Promotion Personalities – Ian McKinlay

The following article was published during the 1989-90 season in the match day programme and is reproduced here in full.

The subject of today’s profile, Ian Joseph McKinlay, was dubbed “Boy Wonder” as a 17 year-old when pitch-forked into Southport’s First team by Billy Bingham after only a few Lancashire Combination outings, but, within two years he was out on the Football scrap heap!

A native of Huyton, he played for Huyton Schoolboys and trained with Manchester United during his school holidays. He joined Wrexham’s groundstaff when just 15 and had England Youth trials before applying for a trial at Southport. After making a good impression in the Reserves. lan was signed as a full-time professional on 30th August 19606.

After Southport suffered three consecutive defeats he became one of the youngest players to represent the club when selected against Luton Town on 8th October. He showed outstanding promise in Southport’s 4-1 win which took them back into the top four in the Fourth Division. When Barrow were defeated by the same score two days later, lan scored his side’s fourth goal.

lan retained his place in the next seven League games, but injured ligaments in his knee on the 26th November in the First Round F.A. Cup defeat at Barnsley and was unable to win back his place in the League team. He did piay in two Lancashire Seninr Cup ties against Blackpool and Oldham Athletic to add to his appearance against Liverpool in the same competition. During the season he made 26 Lancashire Combination appearances and scored three goals.

lan spent most of the 1967-68 season in the Reserves, He plaved against Liverpool on New Years Day 1968 in the Lancashire Senior Cup and also in three Northern Floodlit Cup ties including the First Leg of the Final against Wigan Athletic at Springfield Park. Late in the season he came on as substitute at Grimsby and than had two full outings, at Torquay and in the return game with Grimsby Town at Haig Avenue on 2nd May, which was his last first team match before being freed.

lan joined Wigan Athletic, who had become founder members of the Northern Premier League, but was badly injured in a Reserve game against Bacup Borough which effectively finished his professional career. His only first team game with Wigan Athletic was the Northern Floodlit League game with Stockport County on 11th December 1968. Subsequently he played in the local leagues, but. when still a teenager, his career was at an end.

Had Ian been physically stronger, he was just 5ft 7ins and weighed 10st 4lbs whilst at Haig Avenue, he might have realised his undoubted precocicus talent and made a great name for himself in the game.

MIKE BRAHAM