Mike McCartney

Michael McCartney (28 September 1954 – 2 January 2018) was a Scottish footballer who played as a full-back in the 1970s and 1980s. He spent most of his career with Carlisle United, for whom he made nearly 300 League appearances in two spells, between which he played for Southampton and Plymouth Argyle. He subsequently had years as manager of Scottish club Gretna.

Playing career McCartney was born in Musselburgh and grew up as a supporter of Edinburgh club Heart of Midlothian. Having played international football for the Scottish Schoolboys, he turned down the opportunity to join Hearts as a trainee and instead moved to England, joining West Bromwich Albion, for whom he signed on as an apprentice in July 1970. Although he signed a professional contract in December 1971, he failed to break into the first team.

In May 1973, he joined his former manager at Albion, Alan Ashman, signing for Second Division Carlisle United. At the end of McCartney's first season at Brunton Park, Carlisle finished in third place in the Second Division and were promoted to the First Division for the first time in the club's history. The Cumbrian club only managed one season in the top division, in which they finished in last place following which Carlisle fell down through the divisions and by 1977 they were in the Third Division.

He remained at Carlisle for five years during which time they were relegated twice In February 1986, McCartney suffered an ankle injury in a match at Sunderland initially as a player-manager, becoming full-time manager the following year. In his first season as manager, Gretna finished as runners-up in the Northern League, followed by the championship in the next two years.

Following their success in the Northern League, Gretna applied to join the Scottish League and McCartney himself worked on the required ground improvements. Following the failure of the application, and against McCartney's wishes, Gretna joined the Northern Premier League for the 1992–93 season, where they finished in a respectable sixth place. McCartney was concerned that the additional costs of travelling to clubs across northern England and North Wales would cause the club financial difficulties. Gradually the club's performances deteriorated with finishes in the lower half of the league In 2006, they reached the Scottish Cup Final, where they were defeated on penalties by McCartney's boyhood heroes, Hearts. Although Gretna defender Derek Townsley supplied him with a complimentary ticket to the Cup Final, McCartney supported Gretna's opponents.

McCartney watched Hearts regularly, travelling from his home in Carlisle, where he worked in the building trade and as a van driver. He died in January 2018, aged 63, following an illness.

Honours

As manager Gretna Northern League Division One Champions: 1990–91, 1991–92 Runners-up: 1989–90