Daryl McMahon

Daryl McMahon (born 10 October 1983) is an Irish professional football manager and former player who is manager of club Hornchurch.

McMahon represented the Republic of Ireland Under-16 team at the 2000 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship.

McMahon then began his career as a trainee with West Ham United, turning professional in August 2002.

He was released by West Ham at the end of the 2003–04 season and joined Martin Foyle's League One Port Vale on non-contract terms in September 2004.

He struggled to establish himself at Vale Park and dropped down a division to join Leyton Orient on a free transfer two months later, after rejecting a further short-term deal at Port Vale.

Teammate Dean Smith had set up the move to Brisbane Road and would himself join Orient soon after.

Starting as a midfielder his career at West Ham United, he switched to Port Vale in 2004 after failing to make a first-team appearance for West Ham.

Later in the year, he moved on to Leyton Orient, where he would remain for three years.

In need of first team experience, he joined League Two Torquay United on loan in March 2004, making his debut as a late substitute for Martin Gritton in the 2–2 home draw with Yeovil Town on 3 April 2004.

However, that was to be his only game for the "Gulls" as he returned to West Ham two weeks early, seemingly at his own request.

After impressing on a non-contract basis, he signed a six-month deal with Leyton Orient in January 2005.

He played 33 games of the "O's" promotion winning campaign of 2005–06 but fell out of favour the following season and joined Notts County, back in League Two, on loan in November 2006.

After his loan spell finished the following January, McMahon joined Conference National club Stevenage Borough.

A fairly regular member of the first team at Broadhall Way, he was a sub in the FA Trophy final at Wembley.

In May 2008, he signed a two-year contract with the club.

On 26 November 2008, he was transfer listed by Borough, along with teammate John Martin, and in the January 2009 transfer window McMahon agreed to join fellow Conference Premier club Cambridge United.

He made his debut in a 4–1 win over Woking at the Abbey Stadium, but struggled to hold down a place in the team.

He then spent two seasons at Stevenage Borough, moving on to Cambridge United and then Farnborough in 2009.

Two years later he moved on to Boreham Wood, and seven months later to Eastleigh.

He has also played for Torquay United and Notts County on loan.

He was an unused substitute in the 2009 Conference Premier play-off final, as he watched his United teammates lose their second play-off final in as many years.

On 16 July 2009, caretaker Cambridge United manager, Paul Carden, announced that McMahon has left the club.

He then joined Farnborough for a two-year stay.

He enjoyed promotion to the Conference South with the club, as they were crowned champions of the Southern Football League Premier Division in 2009–10.

The following year he helped the club to the Conference South play-off final, where they were defeated 4–2 by Ebbsfleet United.

In June 2011, he signed for Boreham Wood as a player-coach on a two-year contract.

The "Spitfires" went on to post a mid-table finish in 2011–12.

He switched to Dover Athletic in September 2012, before signing for Ebbsfleet United in June 2013.

McMahon's stay at Boreham Wood lasted seven months, as in January 2012 he signed for fellow Conference South club Eastleigh for an undisclosed fee.

He was sold to league rivals Dover Athletic for an undisclosed fee in September 2012.

Eastleigh manager Richard Hill had rejected two bids from the "Whites", before Dover boss Nicky Forster put in a bid that Eastleigh director Stewart Donald felt "matched our valuation" and represented "good value".

He played in the 3–2 play-off final defeat to Salisbury City on 12 May 2013.

In June 2013, he signed for Ebbsfleet United for a fee of £13,000.

He became a key part of the club's passing style, but credited the club's success to manager Steve Brown.

He rejoined Boreham Wood in January 2015 before returning to Ebbsfleet as manager three months later.

He managed Ebbsfleet from April 2015 to November 2018 and won promotion out of the National League South play-offs in 2017.

He was appointed as manager of English Football League side Macclesfield Town in August 2019 but tendered his resignation in January 2020 amidst a financial crisis at the club.

He then took charge at National League side Dagenham & Redbridge, remaining at the club until February 2023.

He took charge at Hornchurch in January 2024.

McMahon started his youth career at the age of seven with Neilstown Rangers, before moving on to Cherry Orchard and then Belvedere.