly later commenting, "We gave them the fright of their lives". The Perth Saints plundered league wins at Ibrox Park and Celtic Park with Connolly in their ranks.[2]

John Connolly's only experience of playing European football was when he was at the Muirton Park club, after they finished third in Scotland's highest division and they had managed to knock-out Hamburg.

Former Queens player Nobby Clark stated in an interview that Connolly was the best player he had ever played against directly.[3]

Everton

Everton manager Harry Catterick paid £75,000 to sign Connolly for the Goodison Park club in March 1972 and such was Catterick's determination to conclude the signing that he forced himself from his sick bed.[2]

Whilst at the Toffees, Connolly earned a full international cap playing for Scotland versus Switzerland in Bern and he had already earned four Under-23 caps.[2]

Connolly had to recover from leg breaks on two occasions with Everton and when their manager, Catterick was replaced by Billy Bingham, the two didn't really get on, so eventually Connolly asked for a transfer and signed for Birmingham City in September 1976 for a fee of £90,000.[2]

Later career

Connolly spent two seasons with the Blues and his second one was disrupted by injury. Connolly then signed for Newcastle United and later played at Hibernian beside George Best, before playing for Gateshead and Blyth Spartans, where he acted as player-manager.[1]

Managerial career

Queen of the South

Connolly was appointed manager of Dumfries club Queen of the South in July 2000 and he appointed Iain Scott as his assistant. With the club's captain Jim Thomson and his fellow centre-back Andy Aitken, Connolly led the club to the Scottish Second Division Championship in the 2001-02 season, as they clinched the title at Station Park, Forfar with a 3–0 win versus the Loons. Connolly was the first Doonhamers manager to win a title since Jimmy McKinnell, Jr. won the Second Division in the 1950-51 season.[4]

In the following season, the Doonhamers won the Scottish Challenge Cup after defeating Brechin City 2–0 in the Final at Broadwood Stadium, with Andy Goram and Robbie Neilson in the starting eleven.[4][5]

Connolly departed Palmerston Park at the end of the 2003-04 season and the club replaced him with his assistant, Iain Scott.

St Johnstone

Connolly replaced Billy Stark as the manager of his former club St Johnstone in the 2004 close season.[4] After a disappointing first season in-charge at McDiarmid Park, Connolly was relieved of his contract on 4 April 2005,[6] as the club finished in eighth position in the 2004–05 Scottish First Division. Connolly was then replaced by Owen Coyle.

References
  1. Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p.  79. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  2. "The Queens" by Iain McCartney on Creedon Publications, 2004
  3. McLean, Kirk. "Queens Legends: Nobby Clark". Queen of the South F.C. Archived from the original on 17 September 2009.
  4. "Club History" on the official Queen of the South website Archived 13 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "UP FOR THE CUP" www.qosfc.com 7 November 2010
  6. "Connolly sacked by St Johnstone". BBC News. 4 April 2005. Retrieved 6 May 2010.

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