THERE cannot be too many players that are talked into giving up football at the age of 26 to take up coaching a boys club, however Raith Rovers manager John McGlynn was and he is extremely grateful to his brother Charlie for doing the talking over 20 years ago.
Fans of the Kirkcaldy club must also be pleased that McGlynn the player, became McGlynn the coach, as they sit in fifth position after the opening 11 games in their first season back in the First Division.
McGlynn explained how his career-definin
g moment came about. "I had been playing football since I left school at 17, and was with Whitehill Welfare when Charlie talked about forming Lothian Boys Club. He wanted to set up a boys club, better that any either of us had been involved in, and he wanted me to help with the coaching."
"I needed a bit of convincing, but it was a real family thing and I let him twist my arm. I glad he did because it has changed my life over the last two decades and I thank him for it now."
Turning to coaching from playing was the turning point in the career of the Rovers boss, which ironically began at the ground where now manages.
Midfielder McGlynn was picked out from the ranks at Musselburgh Windsor to play a trial match for Rovers at Stark's Park against a Fife select. His performance brought him to the attention of Bolton manager Ian Greaves and the midfielder left home to join the Lancashire side aged just 17.
After 18 months the lure of the family base in Wallyford was too strong and McGlynn returned home and signed for Berwick Rangers in 1980.
The Shielfield club were a First Division side when McGlynn joined, however that ended with relegation the following season, although he remained a Shielfield player until 1983 when he joined junior club Musselburgh Athletic.
McGlynn was able to start learning from the coaching of Billy Brown, who now assists Jim Jefferies at Kilmarnock and after a year at Musselburgh, McGlynn made the move to East of Scotland League side Whitehill Welfare, where he stayed for three seasons until his brother intervened.
"Participating in the Scottish Cup was always exciting with Whitehill and we took the scalp of Albion Rovers, but playing was soon put on the back burner. I did make the odd appearance for sides I coached or managed but playing every week ended when I was 26."
Establishing the boys club was an ambitious project with teams ranging from under-12 to under-19. After achieving that, McGlynn moved on to become co-manager at East of Scotland League side Easthouses Lily. After a year there he moved back to Musselburgh in 1995 where local man Brown was able to hear how well he was doing.
Brown and Jefferies were at Hearts by this time and they quickly asked McGlynn to come on board to help coach the Tynecastle Under-16's and Kenny Milne, Scott Severin and Robbie Nielson were developed into senior players under McGlynn's guidance.
The chance to go full time came when Paul Hegarty left for Aberdeen and Peter Houston moved up to first team coach. McGlynn looked after the reserve and under-18 sides, although he was forced to give up the alternative career as a plumber he had started 20 years earlier.
Craig Levein came in to Tynecastle in 2000 and McGlynn became involved in the first team and his profile increased as he took caretaker charge of the club on three occasions, before deciding that the time was right to become his own man at Raith Rovers almost three years ago.
McGlynn explained. "Hearts were looking for foreign managers and I decided if I wanted to be my own man I had to take a step back to take a step forward."
Asked if he had any regrets over having his arm twisted all those years ago McGlynn responded, "No it is a dream come true, to be involved in football every day is a joy. Of course, there is pressure but I am delighted to have made the choices I have."
• John McGlynn's full interview can be read at The Co-operative Insurance League Insider at www.theleagueinsider.com
