Jon McCarthy

Jonathan David McCarthy (born 18 August 1970) is a former professional footballer who is the assistant manager at Cymru Premier club Connah's Quay Nomads.

McCarthy played as a winger and made around 700 appearances in his career, many of which were in the English Football League.

Twice a Northern Ireland B international, he went on to win 18 senior caps for Northern Ireland.

He began his career at Hartlepool United in 1987, before heading into the non-League scene with Shepshed Charterhouse in 1989.

He returned to the professional game the following year after signing a contract with York City.

Born in Middlesbrough, McCarthy began his career with Hartlepool United on non-contract terms in November 1987 under manager John Bird, making his first-team debut at the age of 17 by playing the last ten minutes of the last game of the 1987–88 season.

Bird was sacked later in the year and his successor, Bobby Moncur, released McCarthy.

He had a short spell outside of the professional game after joining Shepshed Charterhouse of the Northern Premier League in March 1989.

John Bird persuaded McCarthy to join York City on a part-time contract in March 1990 and he made his debut in a 1–1 draw against Gillingham on 29 September.

While still studying at university he signed professional forms with York in March 1991.

He was named Clubman of the Year for 1991–92, after which he helped the club to promotion after winning the 1993 Football League Third Division play-off final at the end of 1992–93.

York chairman Douglas Craig revealed the club had turned down a £150,000 offer from Bradford City for McCarthy, valuing him at at least three times that amount.

He spent the next five years with the club, helping York to promotion via the play-offs in 1993, and twice being voted Clubman of the Year.

Following a 1994–95 season described as "superb" he was named Clubman of the Year a second time.

He played for York for five years and developed a reputation as one of the Football League's foremost right-sided wingers.

In 1995, he joined Port Vale for a £450,000 fee.

In his first year at Vale Park he was awarded the club's Player of the Year award, and also played in the Anglo-Italian Cup final.

He was bought by John Rudge's Port Vale for a £450,000 fee in August 1995, which at the time was York's record transfer fee received.

With McCarthy on the right-wing and Steve Guppy on the left-wing, Rudge played attacking wing-based football.

During his spell with Vale, McCarthy earned plaudits for his league performances and his display in the club's FA Cup tie against Everton, scoring the winning goal in a 2–1 victory at Vale Park.

He played in the 1996 Anglo-Italian Cup final, as Vale lost 5–2 to Genoa.

He won the club's Player of the Year award in 1996.

In 1997, he was sold on to Birmingham City for £1.5 million.

He played over 100 games within two seasons at Vale Park before he was snapped up by Birmingham City manager Trevor Francis in September 1997, who paid Vale a £1.5 million fee for him.

Vale had offered him a new three-year deal as his current contract was due to expire the following summer, which he had rejected in favour of a move elsewhere.

He helped Birmingham reach the First Division play-offs in 1998–99, but lost out to Watford after a penalty shoot-out.

They again reached the play-offs in 1999–2000, but McCarthy missed the semi-final defeat to Barnsley after breaking his leg.

The highlight of a five-year injury-plagued stay in Birmingham would be a League Cup final appearance in 2001.

The next year he was loaned out to Sheffield Wednesday, before a return to Port Vale was followed by a brief spell with Doncaster Rovers and a cameo return at York City.

After his recovery he played in the 2001 League Cup final defeat against Liverpool.

Despite breaking his leg three times within five years as a Birmingham player, he made well over 100 appearances for the club.

He had a one-month loan spell at fellow First Division side Sheffield Wednesday in April 2002.

Told he had no future at the club by manager and former teammate Steve Bruce, he left Birmingham on a free transfer.

In August 2002, McCarthy returned to previous club Vale, who were now in the Second Division.

Two months later he was released by Vale in the midst of a financial crisis and moved on to Doncaster Rovers in the Third Division.

Settling with Carlisle United, he left the Football League in 2003 to play for non-League Hucknall Town.

Hucknall were crowned Northern Premier League Premier Division champions in 2003–04, and following this success he won a deal with Northwich Victoria.

He helped the club to the Conference North title in 2005–06, before he retired in 2007.

He was appointed as first-team coach at Chester in January 2014, and after a brief spell as caretaker, became manager of the club in May 2016, before he was sacked in September 2017.

He then joined Southport for a four-year spell as assistant manager, before he was appointed assistant manager at Connah's Quay Nomads in October 2021.