Paul McCarthy (footballer)

Irish footballer

For other people named Paul McCarthy, see Paul McCarthy (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Paul McCartney.

Paul McCarthyPersonal information

Full name|  Paul Jason McCarthy[1]
Date of birth|  (1971-08-04)4 August 1971
Place of birth|  Cork, Ireland
Date of death|  19 February 2017(2017-02-19) (aged 45)
Position(s)|  Defender
Senior career*
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Gls)
1989–1996|  Brighton & Hove Albion|  181|  (6)
1996–2003|  Wycombe Wanderers|  212|  (9)
2003|  → Oxford United (loan)|  6|  (1)
2003–2004|  Oxford United|  29|  (2)
2004|  Hornchurch|  7|  (2)
2004–2013|  Ebbsfleet United|  141|  (6)
Total|  |  576|  (26)
International career
1989–1994|  Republic of Ireland U21|  10|  (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Paul Jason McCarthy (4 August 1971 – 19 February 2017) was an Irish footballer who last played for Ebbsfleet United as a defender. He made over 500 appearances in the Football League and Football Conference, notably for Brighton & Hove Albion, Wycombe Wanderers and Ebbsfleet United.

## Career

[edit]

Born in Cork, County Cork, McCarthy began his career as a trainee with Brighton & Hove Albion, where he made over 200 league and cup appearances before joining Wycombe Wanderers for a fee of £100,000 in July 1996.[2] He made over 250 appearances for Wycombe in seven seasons at the club,[2] helping the club to a FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool in April 2001.[3] He scored Wycombe's first goal in their quarter-final win over Premier League side Leicester City, paving the way for Roy Essandoh to score the winner. McCarthy joined Oxford United on loan in March 2003,[4] joining the club on a permanent basis at the end of the season.[5]

After 35 appearances for Oxford,[2] he was released on a free transfer in summer 2004 and joined non-League club Hornchurch.[6] He became available after Hornchurch ran into financial trouble and signed for Conference National club Gravesend & Northfleet (now Ebbsfleet United) in November 2004.[7] He became club captain[8] and by the end of the 2007–08 season, had made over 110 appearances for Ebbsfleet[2] and collected a winners medal when Ebbsfleet won the FA Trophy in May 2008.[9][10] He signed a new one-year contract with Ebbsfleet in June 2008 and a year later he was appointed as player–assistant manager at the club.[11][12] Paul left Ebbsfleet in July 2013 following a change of owner at the club. He subsequently signed with Crowborough AFC on 4 August 2013.

McCarthy died suddenly on 19 February 2017, aged 45,[13] of a suspected heart attack.[14]

## International career

[edit]

He played and scored for the Republic of Ireland national football team at the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship.[15]

## Honours

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* FA Trophy: 2008

## References

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1. ^ Hugman, Barry J. (2005). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005. Queen Anne Press. p. 387\. ISBN 1-85291-665-6.
2. ^ a b c d "Paul McCarthy". Soccerbase. Racing Post. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
3. ^ "Liverpool end Wycombe's fight". BBC Sport. 8 April 2001. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
4. ^ "Deadline-day transfers". BBC Sport. 27 March 2003. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
5. ^ "McCarthy poised to join U's". BBC Sport. 3 July 2003. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
6. ^ "Another Urchin finds pastures new". Non-League Daily. 25 November 2004. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
7. ^ "McCarthy secures Gravesend switch". BBC Sport. 24 November 2004. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
8. ^ "Ebbsfleet re-sign experienced duo". BBC Sport. 18 May 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2008.
9. ^ "McCarthy wants another taste of Football League". Kent News. 18 May 2008. Retrieved 17 June 2008.[permanent dead link]
10. ^ "Ebbsfleet 1–0 Torquay". BBC Sport. 15 May 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2008.
11. ^ "Daish reshuffles Ebbsfleet squad". BBC Sport. 1 June 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
12. ^ "Daish is hoping to retain players". BBC Sport. 5 June 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
13. ^ "Paul McCarthy". Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club. 20 February 2017. Archived from the original on 21 February 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
14. ^ Higgins, Erica Doyle. "Former Ireland U21 international and Brighton and Hove defender Paul McCarthy dies suddenly aged 45". The Irish Post. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
15. ^ "FIFA Player Statistics: Paul McCARTHY". FIFA. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012.

## External links

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* Paul McCarthy at Soccerbase

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals