Paul Maguire (footballer)

Paul Edward Maguire (born 21 August 1956) is a Scottish former footballer who scored 81 goals in 373 league appearances in the Football League. He played in all four divisions of the Football League, as well as the Conference and the Major Indoor Soccer League.

Paul Maguire
Personal information
Full name Paul Edward Maguire[1]
Date of birth (1956-08-21) 21 August 1956[1]
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland[1]
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Kilbirnie Ladeside
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1976–1980 Shrewsbury Town 151 (35)
1980–1984 Stoke City 107 (24)
1984–1985 Tacoma Stars (indoor) 29 (12)
1985–1988 Port Vale 115 (22)
Northwich Victoria
Total 402+ (93+)
Teams managed
Northwich Victoria (caretaker)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He began his career with Shrewsbury Town in 1976, and made over 150 appearances over the next four years with the club, helping them to the Third Division title in 1978–79. He was sold on to First Division club Stoke City for £262,000 in 1980. He spent four season at the Victoria Ground and made his most telling contribution in his last match for the club, scoring all the goals in a 4–0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers on the final day of the 1983–84 season. He spent 1984–85 in the United States with the Tacoma Stars, before joining Port Vale in June 1985. He helped the club to win promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1985–86, before he moved on to non-league club Northwich Victoria in May 1988.

Playing career

Originally at Scottish Junior club Kilbirnie Ladeside, Maguire joined Shrewsbury Town in 1976. The "Shrews" finished tenth and eleventh in the Third Division in 1976–77 and 1977–78 under Alan Durban's stewardship. Graham Turner then led the club to the top of the table in 1978–79, though they had finished just two points above fourth place Gillingham. A 13th-place finish in the Second Division followed in 1979–80. Maguire featured in the 1980 Welsh Cup Final, which ended in a 5–1 aggregate defeat to Newport County.[3] By then he already had two Welsh Cup winner's medals to his name, after playing in a 5–1 aggregate win over Cardiff City in 1977, and a 2–1 aggregate win over Wrexham in 1979.[4][5] He scored 35 goals in 151 league games in his four years at Gay Meadow.

He joined Stoke City in 1980 for a £262,000 fee, who were managed by his former boss Alan Durban. After injuries plagued his first season at the Victoria Ground, Maguire established himself down the left wing, scoring vital goals and being known as something of a dead-ball specialist.[6] He scored seven goals in 37 appearances for the "Potters" in 1981–82, helping to keep Richie Barker's side two places and two points above the First Division relegation zone. He hit five goals in 25 games in 1982–83, as Stoke finished a comfortable 13th. He was the club's top scorer in 1983–84 with ten goals in 38 games. He bagged four of these goals, including two penalties, on the final day of the season in a 4–0 home victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers to overtake Mark Chamberlain, Ian Painter and Robbie James in the scoring charts and ensure Stoke remained in the top flight. Maguire left Stoke in the summer to spend a year in the United States, playing with the Tacoma Stars of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He scored twelve goals and got eight assists in 29 games for the Stars.[7]

Maguire returned to England and signed for Port Vale, Stoke's Potteries derby rivals in June 1985.[1] He was a regular in the side and hit 13 goals (including five penalties) in 57 appearances to help the "Valiants" to win promotion from the Fourth Division in 1985–86.[1] Manager John Rudge gave Andy Jones penalty taking duties in 1986–87, but Maguire still bagged nine goals in 52 games to help Vale to a comfortable mid-table finish in the Third Division.[1] He lost his place in December 1987, and after five goals in 34 games in 1987–88, he was given a free transfer away from Vale Park in May 1988.[1] He joined nearby Conference side Northwich Victoria as the player-assistant manager, later becoming the player-caretaker manager, before retiring from the game.[1] He later found work as a sales rep.[8]

Style of play

Maguire was an excellent set-piece taker who specialised in taking short corners.[9][10]

Career statistics

Source:[11][12]

Club Season Division League FA Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Shrewsbury Town 1976–77 Third Division 425542000499
1977–78 Third Division 4184220004710
1978–79 Third Division 40138520004718
1979–80 Second Division 2891121003111
Total 151351812810017748
Stoke City 1980–81 First Division 153101000173
1981–82 First Division 357002000377
1982–83 First Division 245202000285
1983–84 First Division 3391041003810
Total 1072440910012025
Port Vale 1985–86 Fourth Division 45104141415713
1986–87 Third Division 428204041529
1987–88 Third Division 284512030385
Total 1152211210111214727
Career total 373813314273112444100
A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Football League Trophy.

Honours

Shrewsbury Town
Port Vale

References

  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 182. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. Rollin, Jack (1980). Rothmans football yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 334. ISBN 0362020175. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  3. "WELSH CUP FINAL 1979/80". wfda.co.uk. Archived from the original on 9 December 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  4. "WELSH CUP FINAL 1976/77". wfda.co.uk. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  5. "WELSH CUP FINAL 1978/79". wfda.co.uk. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  6. "Mystery Sportsman: Stoke City star gave memorable performance to save club from relegation". The Sentinel. 16 May 2009. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  7. "stats". nasljerseys.com. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  8. Ellis, Adam (31 March 2016). "Where Are They Now? Port Vale Fourth Div promotion winners 1985/86". The League Paper. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  9. Baggaley, Michael (5 October 2013). "Chris Lines in good company when it comes to taking free-kicks". The Sentinel. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  10. "Cult Hero 14: Paul Maguire". onevalefan.co.uk. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  11. Paul Maguire at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  12. "Paul Maguire stats". neilbrown. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
  13. Kent, Jeff (1990). "From Rags to Riches (1979–1990)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 258–290. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
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