- Birthdate: 24 February 1878
- Birthplace: Newton Stewart, Scotland
- Other clubs: Newton Stewart (1893-98), Hibernian (1898-1900), Middlesbrough (1902-04), Brynn Central (1904-05), Accrington Stanley (1905-06), Burslem Port Vale (1906-07), Bristol City (1907-08), Barrow (1908), Exeter City (1908-10)
- Signed from: Hibernian
- Signed for LFC: May 1900
- Liverpool debut: 06.10.1900
- Last appearance: 08.02.1902
- Debut goal: 27.10.1900
- Last goal: 04.01.1902
- Contract expiry: 02.12.1902
- Win ratio: 43.24% W:16 D:9 L:12
- Games/goals ratio: 2.64
- Honours: League Championship 1900/01
- Total games/goals opposite LFC: 1 / 0
- League games / goals: 32 / 14
- Total games / goals: 37 / 14
Player Profile
McGuigan was a speedy and tricky forward who was the first player to score five goals in a League game for Liverpool. His extraordinary quintet came against Stoke on 4 January 1902. It did make his task a lot easier that a number of Stoke's players were suffering from food poisoning after having eaten bad fish prior to the match. During the game a number of McGuigan's opponents had to leave the field to throw up and at one point there were only seven Stoke players left! McGuigan made his debut on 6 October 1900 when the Reds visited Derby County and scored five times in the 14 first division games he was selected for that year, enough to be eligible for a League Championship medal. Liverpool slumped to eleventh place a year later as they unsuccessfully defended their crown but McGuigan still contributed a goal every other game to give him very respectable final figures for Liverpool. After struggling with a knee injury McGuigan was transferred to Middlesbrough in December 1902. He broke down after only one game and Middlesbrough wanted Liverpool to return the heavy transfer fee paid for him but the Reds refused providing a doctor's certificate showing McGuigan with a clean bill of health. McGuigan left 'Boro after this single appearance.
McGuigan caused quite a stir in 1897 when he was a player with Newton Stewart and was invited to the Scotland International trials. In those days a seven-man selection committee picked the international team. The Evening Times wondered why a player from small-profile Newton Stewart was selected when the likes of Falkirk, Partick Thistle and Motherwell had no players present and Hearts, the current league champions, only had one player. He obviously didn't impress and the Evening Times said that McGuigan should not had "been asked to quit that region not even for an afternoon." The Scotsman later became a club director at Liverpool serving during the club's League Championship wins in 1922 and 1923.
Appearances per season
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps |
Minutes |
Opponent |
5 |
450 |
Everton |
3 |
270 |
Bolton Wanderers |
3 |
270 |
Derby |
3 |
270 |
Aston Villa |
2 |
180 |
Stoke City |
2 |
180 |
Sunderland |
2 |
180 |
Bury |
2 |
180 |
Manchester City |
2 |
180 |
Blackburn Rovers |
2 |
180 |
Notts County |
2 |
180 |
Wolves |
2 |
180 |
Nottingham Forest |
1 |
90 |
Sheffield United |
1 |
90 |
Birmingham City |
1 |
90 |
Sheffield Wednesday |
1 |
90 |
West Ham United |
1 |
90 |
Preston North End |
1 |
90 |
Southampton |
1 |
90 |
Newcastle United |
Total |
Venue |
19 |
Away |
18 |
Home |
Total |
W |
D |
L |
Win % |
Manager |
37 |
16 |
9 |
12 |
43.2% |
Tom Watson |
Goals per season
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Milestone Appearances
# |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
06.10.1900 |
Derby |
Baseball Ground |
League |
Milestone Goals
# |
Minute |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
0 |
27.10.1900 |
Preston North End |
Anfield |
League |
Related Articles
From the Lancashire Evening Post on 13 December, 1902.
Other Clubs
Club |
Season |
Club rank |
League apps |
League goals |
Total apps |
Total goals |
Newton Stewart |
1893-1898 |
Scotland |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Hibernian |
1898-1899 |
Scotland Division 1 |
17 |
4 |
17 |
4 |
Hibernian |
1899-1900 |
Scotland Division 1 |
18 |
12 |
18 |
12 |
Middlesbrough |
1903-1904 |
England First Division |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Brynn Central |
1904-1905 |
Lancashire Combination 2 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Accrington Stanley |
1905-1906 |
Lancashire Combination 1 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Port Vale |
1906-1907 |
England Second Division |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Bristol City |
1907-1908 |
England First Division |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Barrow |
1908 |
Lancashire Combination 2 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Exeter City |
1908-1910 |
Southern League 1 |
44 |
20 |
44 |
20 |
Total |
80 |
36 |
80 |
36 |