Rob McKinnon

Robert McKinnon (born 31 July 1966) is a Scottish former footballer, who played at both professional and international levels as a left back.

Rob McKinnon
Personal information
Full name Robert McKinnon[1]
Date of birth (1966-07-31) 31 July 1966
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Position(s) Left back
Youth career
1983–1984 Rutherglen Glencairn
1984–1985 Newcastle United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–1986 Newcastle United 1 (0)
1986–1992 Hartlepool United 247 (7)
1990 → Manchester United (loan) 0 (0)
1992–1996 Motherwell 152 (8)
1996–1998 Twente 50 (1)
1998–2000 Hearts 19 (0)
1999 → Hartlepool United 7 (0)
2000 → Carlisle United 8 (0)
2000–2002 Clydebank 51 (1)
2002–2005 Bellshill Athletic
2005–2006 East Kilbride Thistle
Total 532 (17)
International career
1993–1995 Scotland 3 (0)
1994–1995 Scotland B 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Active in Scotland, England, and the Netherlands, McKinnon made over 500 League appearances in a career which lasted from 1985 to 2002.

Career

Early years in England

Born in Glasgow, McKinnon played youth football in East Kilbride where his father coached a team.[2] He began his career playing Junior football with Rutherglen Glencairn[3] before turning professional in 1985 with Newcastle United;[4] however he only played one league game for the Magpies, a heavy defeat to Tottenham in which he was replaced by Paul Gascoigne (whose career was also in its infancy).[4]

McKinnon moved on to Hartlepool United,[5] where he helped the club achieve promotion from English football's fourth tier in 1990–91.[6] He also spent a short time on loan at Manchester United, although he did not play a competitive match for them.[5]

Motherwell

In January 1992 McKinnon returned to Scotland and joined Scottish Premier Division club Motherwell.[5] He formed part of a strong team built by manager Tommy McLean and his successor Alex McLeish - Motherwell achieved third place in 1993–94 and were runners-up in 1994–95, and McKinnon gained international recognition along with teammates Chris McCart, Brian Martin and Paul Lambert.[7]

However, Motherwell could not afford the wages to keep the players, and McKinnon and Lambert decided to move to continental clubs on a free transfer when their contracts expired in summer 1996 under the recently implemented Bosman ruling. Lambert signed for Borussia Dortmund, and McKinnon made the move to Dutch football, joining FC Twente.[8]

Eredivisie and return

McKinnon played regularly with Twente in the Eredivisie for two seasons[9] – in the first, the team finished third and qualified for the following year's UEFA Cup.[10] He returned to Scotland with Hearts on another free transfer,[11] but was unable to hold down a regular place in the side. He went back to Hartlepool on loan during 1999,[5] and had another loan with Carlisle United in 2000[12] before being released by Hearts.

He then moved down the divisions with Clydebank for two seasons,[3] before reverting to Junior football in 2002 with Bellshill Athletic where he had a period as player-coach alongside former Motherwell teammate Tommy Coyne.[13] Finally he turned out for hometown club East Kilbride Thistle at the age of 39.[14][15]

International

McKinnon was capped three times by the Scottish national side between 1993 and 1995 while playing with Motherwell,[16] as well as appearing for the B side[17] in the same period.

Personal life

His nephew Ross McKinnon is also a footballer and plays as a defender.[18]

Honours

Individual

References
  1. "Rob McKinnon". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  2. "EK Youth Club celebrates 40th anniversary". Daily Record. 3 June 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  3. "Rob McKinnon". Post War English & Scottish Football League A-Z Players Transfer Database. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  4. "Rab McKinnon profile". Toon1892.com - Newcastle United archive. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  5. "Rob McKinnon profile". In The Mad Crowd - Hartlepool United archive. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  6. "Football League tables season 1990-91". RSSSF. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  7. "Football / World Cup: McKinnon's road to Rome". The Independent. 4 October 1993. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  8. "The Joy of Six: free transfers". The Guardian. 21 June 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  9. "Rob McKinnon" (in Dutch). FC Twente-Files Archive. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  10. "Netherlands tables 1996-97". RSSSF. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  11. "Rab McKinnon". London Hearts Supporters Club. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  12. "Double-Sided: Carlisle United". Hartlepool United Football Club. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  13. "Mowgli improving with age". Falkirk Herald. 3 March 2005. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  14. "'Dream team' take top spots at EK Thistle". Daily Record. 18 June 2008. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  15. "East Kilbride Thistle 1-0 Vale of Leven". Vale of Leven F.C. 18 February 2006. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  16. "Scotland profile". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  17. "Scotland 'B' profile". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  18. "Jack delighted to capture McKinnon". Scottish Professional Football League. 7 February 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  19. Lynch. The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes. p. 148.
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