Paul McCarthy (footballer)

For other people named Paul McCarthy, see Paul McCarthy (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Paul McCartney.

Paul Jason McCarthy (4 August 1971 – 19 February 2017) was an Irish footballer who last played for Ebbsfleet United as a defender. He made over 500 appearances in the Football League and Football Conference, notably for Brighton & Hove Albion, Wycombe Wanderers and Ebbsfleet United.

Paul McCarthy

Personal information
Full name	Paul Jason McCarthy[1]
Date of birth	(1971-08-04)4 August 1971
Place of birth	Cork, Ireland
Date of death	19 February 2017(2017-02-19) (aged 45)
Position(s)	Defender
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1989–1996	Brighton & Hove Albion	181	(6)
1996–2003	Wycombe Wanderers	212	(9)
2003	→ Oxford United (loan)	6	(1)
2003–2004	Oxford United	29	(2)
2004	Hornchurch	7	(2)
2004–2013	Ebbsfleet United	141	(6)
Total		576	(26)
International career
1989–1994	Republic of Ireland U21	10	(1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Born in Cork, County Cork, McCarthy began his career as a trainee with Brighton & Hove Albion, where he made over 200 league and cup appearances before joining Wycombe Wanderers for a fee of £100,000 in July 1996.^[2] He made over 250 appearances for Wycombe in seven seasons at the club,^[2] helping the club to a FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool in April 2001.^[3] He scored Wycombe's first goal in their quarter-final win over Premier League side Leicester City, paving the way for Roy Essandoh to score the winner. McCarthy joined Oxford United on loan in March 2003,^[4] joining the club on a permanent basis at the end of the season.^[5]

After 35 appearances for Oxford,^[2] he was released on a free transfer in summer 2004 and joined non-League club Hornchurch.^[6] He became available after Hornchurch ran into financial trouble and signed for Conference National club Gravesend & Northfleet (now Ebbsfleet United) in November 2004.^[7] He became club captain^[8] and by the end of the 2007–08 season, had made over 110 appearances for Ebbsfleet^[2] and collected a winners medal when Ebbsfleet won the FA Trophy in May 2008.^[9][10] He signed a new one-year contract with Ebbsfleet in June 2008 and a year later he was appointed as player–assistant manager at the club.^[11][12] Paul left Ebbsfleet in July 2013 following a change of owner at the club. He subsequently signed with Crowborough AFC on 4 August 2013.

McCarthy died suddenly on 19 February 2017, aged 45,^[13] of a suspected heart attack.^[14]

International career

He played and scored for the Republic of Ireland national football team at the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship.^[15]

Honours

• FA Trophy: 2008