.jpg) McClair in 2017 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Brian John McClair[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1963-12-08)8 December 1963 (age 61)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1980–1981 | Aston Villa | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1981–1983 | Motherwell | 40 | (15) |
| 1983–1987 | Celtic | 145 | (99) |
| 1987–1998 | Manchester United | 355 | (88) |
| 1998 | Motherwell | 11 | (0) |
| Total | 551 | (202) | |
| International career | |||
| 1983–1985 | Scotland U21 | 8 | (2) |
| 1986–1993 | Scotland | 30 | (2) |
| 1990 | Scotland B | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1998–1999 | Blackburn Rovers (assistant) | ||
| 2006–2015 | Manchester United (Director of Youth Academy) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Brian John McClair (born 8 December 1963) is a Scottish football coach and former professionalfootballer. As a player, he was aforward from 1980 to 1998, notable for his near 11-year spell atManchester United where he won 14 trophies including fourPremier League titles, twoFA Cups and theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup.
McClair also had important tenures at Scottish clubsCeltic andMotherwell, winning theScottish League andScottish Cup with the former. At Motherwell, he combined his football with studying mathematics at theUniversity of Glasgow.[3][4] He was nicknamed "Choccy", as his last name rhymed with the delicacy "chocolate éclair".[5]
McClair played in 30 international games forScotland between 1986 and 1993, and was selected for their squad atUEFA Euro 1992.
After retiring from playing, McClair took on a coaching role at Blackburn Rovers before returning to Manchester United, where he spent several years as Youth Academy Director.
McClair began his career withAston Villa on leaving school in 1980, but left afterone season (in which Villa wereFootball League champions) having never played a competitive game.
He then returned to Scotland in the summer of 1981 and signed forMotherwell.[6] Initially a midfielder, managerJock Wallace converted him to a striker.[7] McClair went on to score 15 league goals in two seasons, including a hat-trick at Fir Park in a 3–0 win overRangers on 3 January 1983,[8] and both goals in a 2–1 win over Celtic eleven days later.[9][10]
In May 1983,Billy McNeill signed McClair forCeltic, for a fee of £100,000. McClair was effectively signed as a replacement for the recently departedCharlie Nicholas.[11] However, McClair would never actually play for McNeill, as the Celtic manager resigned in June 1983 and was replaced byDavie Hay.[11]
McClair scored in a 2–0 win on his debut againstPartick Thistle at Firhill in theGlasgow Cup on 9 August 1983.[12] By the end of an impressive first season at Celtic, McClair had scored 32 goals and established himself as a first team regular. A four-goal haul againstDundee in a 6–2 win during September,[13][14] an outstanding solo goal in a 5–0 win overSporting CP in theUEFA Cup,[15][16] and a goal in the 3–2 extra time defeat against Rangers in theLeague Cup Final in March 1984[17] highlighted McClair's goalscoring ability.
The following season saw the arrival ofMo Johnston fromWatford and, despite their contrasting personalities, McClair and Johnston would quickly form a deadly goalscoring partnership for Celtic.[11][18] McClair continued to score regularly for Celtic, and at the end of the season won his first winner's medal, coming on as a substitute in Celtic's 2–1 win overDundee United in the1985 Scottish Cup Final.[19]
Despite competition fromAlan McInally andMark McGhee, McClair and Johnston remained the regular pairing playing up front for Celtic. Their goals helped Celtic to a dramatic league championship win in 1985–86. This culminated in a memorable final-day 5–0 win overSt Mirren at Love Street, with McClair and Johnston both scoring twice as title-rivalsHearts capitulated to a 2–0 defeat at Dundee.[20]
The 1986–87 season was McClair's last at Celtic. Despite a bright start to the campaign from Celtic, the team's form began to fade during the winter months and they squandered a nine-point lead in the league, which was won by Rangers. Another League Cup final defeat against Rangers (despite an outstanding goal by McClair)[21] and a fourth-round defeat at Hearts in the Scottish Cup saw Celtic finish the season without any silverware. Despite this collective disappointment, McClair was an outstanding success that year. He scored 41 goals in total to finish top scorer in the league with 35 goals, and won both theScottish Football Writers' Association Player of the Year and theScottish Players' Player of the Year awards.[22]
In four seasons at Celtic, McClair made 204 appearances in all competitions and scored 126 goals.[23][24] He won theScottish Cup in 1985 and theScottish Premier Division in 1986.[25]
McClair joined Manchester United in July 1987 for a transfer fee of £850,000 that was determined by a tribunal. Celtic initially wanted £2 million for him, a fee which would have made him the most expensive player at the time to have signed for any British club, whilst Manchester United had offered only £400,000.[26]
In his first season for Manchester United he scored 24 league goals, becoming the first Manchester United player to surpass 20 league goals in one season sinceGeorge Best in the1967–68 season.[27][28] His first goal for Manchester United came in the third game of the season, a 2–0 home win overWatford.[29][30] He then scored in the next game, a 3–1 away win overCharlton Athletic.[31] He scored a brace in the 4–2 away win overSheffield Wednesday on 10 October 1987,[32] and another double in the late December win over defending championsEverton.[32] He put a further double over Sheffield Wednesday in the March return game atOld Trafford,[33] and scored a hat-trick againstDerby County in early April.[34] He managed further braces in the final two games of the season (againstPortsmouth andWimbledon).[35][36] Only Liverpool'sJohn Aldridge netted more First Division goals that season[37] and, in all competitions, McClair scored a total of 31 goals. He could have had even more, but his late penalty miss atArsenal in the FA Cup fifth round[38] meant that Manchester United were eliminated with a 2-1 loss in what was a trophy-less season.
1988–89 was a trying season for United after the excellent progress of 1987–88. Having spent his first year playing alongsidePeter Davenport, McClair now found himself paired with returning heroMark Hughes (back at Manchester United after two years abroad) and much was expected of the newly formed partnership. By the end of November, however, McClair had scored just twice in the league, whereas Hughes had found the net eight times, with Manchester United finding themselves in mid-table after a run of eight draws and one defeat. Results improved over the next couple of months as United crept to the fringes of the title challenge, but fell away in the final quarter of the season as the club finished 11th. McClair and Hughes both managed 16 goals in all competitions, with Hughes being the club's leading scorer in the league with 14 goals to McClair's 10.
Having scored in both the quarter-final and the replay of the semi-final, he was on the winning side as Manchester United won 1–0 overCrystal Palace in the1990 FA Cup Final replay atWembley on 17 May 1990, five days after drawing 3–3 in the first match.[39] In the league, however, it had been a disappointing time for McClair as he scored just five goals and Manchester United finished 13th – their lowest finish since they were relegated from the top flight 16 years earlier. He was now facing competition from highly promising young strikerMark Robins,[40] who had scored 10 goals in 23 first team games that season.[41]
He did however score the winning goal for Manchester United in the1991 UEFA Super Cup againstRed Star Belgrade,[42][43] which followed his role in theirEuropean Cup Winners' Cup triumph overBarcelona.[44] McClair had now won the fight to keep his place in the first team as he rediscovered his goalscoring touch and Robins was now struggling to get into the team.
In October 1990, McClair was involved in controversy when in reaction to a late challenge he repeatedly kicked Arsenal'sNigel Winterburn in the back as he lay prone on the ground, sparking a21-man brawl. The two had a history, as Winterburn had been seen mocking McClair after his penalty miss in the FA Cup fifth round three seasons before, which earned the Arsenal player a lot of criticism. Manchester United had a point deducted for this episode, and Arsenal (who went on to be league champions that season) had two points docked.[45]
In 1991–92, McClair scored the only goal in the1992 League Cup Final againstNottingham Forest at Wembley.[46] However, he missed out on a league title winner's medal as United's shortage of goals in the second half of the season cost them the championship, which was clinched byLeeds United.[47][48]Alex Ferguson then made unsuccessful bids for strikersDavid Hirst[49] andAlan Shearer,[50] before signingDion Dublin, who was bought as backup for McClair and Hughes.[citation needed]
Having been the main striker for Manchester United during his first season, and then partneredMark Hughes when the Welshman returned fromBarcelona, McClair was switched to a central midfield role whenEric Cantona joined United in November 1992. The casualty of this shift was the veteran midfielderBryan Robson, who from this point onwards was mostly used as a substitute.
WhenRoy Keane was signed the following summer, McClair's first team opportunities became increasingly limited. He did, however, manage another cup final appearance and goal at Wembley, coming off the bench to score Manchester United's fourth goal as they beatChelsea 4–0 in the1994 FA Cup Final.[51][52] He was rarely left out of the squad, often coming on as a substitute to play in midfield or attack. In 1993–94, the first season where he was no longer considered a first team regular, he appeared in 26 league games (though started just 12 of them) and scored one goal. In all competitions, he managed a total of six goals from 38 appearances (19 starts, 19 as a substitute). He had a much more active campaign in 1994–95, playing in all but two of the 42 league games, scoring five goals. In total, he played 53 games in all competitions and scored eight goals.[33]
When squad numbers were introduced in the Premier League for its second season in1993–94, McClair was issued with the number 9 shirt that had traditionally been his during the days of 1–11 shirt numbering.[53] However, this number went toAndy Cole at the start of the1996–97 season, after which McClair wore the number 13 shirt.[53]
Despite his infrequent first team appearances, McClair opted to stay on at Manchester United as a squad player to provide reliable cover in midfield and attack, making, in1994–95, over 40 appearances (in the first eleven or as a substitute). The following season, he featured in 22 league games, gaining him his third (of four) league winner's medal with the club. He was still receiving playing time in 1996–97, and on the first day of that season, McClair was credited with an assist forDavid Beckham's spectacular goal from the halfway line againstWimbledon.[54][55] Later that year, McClair had a hand in another memorable goal, assisting Eric Cantona in his famous chipped goal on 21 December 1996 againstSunderland at Old Trafford.[56] On 15 April 1997 a crowd of over 44,000, including an estimated 10,000 Celtic supporters, attended McClair'stestimonial game against his former club Celtic at Old Trafford.[57]
He scored a total of 127 goals for Manchester United, the last two coming againstCoventry City in a 4–0 away league win on 22 November 1995, although he made some 60 first team appearances over the next two and a half years (mostly as a substitute).[58] In eleven years atOld Trafford, he made a total of 471 appearances in all competitions.[33] In later years, as his first team opportunities were reduced, McClair became something of a cult hero at Manchester United due to hisChoccy's Diary being published in the official Manchester United magazine.[59]
At the end of the1997–98 season, McClair was given a free transfer to complete his playing days elsewhere. He accepted an offer to return to Motherwell,[60] where he spent six months before announcing his retirement.
In international football, McClair won 30caps forScotland. He made his debut in November 1986 in a 3–0 win overLuxembourg atHampden Park. The match was a qualifier forEuro 88, and McClair played in midfield behind his Celtic teammate and striker partner, Mo Johnston.[61][62] Scotland failed to qualify for this tournament, but McClair became a regular in the Scotland squad for the next six years. He made five appearances for Scotland in the qualifiers for the1990 World Cup.[63][64] McClair also played for Scotland in a'B' international against East Germany in April 1990 shortly before the 1990 World Cup.[65] However, although Scotland qualified for this tournament, he failed to make managerAndy Roxburgh's22-man squad.
Despite his omission, McClair continued to feature regularly for Scotland and represented his country at the1992 European Championships, where he scored his first international goal in a 3–0 win over theCIS (formerlyUSSR).[66] His final appearance for Scotland came in June 1993, when he scored the opening goal for Scotland in a 3–1 win overEstonia atPittodrie.[67][68]
McClair returned south of the border in December 1998 to becomeBrian Kidd's assistant atBlackburn Rovers.[69] But the pair were unable to prevent Blackburn from slipping out of the Premier League, and within a year, both had been sacked.[70] He returned toOld Trafford as a youth team coach soon afterwards.
Ironically, when Kidd first joined Blackburn after being assistant manager at Manchester United, McClair was one of several high-profile names to be linked with the assistant manager's vacancy at Old Trafford, as was former teammateSteve Bruce, who was then managingSheffield United.
In 2001, he was appointed as Manchester Unitedreserve team manager,[4] and promptly won thePremier Reserve League in his first season as coach.[71] In his second season, he was in charge of the Under-19 team which clinched the 2003FA Youth Cup.[72] Some players from that team, such asDavid Jones,Chris Eagles andKieran Richardson, went on to make appearances in the first team.
At the end of the 2004–05 season, the first team finished trophyless, but the Reserve Teams headed byRicky Sbragia, with McClair as his assistant, won an unprecedented quadruple of the Pontins' Holidays League, the FA Premier Reserve League, The Pontins' Holidays League Cup and the Premier Reserve League Playoff.[71] Their quest for an unprecedented five trophies was thwarted when they lost toManchester City in theManchester Senior Cup.
After a year of shadowingLes Kershaw, McClair replaced him as the director of theManchester United youth academy at the start of the 2006–07 season.[4][73] His son, Liam, was once a member of the United academy.[74]
McClair left Manchester United after being appointed by theScottish Football Association in February 2015 as their national performance director, effective from 1 June 2015.[75][76] McClair succeededMark Wotte, who resigned from the position in October 2014.[75] McClair left the role in July 2016.[77]
Though born in Bellshill, McClair was brought up inAirdrie and supportedAirdrieonians as a child.[78]
McClair has three children, Siobhan, Laura and Liam.
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other[nb 1] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Motherwell | 1981–82 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 4 |
| 1982–83 | 29 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 16 | |
| Total | 40 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 20 | |
| Celtic | 1983–84 | 35 | 23 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 57 | 32 |
| 1984–85 | 32 | 19 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 24 | |
| 1985–86 | 34 | 22 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 44 | 29 | |
| 1986–87 | 44 | 35 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 41 | |
| Total | 145 | 99 | 18 | 8 | 20 | 12 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 204 | 126 | |
| Manchester United | 1987–88 | 40 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 31 |
| 1988–89 | 38 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 16 | |
| 1989–90 | 37 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 8 | |
| 1990–91 | 36 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 58 | 21 | |
| 1991–92 | 42 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 25 | |
| 1992–93 | 42 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 9 | |
| 1993–94 | 26 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 6 | |
| 1994–95 | 40 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 53 | 8 | |
| 1995–96 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 3 | |
| 1996–97 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
| 1997–98 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| Total | 355 | 88 | 45 | 14 | 45 | 19 | 24 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 471 | 127 | |
| Motherwell | 1998–99 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Career total | 551 | 202 | 65 | 26 | 77 | 32 | 41 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 740 | 273 | |
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland[83] | 1986 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1988 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1989 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1990 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1991 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1992 | 9 | 1 | |
| 1993 | 2 | 1 | |
| Total | 30 | 2 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 June 1992 | Idrottsparken, Norrköping, Sweden |  CIS | 3–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 1992 |
| 2 | 1 June 1993 | Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen, Scotland |  Estonia | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Celtic
Manchester United
Individual
Manchester United Reserves
I was only actually in Bellshill for one night 'cause that's where the "baby factory" was...I was brought up in Airdrie; that's my home town...I went to see Airdrie as a kid, yeah
