Ernie Hannigan

Ernest Hannigan (23 January 1943 – 21 May 2015) was a Scottish footballer. Hannigan was a fast, tricky, right winger. He is perhaps best known for his games at 3 clubs and the partnership he forged with Scotland international centre forward Neil Martin at 2 of them; 147 games at Queen of the South and 47 at Coventry City (he played with Martin at both) and also for 98 games in between at Preston North End.

Career

Queen of the South Ernie Hannigan kicked off his professional career joining Jimmy McKinnell Junior's Queen of the South in 1961, the Dumfries based club having spotted him playing amateur football in Glasgow with St Roch. As Hannigan later said, "Going to Queen of the South turned out to be a great move". Fast and tricky, he made his debut there at 17 on 5 April 1961 away to Albion Rovers. George Farm – Blackpool goalkeeper when winning the 1953 F.A. Cup final – became manager in the close season. Farm signed future Scotland international centre forward Neil Martin. Hannigan and Martin formed a great pairing that helped Queen of the South gain promotion back to the Scottish First Division (then Scotland's top flight). Also still at Queens at this time was Jim Patterson (251 strikes for the club make Jim Patterson the all time goals king of Queens).

Hannigan's two remaining seasons at Queens were spent playing top division football. In this spell Queens recorded a 1-0 league victory away to Celtic. Teammate Iain McChesney later in an interview reflecting on his 20 years at Queens named Hannigan as being amongst the best player he played beside.

Ernie Hannigan stayed with Queens at Palmerston Park making 99 league appearances scoring 6 league goals until he was 20 when Preston signed him for £15,000 in June 1964. that month before returning to Coventry.

Later career

On leaving Coventry in 1970, Hannigan returned to Scotland with Morton, and died at the age of 72 on 21 May 2015