Paul McCarthy (footballer)

Paul Jason McCarthy (4 August 1971 – 19 February 2017) was an Irish footballer who last played for Ebbsfleet United as a defender. He made over 500 appearances in the Football League and Football Conference, notably for Brighton & Hove Albion, Wycombe Wanderers and Ebbsfleet United.

For other people named Paul McCarthy, see Paul McCarthy (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Paul McCartney.

Paul McCarthy
Personal information
Full name Paul Jason McCarthy[1]
Date of birth (1971-08-04)4 August 1971
Place of birth Cork, Ireland
Date of death 19 February 2017(2017-02-19) (aged 45)
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1996 Brighton & Hove Albion 181 (6)
1996–2003 Wycombe Wanderers 212 (9)
2003 → Oxford United (loan) 6 (1)
2003–2004 Oxford United 29 (2)
2004 Hornchurch 7 (2)
2004–2013 Ebbsfleet United 141 (6)
Total 576 (26)
National team
1989–1994 Republic of Ireland U21 10 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Born in Cork, County Cork, McCarthy began his career as a trainee with Brighton & Hove Albion, where he made over 200 league and cup appearances before joining Wycombe Wanderers for a fee of £100,000 in July 1996.[2] He made over 250 appearances for Wycombe in seven seasons at the club,[2] helping the club to a FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool in April 2001.[3] He scored Wycombe's first goal in their quarter-final win over Premier League side Leicester City, paving the way for Roy Essandoh to score the winner. McCarthy joined Oxford United on loan in March 2003,[4] joining the club on a permanent basis at the end of the season.[5]

After 35 appearances for Oxford,[2] he was released on a free transfer in summer 2004 and joined non-League club Hornchurch.[6] He became available after Hornchurch ran into financial trouble and signed for Conference National club Gravesend & Northfleet (now Ebbsfleet United) in November 2004.[7] He became club captain[8] and by the end of the 2007–08 season, had made over 110 appearances for Ebbsfleet[2] and collected a winners medal when Ebbsfleet won the FA Trophy in May 2008.[9][10] He signed a new one-year contract with Ebbsfleet in June 2008 and a year later he was appointed as player–assistant manager at the club.[11][12] Paul left Ebbsfleet in July 2013 following a change of owner at the club. He subsequently signed with Crowborough AFC on 4 August 2013.

McCarthy died suddenly on 19 February 2017, aged 45,[13] of a suspected heart attack.[14]

International career

He played and scored for the Republic of Ireland national football team at the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship.[15]

Honours

References
  1. Hugman, Barry J. (2005). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005. Queen Anne Press. p. 387. ISBN 1-85291-665-6.
  2. "Paul McCarthy". Soccerbase. Racing Post. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
  3. "Liverpool end Wycombe's fight". BBC Sport. 8 April 2001. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
  4. "Deadline-day transfers". BBC Sport. 27 March 2003. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
  5. "McCarthy poised to join U's". BBC Sport. 3 July 2003. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
  6. "Another Urchin finds pastures new". Non-League Daily. 25 November 2004. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
  7. "McCarthy secures Gravesend switch". BBC Sport. 24 November 2004. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
  8. "Ebbsfleet re-sign experienced duo". BBC Sport. 18 May 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
  9. "McCarthy wants another taste of Football League". Kent News. 18 May 2008. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
  10. "Ebbsfleet 1–0 Torquay". BBC Sport. 15 May 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2008.
  11. "Daish reshuffles Ebbsfleet squad". BBC Sport. 1 June 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
  12. "Daish is hoping to retain players". BBC Sport. 5 June 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
  13. "Paul McCarthy". Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club. 20 February 2017. Archived from the original on 21 February 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  14. Higgins, Erica Doyle. "Former Ireland U21 international and Brighton and Hove defender Paul McCarthy dies suddenly aged 45". The Irish Post. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  15. https://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=166658/index.html
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