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BRIAN MCGLINCHEY
Full Name: Brian Kevin McGlinchey
Born: 26 October 1977
Came from: Gillingham Went to: Torquay United
First game: 02 December 2000 Last game: 03 May 2003
Appearances: 79 (62/17) Goals: 2
Born in Derry, Northern Ireland, McGlinchey was one of Paul Sturrock's first signings at Argyle and a key player in the Division Three title-winning season.
He started his career with Manchester City in 1995 but did not make a first-team appearance in his three years with the club. In June 1998, he was signed by Port Vale and played 17 times for the then Second Division club during the 1998-99 season, scoring his first senior goal in a defeat at Oxford United in November 1998.
He was released by the Valiants before moving to Gillingham in August 1999, where he played only occasionally during an 18-month stay, making 23 appearances and scoring twice across two Third Division seasons at Priestfield. He made just six appearances during the club's 1999-2000 promotion season and did not feature in the play-off final victory over Wigan Athletic.
From Kent, he then moved to Home Park, where "Mad Dog", as he became known, went on to establish himself as the first-choice left-back and was virtually ever-present until suffering a broken bone in his foot during a home match against Scunthorpe United in January 2002. He did return to play a few minutes in the title-clinching win at Darlington, ending the season with another promotion and a Football League Third Division champions' medal for 2001-02, as part of Sturrock's all-conquering side that amassed a club-record 102 points.
The following season he shared the left-back role with Hasney Aljofree and, early in the next campaign, joined Torquay United on loan, playing 14 times for the Gulls. The move was soon made permanent and McGlinchey became a first-team regular at Plainmoor. In total he made 79 appearances and scored twice for Argyle. A poll in 2019 saw him voted by fans into the club's Top 20 Greatest-Ever Full-backs.
Having made his move to Plainmoor permanent, he played 34 league games in 2003-04 as the club secured promotion to League One from third place, sealing the third promotion of his career. They were, however, relegated back to League Two in 2004-05. He signed a 12-month contract in January 2005 but picked up a hamstring injury two months later. Following a further medical examination in April, the injury turned out to be a slipped disc. He underwent an operation in September 2005, but this did not solve the problem and he was forced to retire from professional football in May 2006.
Having passed qualifications with financial assistance from the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) during his time at the club, he then became a mortgage adviser at a bank in Plymouth. He also commentates on games for BBC Radio Devon and remains a regular at Home Park on match days.
YOUR CONTRIBUTION
If you can add to this profile, perhaps with special memories, a favourite story or the results of your original research, please contribute here.
From John Lloyd in Yiewsley, Uxbridge on 15 Oct 2013 ...
Part of the Third Division Championship winning side of 2001-02, Brian "Mad Dog" McGlinchey was a great example of the team ethos that underpinned the runaway success of those heady days.
Signed in December 2000 after a spell at Gillingham, he became first choice left-back, a reliable and energetic presence up and down the left wing and a popular figure amongst the fanbase.
The iconic moment that cements his place in our memomries surely has to be that goal away at Rushden in August 2001. Ro had pulled off "that save", we'd drawn level from being two down, and there he was to pop up and score the winner. The picture taken of his joyful celebration was practically a mirror of that famous Tardelli moment in the 82 World Cup. He would only score one more time for Argyle, at the right end, anyway.
Another memorable match for Glinch was Torquay, at home on Boxing Day when the new stands were opened for the first time. Two up, there came two calamitous moments as Glinch gave away an own goal and a penalty, ending the game in a surprising draw.
A measure of his popularity was that despite that error-strewn game, he remained a fans favourite, garnering great sympathy when a foot injury meant that he lost his place to Jon Beswetherick who made it his own for most of the rest of the season.
As with many of that legendary squad, he accepted his fate with good grace - something that was shown by his friendship with his rival, Beswetherick, which lasts to this day.
Injury curtailed his footballing career too soon, but his strong affinity with Argyle and Plymouth is evidenced by his remaining in the city to this day.
One of the good guys, for sure. One that knew that his place in the Argyle team was a privilege and one to be fought for.
APPEARANCE DETAILS [reselect competitions]
The details below reflect appearances in all first-team competitions.
We are very grateful to many who have helped write GoS-DB's player pen-pictures, and to Dave Rowntree and the PAFC Media Team for their help with photos. Thanks also to staff at the National Football Museum, the Scottish Football Museum and ScotlandsPeople for their valuable assistance.
The following publications have been particularly valuable in the research of pen-pictures: Plymouth Argyle, A Complete Record 1903-1989 (Brian Knight, ISBN 0-907969-40-2); Plymouth Argyle, 101 Golden Greats (Andy Riddle, ISBN 1-874287-47-3); Football League Players' Records 1888-1939 (Michael Joyce, ISBN 1-899468-67-6); Football League Players' Records 1946-1988 (Barry Hugman, ISBN 1-85443-020-3) and Plymouth Argyle Football Club Handbooks.
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