As we look back on the defender’s impressive career to date, it’s worth noting that his introduction into football was somewhat different to the path that many take.
McGinn made his 500th professional appearance in football, a special feat achieved by one of Motherwell’s most consistent performers over the last two seasons.
“I was actually playing amateur football until I was 17,” McGinn explained.
“At the time, I had been playing for a local side in Clydebank, playing with the older guys and I was doing quite well. My Uncle worked at Hampden and he said to the guy at Queen’s Park to give me a trial. That’s how I got a chance, so it wasn’t like anyone had seen me or that.
“When I arrived for the trial match, I was supposed to sit on the bench, but someone hadn’t shown up. I had to play right midfield, though. A volley later, I scored five minutes in. Since the match was held at Lesser Hampden, you would have been justified in bringing me off after 20 minutes. I was so exhausted. However, they told me to return because of the volley, and I obtained the contract from them.
“So who knows if it weren’t for the volley and somebody not showing up.”
From there, McGinn started in the Scottish Leagues at the bottom with Queen’s Park and made his debut when he was eighteen years old. However, things didn’t go as planned for that premiere.
We’ll take that; it wasn’t a fantastic start, but I played really well.
I also put the responsibility on the fact that I was working early at the time because I was a postman. It’s safe to say that I quit the job shortly after.
Queen’s Park had a variety of talent at the time of their first-team debut that would go on to have successful careers. McGinn remembers Dundee United coming in for Barry Douglas, Lawrence Shankland, Andy Robertson, and Blair Spittal, to just a few. That’s when he saw the exposure his squad was receiving, and not too long after, he would go onto new pastures as well.
“Craig Brown had been on at me; I was supposed to sign for Aberdeen,” the
“Get yourself organised and come up when you’re ready so we can examine you,” they instructed. Yet my mother had to foot the bill for my surgery because I had left Queen’s Park. Thus, I wasn’t fit till the beginning of September. At one point, I went to Fir Park for physiotherapy; Stuart McCall was the manager.
“I went to train with St Mirren and they made me an offer, but I couldn’t turn professional until January. It was awkward because they wouldn’t cover my surgery costs,” the player said. “I returned to Queen’s Park on loan.”
McGinn’s tenure at St. Mirren was not going to be easy, as his time there had a difficult beginning. Leaving for
Chesterfield.
“New stadium for England’s League One.” In retrospect, I would do it once more. That was the only significant injury I’ve had in my career. I wasn’t there for the bulk of it. At Rochdale and Bramall Lane, I scored. I typically score three goals a season, but both were outside the box. Prior to my arrival in Motherwell.
As McGinn’s stay at Chesterfield came to an end, he left the team and went back to Glasgow to play for Partick Thistle. Relegation followed a brief tenure at Firhill, which he acknowledges was among the lowest times of his career despite the positive people connected to the team.
However, he had previously made plans to return to St. Mirren and had an agreement with Jack Ross on his future.
“You always want to be the best, but when you play for your country, man, that’s incredible.” Incredible.
Even though I’ve been in squads previously, Stephen O’Donnell comes to mind constantly. For almost thirty minutes, I warmed up while he pressed his shin on the Czech Republic. He held it for ages, even though I was exhausted. He persisted for the entire ninety minutes, of course. I felt completely destroyed. A couple on the following squad received COVID.
Ironically, Anthony Ralston was called up while he was a player for Celtic. I got the call because he didn’t pass the COVID exam at the motel. That was the one with which I connected.
In a World Cup qualifying match against Austria, Stephen O’Donnell would come off in the 77th minute to be
It was much more amazing because it was competitive. Former managers occasionally handed out hats during friendly matches.
But as we all know, football isn’t just about winning and realising your goals. And that’s a component of the game that McGinn believes is essential to remember.
“So many lows,” he remarked.
“You see how successful John is in England, but he also experiences a lot of terrible points. Everyone believes it’s a great work, which is obviously the case, but you have to deal with a situation that could ruin your week. It has been like way for fifteen years.
It’s a challenging occupation, so you must have mental toughness. Many athletes appear good in training, but they are unable to handle it and end up falling.
However, I would have said you were at it if you had told me at that trial when I was 17 that I was going to play 500 games, represent my nation, and become a professional player. Your goals and self-perception shift.
“Looking back, I shouldn’t have had to advance through the leagues, but none of this would have occurred if I hadn’t. I’m just happy of what I’ve accomplished because I’ve seen boys that started there and shortly dropped out.
The Motherwell supporters have a great deal of respect for McGinn, and the defender has taken on the motto “seven out of ten every week.”
He laughed, “I get the ‘you’re reliable’ all the time.”
I mean, at some point, I’m just a decent gamer.
