Ted McMinn

Kevin Clifton "Ted" McMinn (born 28 September 1962) is a Scottish former association footballer who played as a winger. His nickname is The Tin Man.

Playing career

Early years Born in Castle Douglas and raised in nearby Dumfries, In his autobiography McMinn stated it was because as a toddler he and his teddy bear were inseparable.

McMinn returned to Palmerston Park under the new regime of Norman Blount to play for a Queen of the South select on 23 April 1995. The opposition in the 2–2 draw was Rangers in a game to mark Queens' 75th anniversary and the opening of the new stand. Other guests for Queens included Andy Thomson, Davie Irons and Rowan Alexander. In McMinn's full Rangers debut against Dumbarton at Boghead he scored direct from a corner kick.

Former teammate Derek Ferguson recalled, "I'll never forget playing with Ted in a reserve game at Ibrox. He was running down the wing full speed and crossed the ball into the box. He just kept running so he had to jump over a wall into the Copland Road stand, carried on up the stairs then disappeared down the other side."

Graeme Souness succeeded Jock Wallace as Rangers manager in April 1986. Souness went on to remark, "How can I tell Ted McMinn what to do when he doesn't know what he's going to do?" Rangers were Scottish Champions in 1986–87 for the first time in nine seasons. McMinn later said of his time at Rangers, "Davie Cooper was my hero and we got on well." He added, "I wasn't getting on with Souness. I was stepping out of line too often."

He broke his leg three weeks after signing but he recovered to play 22 league games. Wallace's departure from the club unsettled McMinn. Despite public protests at his impending departure McMinn decided to return to the UK. With English clubs banned from Europe at the time McMinn missed out on a UEFA Cup place.

In November 1989 – with McMinn on the verge of a call-up to the national side ahead of the 1990 FIFA World Cup – he was struck by a serious knee injury in an away game against Tottenham Hotspur. McMinn was out for 14 months.

In November 2004 Igor Stimac was voted Derby County's all-time cult hero by BBC's Football Focus viewers. Stimac won with 59% of the vote, ahead of Ted McMinn who came second with 30%.

Birmingham City Ted McMinn had one season with Birmingham City signing on 28 July 1993.

Despite only two seasons at Turf Moor McMinn came third in the BBC Football Focus Burnley cult heroes poll behind Jimmy McIlroy and Leighton James.

Later playing career Ted McMinn ended his playing career with Australian club ECU Joondalup and then Slough Town. when Wright soon took over at Conference strugglers Chester City. The club avoided relegation as the pair set about turning the club's fortunes around. McMinn then parted company with both Wright and Chester when he departed in July 2002.

Life after football

In 2004 McMinn became the match summariser for BBC Radio Derby, In his three years with the station he attended all Derby County's matches.

McMinn contracted a mystery infection that led to most of his right foot being amputated. McMinn then opted to have more of his leg removed in a bid to gain more mobility and independence with a prosthetic limb. As a tribute to McMinn, on 1 May 2006, former players of both Derby County and Rangers contested a match at Derby County's Pride Park Stadium in which a record 33,475 spectators attended – around 10,000 of them being Rangers fans. McMinn said to the Scottish press that he had also received well wishes from Queen of the South fans.

He left Radio Derby after only the first game of the 2007–08 season, saying he felt "let down" and undervalued by the station following contract negotiations. It was announced in the Derby Evening Telegraph on 13 February 2007 that McMinn has started up a courier and taxi business. The Wisden Cricketer magazine reported that in 2011, McMinn was employed as full-time kit-man by Derbyshire County Cricket Club. His LinkedIn account states he left that role in 2013.