Aidan McCaffrey
Encyclopedia
Aidan McCaffery is an English former professional footballer and football club manager. As player, he made 370 appearances in the Football League
, playing as a central defender
for Newcastle United
, Derby County
, Bristol Rovers
, Bristol City
, Torquay United
, Exeter City
, Hartlepool United
and Carlisle United
. As manager, he spent the 1991–92 season in charge of Carlisle United.
and went on to captain the England
Youth side. He turned professional in January 1974 and made his league debut against Ipswich Town
in March 1975. His first senior goal for the club came in an FA Cup
replay against Sheffield United
in January 1977.
After 59 league games for the Magpies (scoring four goals) he moved to Derby County
in August 1978 for a fee of £60,000, making his Rams' debut on 15 September in a 3–2 win against West Bromwich Albion
at the Baseball Ground
.
In August 1980, after Derby's relegation
, he moved to Bristol Rovers
for a fee of £70,000, having scored four times in 37 games for Derby. The following season he scored the only goal of the game as Rovers beat local rivals Bristol City
for the first time in ten meetings. He was loaned by Rovers to their local rivals Bristol City
in February 1982, when City were in a financial crisis that saw them come very close to extinction and lose many of their players. He returned to Bristol Rovers and became a regular in their side, playing 184 times and scoring 11 goals in five seasons.
In March 1985 he joined Torquay United
on loan and in July that year moved to Exeter City
on a free transfer. He made 58 league appearances for the Grecians before a £3,000 move back to his native north-east, joining Hartlepool United
in February 1987.
He was released after only six games and was playing for Whitley Bay
when he was appointed youth coach at Carlisle United
in January 1988. He played 14 times for the Cumbrians that season before retiring to concentrate on his coaching duties under manager Clive Middlemass
. When Middlemass was sacked in April 1991, McCaffery took over as manager, Carlisle ending the season in 20th place in the Fourth Division
. The following season saw Carlisle struggle financially and finish bottom of the league, only saved from relegation to the Football Conference
by the unfortunate demise of Aldershot
. A new owner, Michael Knighton
, took over the club the following summer and McCaffery left in September 1992, having expressed doubts about Knighton's plans.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, playing as a central defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
, Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
, Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
, Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
, Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
, Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
, Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
and Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
. As manager, he spent the 1991–92 season in charge of Carlisle United.
Career
McCaffery began his career as an apprentice with Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
and went on to captain the England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
Youth side. He turned professional in January 1974 and made his league debut against Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
in March 1975. His first senior goal for the club came in an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
replay against Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
in January 1977.
After 59 league games for the Magpies (scoring four goals) he moved to Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
in August 1978 for a fee of £60,000, making his Rams' debut on 15 September in a 3–2 win against West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
at the Baseball Ground
Baseball Ground
The Baseball Ground was a stadium in Derby, England. It was first used for baseball as the home of Derby County Baseball Club from 1890 until 1898 and then for football as the home of Derby County from 1895 until 1997. It was commonly referred to as the "BBG".As the name suggests, the stadium was...
.
In August 1980, after Derby's relegation
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
, he moved to Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
for a fee of £70,000, having scored four times in 37 games for Derby. The following season he scored the only goal of the game as Rovers beat local rivals Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
for the first time in ten meetings. He was loaned by Rovers to their local rivals Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
in February 1982, when City were in a financial crisis that saw them come very close to extinction and lose many of their players. He returned to Bristol Rovers and became a regular in their side, playing 184 times and scoring 11 goals in five seasons.
In March 1985 he joined Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
on loan and in July that year moved to Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
on a free transfer. He made 58 league appearances for the Grecians before a £3,000 move back to his native north-east, joining Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
in February 1987.
He was released after only six games and was playing for Whitley Bay
Whitley Bay F.C.
Whitley Bay Football Club are an English football club based in the North-East of England. The present Whitley Bay Football Club was formed in 1950 and was known as Whitley Bay Athletic...
when he was appointed youth coach at Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
in January 1988. He played 14 times for the Cumbrians that season before retiring to concentrate on his coaching duties under manager Clive Middlemass
Clive Middlemass
Clive Middlemass is an English former professional footballer and manager. As a player, he made 169 appearances in the Football League as a defender for Workington...
. When Middlemass was sacked in April 1991, McCaffery took over as manager, Carlisle ending the season in 20th place in the Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
. The following season saw Carlisle struggle financially and finish bottom of the league, only saved from relegation to the Football Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
by the unfortunate demise of Aldershot
Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
. A new owner, Michael Knighton
Michael Knighton
Michael Knighton is an English businessman who is best known for his involvement in Manchester United and Carlisle United football clubs.-Early life:...
, took over the club the following summer and McCaffery left in September 1992, having expressed doubts about Knighton's plans.
External links
- League stats at Neil Brown's site