McCloy Phil Image 1 Ayr United 1924

Description

Uddingston, Lanarkshire born left back Philip McCloy played junior football for Baillieston Juniors in 1911, Mossend Hibernian in 1912, Kilsyth Emmet in 1913 and Parkhead Juniors in 1914 before he joined Scottish League Ayr United in 1918, going briefly on loan to Clyde the same year, where he made a single appearance for The Bully Wee. He spent seven years at Somerset Park, scoring 8 goals in 248 appearances for The Honest Men, during which time he won two international caps for Scotland, being first selected to play against England in a 1-1 draw at Wembley in April 1924 and then playing a year later in the same fixture which ended a 2-0 Scotland win at Hampden Park.

In the summer of 1925 he joined First Division Manchester City making his Football League debut against Cardiff City that August, they were both relegated come the end of the season. He reached the 1926 FA Cup Final in his first season, losing the Final to Bolton Wanderers at Wembley Stadium. He was described as “Shows uncanny powers of interception, not showy, but consistently effective, and generally a back whom an opposing forward finds difficult to outwit.”

A regular in the Manchester City line up for four seasons, in 1927-28 he played 38 games as Manchester City won The Second Division Championship, but he lost his place in February 1930 and transferred to Cork in the Irish League after 157 appearances for The Citizens, already aged 34. He soon returned to England with non league Chester later in 1930 and had spells with Stade Rennais in France in 1931, Workington in 1932 and Kidderminster Harriers in 1933 before hanging up his boots in the mid 1930’s.