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Former Blues Centre-Half McAuley Retires
Monday, 30th Sep 2019 09:59

Former Town central defender Gareth McAuley has announced his retirement, aged 39.

The Northern Irishman was signed by Jim Magilton from Leicester City in the summer of 2008 for £1.1 million and went on to make 126 starts and one sub appearance, scoring eight times before departing on a Bosman free transfer to West Brom in the summer of 2011.

McAuley, who won 80 caps for his country, scoring nine goals, spent seven years at the Hawthorns, during which time he played in the Premier League, before joining Rangers for his final season in the summer of 2018.

Born in Larne, McAuley started his career in English football with Lincoln City having been with Linfield, Ballyclare Comrades (loan), Crusaders and Coleraine in his home country.

Announcing his retirement, McAuley, who was given an MBE earlier this year for services to Northern Irish football, released a statement on social media in which he said: “It’s been a dream, a privilege and an honour to represent so many great clubs and work under managers and coaches who helped mould my career.”


Photo: Action Images



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CavendishBlue added 10:43 - Sep 30
Amoungst a few other bizarre Town related memorabilia, I own a luxury Christmas tree bouble signed by the man homself.

It was one of those charity auction item's that seemed likd a good idea at the time.....
5

trueblues78 added 11:14 - Sep 30
One of the best defenders I can remember in recent times. Solid and no messing around. Great to watch if you like defending.
4

nathitfc89 added 11:49 - Sep 30
Happy retirement, he could still do a job in league 1 I reckon if he ever gets bored of retirement!
0

wkj added 14:40 - Sep 30
Great player, shame he got stifled here. Did well to overcome his confidence being put in the toilet by doing the business with Palace. Happy retirement to him, he's put a shift in!
0

wkj added 14:41 - Sep 30
What a tit, I was thinking of the wrong player. Dumb
0

Linkboy13 added 15:48 - Sep 30
Formed one of the best central defensive partnerships with Damien Delaney who i think was very underated the club has ever seen, something we haven't quite achieved yet.
1

miltonmowbray added 17:35 - Sep 30
Good player for the club, wish him all the best in the future.

(Not sure I'd go as far as to describe Delaney / MacAuley as 'one of the best central defensive partnerships...the club has ever seen' though!)
3

miltonmowbray added 17:35 - Sep 30
Good player for the club, wish him all the best in the future.

(Not sure I'd go as far as to describe Delaney / MacAuley as 'one of the best central defensive partnerships...the club has ever seen' though!)
0

Linkboy13 added 18:16 - Sep 30
Miltonmowbray I didn't say the best one of the best. Both players went on to better themselves and play in the premier league maybe that's just luck.
-5

Dissboyitfc added 18:18 - Sep 30
happy retirement Gareth, enjoy!

Never rated Delaney whilst at Ipswich though!
-3

WhoisJimmyJuan added 18:19 - Sep 30
Not sure I'd go as far as to describe Delaney/MacAuley as 'one of the best defensive partnerships...the club has ever seen' though!
0

senduntd added 18:45 - Sep 30
Got to be Beatty and Hunter
3

ronnyd added 19:14 - Sep 30
Or Butcher and Osman.
1

Linkboy13 added 19:37 - Sep 30
Dissboyitfc Delaney proved you wrong he went on and played for Palace for several seasons, people forget he had a very serious injury at Ipswich ,he'd walk into this team it's not all about image its what you do on the pitch that matters.
-4

Steelmonkey added 21:57 - Sep 30
linkboy13 your obviously too young to remember Beattie and Hunter, if you voted them down!!
McAuley and Delaney were a good partnership, but let's just remember who the idiot we had in charge was at that time and who systematically undermined the confidence of many of our players by the vitriol that he uttered and the bullying that he gave out.
Keane changed so much at this club and his inability to manage and poor choice in the transfer market started the downward spiral that we found ourselves in.
3

miltonmowbray added 22:46 - Sep 30
Linkboy13...re-read my post, I didn't misquote you.

That 'both players went on to better themselves and play in the premier league' - is true. I agree that it wasn't 'just luck'. I also agree that Delaney would 'walk into this team'.

However we're currently playing in the third tier of English football....as such I'd suggest that quite a number of ex-players from our illustrious history would 'walk into this team'.

The fact that after they left Ipswich both players went on to have good careers at mid-table top flight club(s) is great, but isn't enough to be labelled them 'one of the best'. To be one of the best you need to have done it here, not at some other point in your career.

Straight off the bat Hunter, Beattie, Butcher, Osman, Mowbray, Baxter, Hermann, etc were all streets ahead, hit their heights in a town shirt, and did so in the top flight and in Europe.

Anyway I shouldn't be arguing this here, well done Gareth, enjoy your retirement!
1

Dissboyitfc added 07:06 - Oct 1
Linkboy, Re-read my post! i said i never rated him whilst at Ipswich!

Lots of players dont click at certain clubs! Maybe it was the dark lord who couldnt bring out the best in Delaney!

Take James wilson for instance,he has looked really good for us, wasnt rated so much by Lincoln.

And when you are talking Great CB pairings, Its Beatie Hunter or Osman Butcher, they were real quality!
1

Bergholtblue added 08:42 - Oct 1
............. “It's been a dream, a privilege and an honour to represent so many great clubs and work under managers and coaches who helped mould my career.”

I wonder if Roy Keane is on that list? I suppose Keane did help mould his career. By telling him he was not fit to wear the Town shirt, he went on to have a long and glittering career at WBA playing at the top level.
0

KiwiBlue2 added 08:52 - Oct 2
A very solid cb who did very well in the Premier League. Similarly Delaney did well at Palace. I hope Gareth enjoys success in his future endeavours and thank him for his solid effort for Town.......
0


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