It was a very special and memorable ending in Motherwell’s outing against Dundee on Saturday, but for Paul McGinn, the game carried extra meaning and sentiment.
McGinn made his 500th professional appearance in football, a special feat achieved by one of Motherwell’s most consistent performers over the last two seasons.
As we look back on the defender’s impressive career to date, it’s worth noting that his introduction into football was somewhat different to the path that many take.
“I was actually playing amateur football until I was 17,” McGinn explained.
“At the time, I had been playing for a local side in Clydebank, playing with the older guys and I was doing quite well. My Uncle worked at Hampden and he said to the guy at Queen’s Park to give me a trial. That’s how I got a chance, so it wasn’t like anyone had seen me or that.
“I got to the trial game and I was meant to be on the bench but someone didn’t turn up. But I had to play right-midfield. After ten minutes, I scored a volley. The game was at Lesser Hampden so after 20 minutes, you’d have been as well taking me off. I was knackered. But because of the volley, they said to come back because I had something and I got the contract from there.
“So if it wasn’t for the volley and somebody not turning up, who knows.”
From there, McGinn began his journey in the Scottish Leagues, starting at the very bottom with Queen’s Park and he went on to make his debut at 18. But that debut didn’t quite go to plan.
“I got sent off,” McGinn laughed.
“I came on as a sub. Raith Rovers were going to win the league and Queen’s were fighting to stay up. It was 1-0 Raith and they were keeping the ball in the corner. Barry Douglas came flying in over the top so that got me going as well.
“Basically, I volleyed a boy. I just remember thinking I was innocent until I seen it back, it was more like Joey Barton. Not a great start but I played quite well so we’ll take that.
“I was up early working as I was a postman at the time, so I blamed it on that too. Fair to say, I chucked the job not long after.”
At the time of breaking into the first-team, Queen’s Park had a range of talent who would go on to have fruitful careers. Barry Douglas, Lawrence Shankland, Andy Robertson and Blair Spittal just to name a few, McGinn recalls Dundee United coming in for Douglas and that was when he seen the exposure his team were receiving and shortly after, he would move onto pastures new also.
“I was meant to sign for Aberdeen, Craig Brown had been on at me,” the defender explained.
“On the very last day of the season in the playoffs, I got a bad tackle and done my knee. It was swollen so I just went away on holiday. I went to do some running and knew something was wrong. I had to phone Aberdeen.
“They said, get yourself sorted and come up when you’re ready so we can take a look at you. But because I’d left Queen’s Park, my mum had to pay for my operation. So it wasn’t until early September before I was fit. I actually came into Fir Park at one stage for physio, Stuart McCall was the manager.
“I went to train with St Mirren and they offered me a deal but I couldn’t turn professional until the January, so I went back on loan to Queen’s Park, that was awkward as they refused to pay for my operation.”
That time at St Mirren got off to a rough start and unfortunately for McGinn, his time there would be like that. Going out on loan to Dumbarton to get some game time, he would depart having made 0 appearances for the Paisley side.
“Hamilton and a few others were in for me but it was Dundee who were making good signings,” the Scotland internationalist said.
“They’d just taken Greg Stewart and Scott Bain up there, so I knew they were making waves. We were good and I enjoyed my time there. I was driving from Clydebank every day, so that wasn’t ideal but I did make my SPL debut.
“By the end of my contract, Dundee had been going on constantly about new deals but nothing ever happened. They messed around and when I got offered a deal, I felt it was a bit disrespectful so I thought I’d go try something else at Chesterfield.
“League One in England, new stadium. Looking back, I’d do it again. It’s the only real time in my career where I had a bad injury. I missed most of the time there. I scored at Bramall Lane and Rochdale. Both were outside the box, I’m normally three goals a season. Until I came to Motherwell.”
McGinn’s time at Chesterfield drew to a close and the defender returned back home to Glasgow, with Partick Thistle. A short stint at Firhill ended in relegation, something he admits was one of the lowest points in his career due to the good people associated with the club.
But his future was already secured, with a return to St Mirren on the cards and agreed with Jack Ross.
“When I signed for Jack Ross and St Mirren, he won the league and got his big move to Sunderland,” McGinn said.
“It didn’t really matter, I just went into the same boat as everyone else and had to impress the new manager.”
As McGinn made powering progress at club level, at international level, eyes were firmly on him, with Steve Clarke naming him in his Scotland squads, alongside brother John.
“I left pro-youth when I was 11,” McGinn added.
“You always have that ambition to reach the top but to play for you country, wow. Unbelievable.
“I’d been in squads before but I always think of Stephen O’Donnell. I’d warmed up for about half-an-hour whilst he was holding his shin against Czech Republic. I was knackered but he held it for ages. Of course, he hung in there for the full 90. I was gutted. The next squad, a couple got COVID.
“Funnily enough, Anthony Ralston had been playing for Celtic and he got called up. He failed the COVID test at the hotel so I got the shout. That was the one where I got on.”
Against Austria in a World Cup qualifier, Stephen O’Donnell would come off on 77 minutes to be replaced by McGinn, earning his first and only cap for his country.
“Highest point of my career, by far,” the 33-year-old said.
“I remember weirdly thinking, why am I not nervous?
“It was so special and even better because it was competitive. Previous managers gave caps away here and there in friendlies. “
But in football, as we all know, it’s not all success and achieving dreams. And that’s a part of the game McGinn thinks is vital to keep in mind.
“There’s so many lows,” he said.
“You see John having so much success in England but there’s so many lows. Everyone thinks it’s a brilliant job, which it is of course, but you’ve got to deal with a result effecting your week. That’s been 15 years of that now.
“You need to be mentally strong, it’s a difficult profession. A lot of players look good in training but just can’t cope with that and fall away.
“But, if you’d said when I was 17 at that trial, that I was going to play 500 games, play for my country and be professional player, I’d have said you were at it. Your ambitions and self belief changes.
“In hindsight, I shouldn’t have had to work my way up the leagues but if I didn’t, none of this would have happened. I’ve seen boys that have started there and fell away quickly, so I’m just proud of what I have achieved.”
McGinn is held in high regard with the Motherwell support, with the defender adopting the tagline of ‘seven out of ten every week.’
“I get the ‘you’re reliable’ all the time,” he laughed.
“Surely, I’m just a decent player at some point. No, in all seriousness, it’s just good to get the compliments. Next is just to get the goal here.
“I’ve always said I’m a right-back, but I very rarely play there. You get goals in that position and I’m not doing well on that front. It’s got to come soon.
“It’s either going to be a thunder blaster of a goal or a clanger. Either way, it’ll just be relief.”
