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Former Blues Boss McCarthy Inducted into LMA Hall of Fame
Wednesday, 28th May 2025 17:57

Former Town boss Mick McCarthy was inducted into the LMA Hall of Fame 1000 Club at the 33rd League Managers Association Annual Awards dinner on Tuesday evening.

McCarthy was manager at Portman Road from 2012 until 2018, taking charge of 279 matches, winning 105, drawing 76 and losing 98, a win percentage of 37.63.

The former centre-half also had spells in charge of Millwall, Sunderland, Wolves, APOEL Nicosia in Cyprus, Cardiff City and Blackpool, as well as two stints with the Republic of Ireland, who he took to the last 16 of the 2002 World Cup. In total, Barnsley-born McCarthy has taken charge of 1,042 competitive matches.

David Moyes, Jose Mourinho and Ian Holloway were also inducted into the LMA Hall of Fame 1,000 Club, while Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou, Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, Eddie Howe of Newcastle, Arsenal Women’s manager Renee Slegers and Chelsea Women’s coach Sonia Bompastor all won the John Duncan Award, which recognises “those who have achieved historic and notable successes for their clubs this season” and is named after the 1980s Town boss.

The EFL Manager of the Year awards for each division went to Daniel Farke of Leeds, Chris Davies of Birmingham and Doncaster’s Grant McCann.

Bompastor also won the Barclays Women's Super League Manager of the Year, while Portsmouth’s Jay Sadler claimed the Barclays Women's Championship Manager of the Year.


Photo: Action Images



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Suffolkboy added 18:22 - May 28
Took on an almost ‘poisoned ‘ chalice at ITFC ,yet brought in and through some people of real character and integrity ! His life time achievements are a testimony to his unquenched love of football and much underrated total honesty and humanity !
Very well done !
COYB
15

Steelmonkey added 19:10 - May 28
Sorry but he doesn’t deserve it in my book.
I only speak of it with his involvement with town.
Okay he never had the backing that was needed under Evans, but the way he had us playing was absolutely diabolical at times and not acceptable in his position as manager in which the crowd attendances proved.
Games in which we never had a shot on goal, was that a result of him having lost the dressing room and players trying to edge him out?
Born in Barnsley but considered himself Irish, totally unhinged at the finish as his gesture to town fans was proved in that Norwich game.
I honestly think he did more damage to the club than what Keane did.
If you think I sound bitter about his stint as town manager then yes, you are correct and nothing will change my mind.
-16

Swailsey added 19:33 - May 28
Legend.
-1

tractorboybig added 19:39 - May 28
Kept us up with no support- in retrospect did a job without spending 150+ million to fail
3

Churchman added 19:56 - May 28
I couldn’t abide the way he set his teams up to play. Not my cup of tea at all. But he was successful as a manager and he was successful here. He had both hands tied behind his back and over achieved. How much he over achieved was shown by what happened when he left.

Mick deserves his recognition and should be welcomed at the club if he ever wants to come back here.
16

ArnieM added 20:46 - May 28
He did a very good job when he initially came in. He got us defending better ( well, with 11 men behind the ball it'd be hard not to really wouldnt it), but I'll be honest eith you, he eventually, near dingle handedly saw me return my season ticket in what turned out to be his last season. I'm pretty certain I'd have jacked in going had he done another season.

When a managed lines his team up at HOME not to lose first and giremost there has to be something wrong. I csn remember time and time again Knudsen bring the ball up the pitch. He literally stop dead as doon as he made the half way line, put his foot on the ball and pass back to the CB on the edge of our box. It eas mind numbingly boring to watch. I watched PR attendances plummet to just over 10k as people left in their droves.

It was a bad era, and after initial backing from the shi 1t faced Evans, McCa had little money to dornd, whilst the crown jewels from the academy were sold off. But he turned on the Town fans, for daring to question his tactics.... that was game over from that point onwards...He's part of Towns history during our lowest ebb, but I'm sure he should go into that Hall of Fame.
4

WestSussexBlue added 21:23 - May 28
I’m always surprised how easily MM is forgiven for some diabolical football here. Yes, he was given very little money to spend but some of the football at times was tedious and embarrassing.
As fans we had every right to express our feelings, this was often met with hostility and short snappy remarks to those of us treated to football from Robson, Lyall, Royle and Burley.
Paired with Evans, they both had a big hand in the way Town was run and subsequently fell to relegation. He did an okay job but legend, most definitely not.
1

poet added 22:04 - May 28
When Evans lost interest in the club, and failed to invest in the playing staff, McCarthy played his part by not rocking the boat, happy to just watch the club tread water.
‘Make do as mended’ became his mantra. In the end, the fans had enough of him. They voiced their anger, no occasion more poignant than the Norwich City away game. His reaction to that in front of both sets of fans was nothing short of embarrassing and totally unprofessional.
The writing was on the wall, he had to go. We were heading for relegation, which eventually occurred under Lambert. The damage was already done. When it became apparent to the majority of fans just what a disaster the McCarthy and Evans partnership was, incredibly though it may seem, there were still a few short sighted credulous fools making comments attempting to defend them.
Unbelievable.
6

Bert added 22:17 - May 28
A decent guy who didn’t quite keep up with the way modern football is now played. He may not have won everyone over but he gave it his all.
6

Rozeeboy74 added 22:22 - May 28
He was polishing the ITFC turd for many seasons.
2

algarvefan added 22:27 - May 28
I take the point about the later performances but what he did here was amazing really on a shoestring budget. He certainly deserves his induction in my book and although he'd be considered a dinosaur today he was an open and honest guy. I liked him and met him in Portugal at the Bobby Robson Golf tournament, he is a real gent to talk to. One of football's characters, bit like Neil Warnock and Marmite!!
7

darkhorse28 added 23:24 - May 28
Well deserved. Fantastic career, as honest and hard working as anyone we’ve had, saved us from relegation and 14/15 with the resources he had, was unbelievable.

I think k his and Terrys coaching and improvement in Daryl Murphy might be some of the best coaching I’ve seen as well.

Taking Ireland to knockout stages in a World Cup, losing to Spain on pens.

I feel sorry for him how it ended, his teams actually played good stuff when he had the players, I remember his premier league Wolves side coming here, and playing us off the park, when Jewell had signed JET and bowyer etc…, they played some great football.

His record of getting teams promoted, and staying in the prem, was superb.

If Evans had brought him in when he was throwing money around, I suspect he’d have got us promoted comfortably.

It’s a shame a lot of people only remember how it ends, and not how it starts and the good times.

Deserves nothing but respect .., did lose the plot at Norwich but so would most people after the abuse he got at times.

A top person as well as a cracking manager.

Peak Daryl Murphy…, that was a sight for sore eyes.
9

OliveR16 added 23:43 - May 28
He was a quality manager in several settings, but not in his later years here. He deserves the recognition even though I was glad to see him leave by the end.
3

bobble added 01:43 - May 29
His hundreds of trophies won with various teams clearly made this happen...
2

slade1 added 07:03 - May 29
Fully deserves it.
Simple as that
1

Northstandveteran added 08:22 - May 29
Would his style of hoof ball, leaving Delap up front with 10 at the back earned a few points?
2

Paulc added 08:22 - May 29
Mixed on Mick as far as Town are concerned for me. Did well at the start, saved us from relegation with zero support from the owner. Played an awful brand of football, and when the questions started coming from the fans and media he just became obnoxious. This culminated in him telling his own supporters to F off at sparrow road, which I don’t blame him for, he was getting dog’s abuse. The bit that made me dislike him was that he lied about it afterwards, just say I gave them back what they’d been giving me, rather than deny you did it. Having said that i can’t say he didn’t deserve this award for his overall contribution throughout his career, at the very least one way or another he has entertained us.
0

gippeswyk added 09:35 - May 29
Mick did the best with what he was given. A decent win ratio despite the defensive style or maybe because of it. The standout year was when Daryl Murphy was the divisions top scores after being an average player. Credit to Mick and Terry for that. Murphy and Didzy, when fit, were a formidable partnership. It’s unfair to label Mick as a boring tactician. When given the tools he got Town scoring goals.
3

AbujaBlue added 10:17 - May 29
Mick did a fantastic job with limited resources.

But tractorboybig what does the 150 mil have to do with anything? Classic whataboutery and incredibly cheap snipe as a completely different scenario. MMc didn't have the lowest squad value in league but we were on a steady decline due to lack of investment.

Kmk DID have the lowest squad value in the league (even after the 150m spend) yet had kept us in good stead to fight back next season.
1

SickParrot added 11:51 - May 29
By all accounts McCarthy was a decent bloke who was liked by all the support staff and most of the players. He deserves credit for saving us from relegation in his first season and then getting us to the playoffs on a limited budget. Subsequently he stuck to a low risk, defensive, hoofball hoping to keep a clean sheet and nick a goal from a set piece (home and away). Unsuprisingly the quality of football was poor, we didn't score many goals and there was very little else to enjoy. When an increasing number of fans expressed their dissatisfaction he was at first arrogant and dismissive and became belligerent and antagonistic, culminating with his F.off to Town fans at Carrow Rd. Hence he was sacked and left in a huff.
He is now understandably regarded as a dinosaur but his award correctly recognises the significant achievement of managing over 1000 games.
0

BangaloreBlues added 12:16 - May 29
He did a great job with us with little investment. I don't think anyone could have done any better. Shame it turned sour towards the end. He has done many great things overall in football, is hugely respected with the contribution he has made, and most players worked well with him.
4

braveblue added 12:47 - May 29
History being re-written. A disaster for us.
1

Dissboyitfc added 12:51 - May 29
If he was still in charge you could probably be guaranteed tickets on match days, enjoyed very little about his football!
1

Bugledog added 09:25 - May 30
The one positive about his tenure was that I could get tickets anywhere in the ground for any match easily.
0

londontractorboy57 added 09:40 - May 30
I gave up being a season ticket holder after the the so called fans treated a fellow human being after the Brentford away game absolutely disgusting.
Congratulations to Mick on his award.
0


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