Ray McKinnon (footballer)

Raymond McKinnon (born 5 August 1970) is a Scottish football player and coach who is currently Head Coach of Queen's Park.

Ray McKinnon
Personal information
Full name Raymond McKinnon[1]
Date of birth (1970-08-05) 5 August 1970
Place of birth Dundee, Scotland
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Queen's Park (Head Coach)
Youth career
1986–1988 Dundee United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1992 Dundee United 53 (6)
1992–1994 Nottingham Forest 6 (1)
1994–1995 Aberdeen 26 (0)
1995–1998 Dundee United 43 (6)
1998–1999 Luton Town 30 (2)
1999–2000 Livingston 22 (2)
2000 Raith Rovers 3 (1)
2000 Portadown 1 (0)
2000 Stirling Albion 1 (0)
2000–2001 East Fife 3 (0)
2001 Torquay United 0 (0)
2001–2003 Montrose 32 (2)
2003 Raith Rovers 12 (2)
2004–2005 Lochee United
2005–2006 Broughty Athletic
National team
1990–1992 Scotland U21[2] 6 (1)
Teams managed
2004–2005 Lochee United (player-manager)
2005–2006 Broughty Athletic (player-coach)
2006–2008 Lochee United
2012–2015 Brechin City
2015–2016 Raith Rovers
2016–2017 Dundee United
2018 Greenock Morton
2018–2019 Falkirk
2020– Queen's Park
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

As a player, McKinnon was a midfielder whose clubs included Dundee United, Nottingham Forest, Aberdeen, Livingston, Raith Rovers and Montrose. He also represented the Scotland under-21 team.

McKinnon began his managerial career in junior football with Lochee United before managing senior clubs Brechin City, Raith Rovers, Dundee United, Morton and Falkirk.

Playing career

McKinnon was born in Dundee on 5 August 1970. He started his career with Dundee United, turning professional on 12 August 1986. He soon gained attention as one of the most promising young midfielders in Scottish football. He impressed Brian Clough enough to win a £750,000 move to Nottingham Forest in July 1992, but almost as quickly as he had arrived found himself out of first team contention, Clough deciding that his skilful passing was not what he wanted for his midfield. He left to join Aberdeen on 8 February 1994, costing the Dons £300,000.

He returned to Dundee United on 3 November 1995, for a fee of £200,000, where he famously scored a hat-trick of free-kicks in a 3–2 win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park in February 1997. He remained at Tannadice Park until being released at the end of the 1997–98 season during which he had struggled to gain a first team place. In the close-season he attracted interest from Crystal Palace, as well as French sides Auxerre and Bordeaux, but joined Luton Town on 6 August. He left to join Livingston on 12 September 1999, and after an injury hit season and a trial with Wolverhampton Wanderers under Colin Lee,[3] joined Raith Rovers on a short-term contract on 28 July 2000.

Raith were unable to meet his wage demands,[4] so he left and began training with Ayr United. He joined Portadown in October 2000,[5] playing one game. In need of first team football to regain his match fitness he joined Stirling Albion on trial on 27 October, playing in the match against Queen's Park at Hampden Park. He joined East Fife, originally as a triallist on 17 November, leaving on 25 January.

On 15 March 2001 he joined Torquay United on non-contract terms, but left just five days later without appearing in the first team after the re-emergence of a groin injury. He returned to Torquay as a trialist on 30 July 2001, but along with most of the many players Roy McFarland considered during the round of pre-season friendlies was released without earning a contract.

In November 2001 he joined Montrose as a trialist, making his debut in the 1–1 draw with Stirling Albion at Forthbank on 10 November and scoring two weeks later in the 2–1 win over East Fife. Although linked with a return to England to have another attempt at breaking back into full-time football, he signed a deal to stay with Montrose until the end of the season in December 2001.[6] He remained with Montrose until joining Raith Rovers for a second time in January 2003.[7]

Coaching career

McKinnon moved to Lochee United in 2004, before leaving in July 2005 to take up a player/coach position with Broughty Athletic. McKinnon returned as Lochee manager in 2006.

He was linked with the managerial posts at both Brechin City and Montrose in December 2008, with Lochee stating their desire that he stay until at least the end of their run in the Scottish FA Cup.[8]

On 16 July, McKinnon was appointed the new Technical Development Officer with the Scottish Football Association. He replaced Mark McNally, who became assistant manager at Scottish First Division club Morton.

McKinnon was appointed manager of Scottish Second Division club Brechin City on 9 October 2012.[9]

Raith Rovers manager

On 23 May 2015, it was confirmed that McKinnon had been appointed manager of Raith Rovers.[10] McKinnon guided Raith to fourth place in the 2015–16 Scottish Championship, qualifying for the promotion playoffs. He resigned on 11 May, after entering discussions with Dundee United about their managerial vacancy.[11]

Dundee United manager

On 12 May 2016, Dundee United announced that they had appointed McKinnon as their manager on a three-year contract.[12] In his first season in charge, United won the 2017 Scottish Challenge Cup Final, beating St Mirren 2-1.[13] They went on to finish third in the Championship and qualified for the promotion playoffs. They progressed to the final by beating Morton and Falkirk, but lost 1–0 to Hamilton in the final. United sacked McKinnon in October 2017, after losses to Livingston and Inverness left them in fourth place.[14]

Morton

McKinnon was appointed manager of Scottish Championship club Greenock Morton on 30 May 2018,[15] and he appointed long-term deputy Darren Taylor as his 'first team coach'.[16] The first match of his reign as Morton manager was a 0–0 draw in a friendly away to Forfar Athletic.[17]

On 31 August 2018, after holding a Morton training session in the morning, McKinnon agreed to take over at their Championship rivals Falkirk.[18] Falkirk were later fined by the SPFL for breaching league rules in their recruitment of McKinnon and his assistant Darren Taylor.[19] In the following October, on Falkirk's first visit to Cappielow with McKinnon in charge, Morton fans greeted McKinnon with "Judas" branded red card posters provided by the Greenock Telegraph newspaper.[20]

Falkirk

McKinnon was appointed Falkirk manager on 31 August 2018.[18] Under his management, Falkirk were relegated to the third tier of the Scottish leagues for the first time since 1980.[21] McKinnon was sacked on 16 November 2019, with the team sitting fourth in League One.[21]

Queen's Park

McKinnon became manager of Queen's Park in January 2020.[22][23] He is the first manager of Queen's Park since the 1980s to secure two wins in his first two matches in charge.

Career statistics

Playing
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Scotland League Scottish Cup League Cup Europe Total
1988–89Dundee UnitedScottish Premier Division10---10
1989–9010010--110
1990–91172412010243
1991–92254---254
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
1992–93Nottingham ForestPremier League61N/AN/AN/A61
1993–94Football League First Division
Scotland League Scottish Cup League Cup Europe Total
1993–94AberdeenScottish Premier Division260N/AN/AN/A260
1994–95
1995–96
Dundee UnitedScottish First Division24030--270
1996–97Scottish Premier Division2465020-316
1997–98902010-120
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
1998–99Luton TownFootball League Second Division3022050-372
1999-0030-10-40
Scotland League Scottish Cup League Cup Europe Total
1999-00LivingstonScottish First Division2222210-254
2000–01Raith RoversScottish First Division31-20-51
Stirling AlbionScottish Second Division10---10
East FifeScottish Third Division3020--50
2001–02Montrose192---192
2002–0311010--120
Raith RoversScottish Second Division122---122

Managerial
As of match played 8 January 2021
Team From To Record
G W D L Win %
Brechin City October 2012 May 2015 116 50 26 40 043.10
Raith Rovers May 2015 May 2016 43 23 7 13 053.49
Dundee United May 2016 October 2017 72 37 19 16 051.39
Greenock Morton May 2018 August 2018 8 4 1 3 050.00
Falkirk August 2018 November 2019 55 17 18 20 030.91
Queen's Park January 2020 26 14 5 7 053.85
Total 320 145 76 99 045.31

Managerial Honours
Dundee United

Personal life

McKinnon opened a restaurant in Dundee in 2004.[24]

References
  1. "Ray McKinnon". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  2. "Scotland U21 Player Ray McKinnon Details".
  3. "French starts talk". The Wolves Site. 27 July 2000. Archived from the original on 22 November 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  4. "Raith lose three to Livingston". BBC Sport. 27 September 2000. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  5. "The Young Ones meet in cup". BBC Sport. 18 October 2000. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  6. "Peterhead head signings". BBC Sport. 28 December 2001. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  7. "Fife clubs add signings". BBC Sport. 16 January 2003. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  8. "Lochee United will fight to hang onto boss Ray McKinnon". Daily Record. 18 December 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  9. Spence, Jim (9 October 2012). "Ray McKinnon becomes Brechin City manager". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  10. "McKinnon Takes the Hot Seat". raithrovers.net. Raith Rovers F.C. 23 May 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  11. "Ray McKinnon: Dundee Utd target resigns as Raith Rovers manager". BBC Sport. BBC. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  12. "Dundee Utd appoint Ray McKinnon as new manager". BBC Sport. BBC. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  13. Duthie, Tom (28 March 2017). "Ray proud as Dundee United rise to Challenge". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  14. BBC Sport
  15. "Ray McKinnon appointed manager". Greenock Morton F.C. 30 May 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  16. Mitchell, Jonathan (6 July 2018). "Darren Taylor appointed first team coach". Greenock Morton F.C. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  17. Mitchell, Jonathan (7 July 2018). "Match Report: Forfar Athletic 0-0 Morton". Greenock Morton F.C. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  18. "RAY McKINNON NAMED BAIRNS BOSS". Falkirk FC. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  19. Steele, Russell (31 January 2019). "Falkirk FC fined £60,000 over Ray McKinnon rule breaches". Greenock Telegraph. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  20. Sked, Joel (16 October 2018). "Special welcome arranged for 'Judas' Ray McKinnon in Morton return with Falkirk". The Scotsman. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  21. "Falkirk: Ray McKinnon sacked with club fourth in League One". BBC Sport. 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  22. "Ray McKinnon appointed Head Coach". Queen's Park FC. 2 January 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  23. "Queen's Park name Ray McKinnon their new head coach". BBC Sport. 2 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  24. "Eating Out: Amba; Soccer maestro Ray McKinnon shows he's also on the ball when it comes to running a restaurant". Daily Record. 15 May 2004. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
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