 McGrath in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Matthew McGrath[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1980-03-27)27 March 1980 (age 45)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Limerick, Ireland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Buxton (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–1999 | Belvedere | ||
| 1999–2001 | Aston Villa | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2003 | Aston Villa | 2 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | →Dagenham & Redbridge (loan) | 22 | (2) |
| 2003–2005 | Doncaster Rovers | 11 | (0) |
| 2004 | →Shrewsbury Town (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2005 | Kidderminster Harriers | 19 | (0) |
| 2005 | Limerick | (1) | |
| 2006 | Weymouth | 13 | (3) |
| 2006–2007 | Tamworth | 42 | (3) |
| 2007–2013 | Burton Albion | 215 | (14) |
| 2013 | →York City (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | Alfreton Town | 23 | (1) |
| 2015–2022 | Mickleover | ||
| Total | 364 | (24) | |
| International career | |||
| 2000 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 5 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2016–2024 | Mickleover | ||
| 2024– | Buxton | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 04:16, 5 October 2016 (UTC) | |||
John Matthew McGrath (born 27 March 1980) is an Irishfootball manager ofNational League North sideBuxton.[2]
Born inLimerick,County Limerick,[1] McGrath played local schoolboy football with Templeglantine and Corbally, before joiningBelvedere in 1996.[3] He was part of the team that won an unprecedentedFAI Youth Cup, Leinster Youths Cup and DDSL U-18 Premier League treble.[3] He joined EnglishPremier League clubAston Villa on 3 September 1999 following a two-week trial.[1][3] After making only two appearances he went out onloan toFootball Conference sideDagenham & Redbridge in November 2002.[4]
McGrath was then signed byDoncaster Rovers on 10 July 2003 in time for the start of their first campaign back inthe Football League after beingpromoted from the Football Conference.[5] He made 14 appearances for Doncaster as they won theThird Division title.[6] He spent two months on loan atShrewsbury Town,[7] before signing forKidderminster Harriers in January 2005.[8] In May 2005, McGrath was released by Kidderminster, having been sent off in his last game, away toNorthampton Town on 7 May.[9][10]
After trials withYork City,Darlington,Limerick andScunthorpe United,[11] McGrath joined hometown club Limerick, playing in theLeague of Ireland First Division, for the remainder of the2005 season in August 2005,[12] scoring his only goal againstAthlone Town on 7 October.[13] He left the club to return to England withConference South sideWeymouth for the rest of the2005–06 season in January 2006.[14] He made 13 appearances and scored 3 goals for Weymouth as they won the Conference South championship.[15]
McGrath was only at Weymouth for a short period before joiningConference National sideTamworth in July 2006.[16] On 10 May 2007, McGrath and Tamworth teammateJake Edwards joined local rivalsBurton Albion following Tamworth's relegation to theConference North.[17] Hisfirst season at Burton saw the club make the play-off semi-finals after he had played in 60 games and scored 9 goals,[18] being named the club's Player of the Year.[19] He signed a new one-year contract with the club in May 2008,[19] despite having talks with York CitymanagerColin Walker.[20] McGrath made 48 appearances and scored 6 goals for Burton during the2008–09 season, as the team won theConference Premier title and so gained promotion toLeague Two.[21] He signed a new contract with Burton in May 2009.[22]
McGrath signed for League Two rivals York City on an initial one-month loan on 12 February 2013,[23] making his debut later that day in a 0–0 draw at home toGillingham.[24] Having made five appearances for York,[24] the loan was extended until the end of the2012–13 season on 7 March 2013.[25] He was sent back to Burton on 4 April 2013 having been deemed surplus to requirements by new managerNigel Worthington.[26] He had made 9 appearances for York.[24] He played for Burton in both legs of their 5–4 aggregate play-off semi-final defeat toBradford City, and finished the season with 11 appearances for the club, before being released on 6 May 2013.[24][27]
After spending much of pre-season on trial withAlfreton Town, McGrath signed a one-year contract with the Conference Premier club on 3 August 2013.[28] His season was ended by a knee injury sustained during a 3–2 win away toWrexham on 26 December 2013.[29] He had made 26 appearances and scored one goal for Alfreton in the2013–14 season.[30]
In 2015 McGrath joinedNorthern Premier League sideMickleover Sports, on 28 April 2016 he was named the new player-manager[31]
McGrath made his debut for theRepublic of Ireland national under-21 team as a half-time substitute forPeter Murphy in a 2–1 home defeat toGreece on 25 April 2000.[32][33] He made his first and only start for the under-21s in a 2–0 defeat away to theNetherlands on 1 September 2000.[32][34] He finished his under-21 career with fivecaps, all of which were amassed during 2000.[32]
His sonJay McGrath is also a professional footballer.[35]
Both he, and his son are graduates ofStaffordshire University having studied Sports Journalism degrees.[36]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Aston Villa | 1999–2000[37] | FA Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2000–01[38][39] | FA Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Dagenham & Redbridge (loan) | 2002–03[40] | Football Conference | 22 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 5[a] | 0 | 31 | 2 | |
| Doncaster Rovers | 2003–04[6] | Third Division | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Shrewsbury Town (loan) | 2004–05[10] | League Two | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Kidderminster Harriers | 2004–05[10] | League Two | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Weymouth | 2005–06[15] | Conference South | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 13 | 3 | |
| Tamworth | 2006–07[41][42] | Conference National | 42 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | 2[c] | 0 | 48 | 5 | |
| Burton Albion | 2007–08[18] | Conference Premier | 46 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | 10[d] | 3 | 60 | 9 | |
| 2008–09[21] | Conference Premier | 46 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 0 | 48 | 6 | ||
| 2009–10[43] | League Two | 45 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 1 | 48 | 2 | |
| 2010–11[44] | League Two | 41 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 3 | |
| 2011–12[45] | League Two | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 34 | 0 | |
| 2012–13[24] | League Two | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[e] | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| Total | 215 | 14 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 4 | 247 | 20 | ||
| York City (loan) | 2012–13[24] | League Two | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Alfreton Town | 2013–14[30] | Conference Premier | 23 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 1[c] | 0 | 26 | 1 | |
| Career total | 365 | 23 | 24 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 25 | 4 | 418 | 31 | ||
Doncaster Rovers
Weymouth
Burton Albion
Individual
