Matt Carragher

Matthew Carragher (14 January 1976 – 28 December 2016) was an English footballer who played 362 league games over twelve years in the Football League. He was a versatile defender, and was described as "a natural leader".

Matt Carragher
Personal information
Full name Matthew Carragher[1]
Date of birth (1976-01-14)14 January 1976[2]
Place of birth Liverpool, England[2]
Date of death 28 December 2016(2016-12-28) (aged 40)
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[3]
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Wigan Athletic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1997 Wigan Athletic 119 (0)
1997–2003 Port Vale 194 (1)
2003 Stafford Rangers 8 (0)
2003–2005 Macclesfield Town 49 (5)
Total 370 (6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He began his career with Wigan Athletic in 1993, and made 119 league appearances in four years at the club, helping the "Latics" to the Third Division title in 1996–97. He then switched to Port Vale, and was later made club captain, and led the "Valiants" to victory in the Football League Trophy in 2001. Despite 194 games for the club, he was released in May 2003. Following a brief spell at Stafford Rangers, he spent two years with Macclesfield Town, before retiring in 2005.

Playing career

Carragher started his career at Wigan Athletic after coming through the ranks at the Latics School of Excellence, and made his debut in a 6–3 win over Chester City in October 1993.[4][5] Kenny Swain's "Latics" then finished the 1993–94 campaign fourth from bottom of the Third Division. New boss Graham Barrow then led the Springfield Park club to 14th in 1994–95, before he was replaced by John Deehan. Wigan finished 10th in 1995–96, two points behind Colchester United in the play-off zone. Carragher made 16 appearances in 1996–97, as Wigan were crowned of the Third Division, finishing above Fulham on goal difference.

He moved on to Port Vale in 1997, after John Rudge judged Carragher to be a potential replacement for the ageing Dean Glover and Neil Aspin. He made 25 First Division appearances in 1997–98, helping the "Valiants" to beat Huddersfield Town 4–0 on the final day of the season to avoid relegation by one point, at the expense of Manchester City and Potteries derby rivals Stoke City.[6] However, he featured just 12 times in 1998–99, and was not selected once by new boss Brian Horton.[7] He scored his first goal at Vale Park on 25 September 1999, in a 2–0 win over Swindon Town, and went on to play 39 games as Vale were relegated into the Second Division at the end of the 1999–2000 season. He played 56 of the club's 57 games in 2000–01, playing in a defence of Michael Walsh, Sagi Burton, Allen Tankard, and goalkeeper Mark Goodlad. He also captained the "Valiants" at the Football League Trophy final at the Millennium Stadium, which finished as a 2–1 win over Brentford.[8] He continued to lead the back line in 2001–02, making 47 appearances.[7] He scored only his second goal for the club on 22 October 2002, in a 3–1 home win over Hull City in the Football League Trophy. Despite making 40 appearances in 2002–03, being one of only three settled defenders (the others being Sam Collins and Ian Brightwell), he was surprisingly released by Horton in May 2003.[9]

Following his release from Vale he joined Stafford Rangers on non-contract terms, playing eight Southern League games, whilst Burton Albion boss Nigel Clough considered whether or not to make him an offer.[10] Instead he signed for Macclesfield Town in November 2003.[11] He played 18 games in 2003–04, as the "Silkmen" avoided relegation into the Conference by three places and seven points. Ironically, manager John Askey was replaced by Brian Horton in April 2004. He played 39 games in 2004–05, and featured in the play-off semi-final defeat to Lincoln City, but Horton released him from his contract at Moss Rose in May 2005.[12]

Style of play

Carragher was a versatile defender who could play as a left-back, right-back or sweeper. He was described as "a natural leader".[13]

Personal life and death

His father was a semi-professional footballer.[14] He had three older sisters.[14] Carragher married childhood sweetheart Louise Morgan in 2001.[14] Carragher died of cancer on 29 December 2016 at the age of 40.[15][16] Former teammate Tony Naylor paid tribute to him as a "a cheeky chappie, a typical Scouse lad, confident and a nice guy with it".[13]

Statistics

Source:[17]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Wigan Athletic 1993–94 Third Division 3204020380
1994–95 Third Division 4102271503
1995–96 Third Division 2804040360
1996–97 Third Division 1801020210
Total 11901121511453
Port Vale 1997–98 First Division 2600000260
1998–99 First Division 1000020120
1999–2000 First Division 3710020391
2000–01 Second Division 4502090560
2001–02 Second Division 4102040470
2002–03 Second Division 3501041401
Total 1941502112202
Macclesfield Town 2003–04 Third Division 1800000180
2003–04 League Two 3103050390
Total 4903050570
Career total 36211924124225

Honours
Wigan Athletic
Port Vale

References
  1. "Matt Carragher". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. "FootballSquads - Port Vale - 2001/02". www.footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  3. "Profile". mtfc.co.uk. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  4. Jones, Ed. "Wigan Athletic saddened by passing of former defender Matty Carragher". Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  5. "What happened to..." chester-city.co.uk. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
  6. Baggaley, Mike (30 December 2016). "Matt Carragher's managers at Port Vale pay tribute to fine player". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  7. Fielding, Rob (14 June 2020). "Cult hero 70: Matt Carragher". onevalefan.co.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  8. "Vale vault Brentford to lift Vans trophy". BBC Sport. 22 April 2001. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  9. "Carragher exits Vale". BBC Sport. 9 May 2003. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
  10. "Clough eyes Carragher". BBC Sport. 17 September 2003. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
  11. "Whatever Happened to?". 15 November 2003. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  12. "Nine released by Macc boss Horton". BBC Sport. 26 May 2005. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
  13. Baggaley, Mike (30 December 2016). "Port Vale: Tributes paid to former captain Matt Carragher". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  14. "The LDV Vans Trophy final". onevalefan.co.uk. 9 June 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  15. "Matt Carragher: Ex-Port Vale and Wigan defender dies aged 40". BBC Sport. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  16. King, John. "Sad news - Matty Carragher - Port Vale Supporters Club". portvalesupportersclub.org.uk. Archived from the original on 30 December 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  17. Matt Carragher at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  18. "Vale vault Brentford to lift Vans trophy". BBC Sport. 22 April 2001. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
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