Salford-born McNulty made 59 appearances for Manchester United in seven years and won the League championship in the 1951/52 season. He took over the left-back slot at Liverpool that had been held at the start of that year by Eddie Spicer and played in the last dozen first division games of the season. But the experience he had gained in Manchester was not enough to prevent his new club dropping down into the Second Division when they finished right at the bottom of the table. No fewer than 31 different men had figured in that relegation campaign but as Liverpool tried to come to terms with a lower standard of football, McNulty failed to nail down a regular place in the side. He did make the team for the first 14 League fixtures of 1954/55 but then lost his place to Ray Lambert and was only picked on a further five occasions that year. McNulty could play on either flank and remained at Anfield for another three years, during which he made just five more first-team 'starts' as Molyneux and Moran developed a good understanding at the back.