Footballer who played for Southampton and Carlisle and managed Gretna
Born: September 28, 1954;
Died: January 2, 2018
MICK McCartney, who has died aged 64, was one of the hundreds of Scottish footballers who were the backbone of the English League clubs prior to the money explosion of the premiership. He then had a lengthy and successful spell managing Gretna, in the pre-Brooks Mileson era.
Born in Musselburgh, McCartney attended Portobello High School, winning three Scotland Schools Under-15 caps in 1971, in a team which included future Scotland boss George Burley, Leeds United's David McNiven and Tom Hendrie, who would later manage Berwick Rangers, Alloa Athletic and St Mirren.
A boyhood Hearts fan, McCartney rejected the chance to join his heroes, opting instead to sign for West Bromwich Albion. However, he failed to make even one first-team appearance for the Baggies, and when Alan Ashman, who had signed him for Albion, offered him the chance to join his new club, Carlisle United, in 1973, he jumped at the chance.
His time was spot on as, in his first season he established himself at left-back and the Cumbrians finished third in the Second Division, to win a place in the First Division for the first and only time. They began the season well, even heading the table, but they could not sustain this and were relegated at the end of the season, precipitating a tumble back down through the leagues, to the Fourth Division, from which they had emerged en route to the top flight.
McCartney, however, continued to impress with the club and, in 1980, after some 200 games in all competitions for the club, Lawrie McMenemy paid £50,000 to offer him a second chance at the top flight, with Southampton. He made his debut against Manchester City, on 1 August, 1980, but his appearance was overshadowed by Kevin Keegan's Southampton debut in the same match.
The move was not a success, however, and, after a mere 24 games, Southampton recouped their outlay by selling McCartney to Plymouth Argyle, for whom he played over 60 games, prior to a return to Carlisle, in 1983.
He played a further 140 games for Carlisle before, aged 33, an ankle injury, sustained against Sunderland, ended his playing career in the football league.
He had settled in Carlisle and returned to the game in the summer of 1988, when he joined Gretna, then playing in the English Northern League, Division One, initially as player-manager, before hanging up his boots and becoming manager.
He remained in the post for 12 years, during which Gretna won the Northern League, became the first Scottish-based club to reach the First Round Proper of the FA Cup in 105 years; he was one of those club officials who pushed for the club to join the Scottish League, being heavily involved in bringing Raydale Park up to standard.
Gretna's first application to join the Scottish League was rebuffed and, against his wishes, the club joined the Northern Premier League. McCartney correctly saw the huge travel costs would be unsustainable and, with the side struggling, he was dismissed as manager in January, 2000.
McCartney continued to live in Carlisle, where he worked in the construction industry and as a van driver. Derek Townsley, the Gretna player, supplied him with a complimentary ticket for the 2000 Scottish Cup final; McCartney took it, and went along to support Hearts.
Mick McCartney is survived by daughter Caroline and grand-children Dean and Jacob.
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