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Francis Peter McGarvey (17 March 1956 – 1 January 2023) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a forward, mostly for Celtic and St Mirren. He also played seven times in international matches for Scotland.

Career

McGarvey was born in Glasgow on 17 March 1956. He was signed from Colston Y.C. by Kilsyth Rangers for the start of the 1974–75 season. He finished the season as top scorer with 21 goals. He was signed by Alex Ferguson for St Mirren after a tip off from Willie Thornton the ex-Rangers player and assistant manager. He made his debut for St Mirren on 26 April 1975 and soon became a first team regular, scoring 17 times in the 1976–77 season and helping the club win the Scottish First Division.

McGarvey's form attracted the attention of Bob Paisley and, in May 1979, McGarvey signed for Liverpool for £270,000. His tenure with the club lasted ten months. Unable to break into the first team, he sought a transfer. Liverpool accepted a bid of £270,000 by Celtic in March 1980, and for a short time McGarvey became Scotland's most expensive footballer.

McGarvey played 245 times for Celtic over five years, scoring 113 goals. In that time he won two League Championships, two Scottish Cups and a Scottish League Cup; however, Celtic manager David Hay had decided that Mo Johnston and Brian McClair would be his preferred forwards for the 1985–86 season and decided not to offer a contract extension to McGarvey. In his final game for Celtic, he scored the winning goal six minutes from the end of the 1985 Scottish Cup Final.

In June 1985, McGarvey rejoined St Mirren for £80,000. Two years later, he won a third Scottish Cup with them. In total he played 387 times for St Mirren, scoring 125 goals. Later in his career, McGarvey had spells with Dumfries club Queen of the South (where he was player-manager), Clyde (with whom he won a Second Division Championship title at the age of 37) before playing in junior football with Shotts Bon Accord and Troon.

Having retired from the game before footballers began earning high salaries (he noted that he earned £330 a week while playing for Celtic), McGarvey later worked as a joiner in Scotland.

In 2008, McGarvey wrote an autobiography, Totally Frank, in which he described the highs and lows of his career and revealed how he overcame a long-time gambling addiction.

In 2009, Celtic were drawn with Rapid Vienna of Austria in a Europa League tie – 25 years after a controversial Cup Winners' Cup game at Celtic Park when a Rapid Vienna player claimed to have been hit by a bottle thrown by a Celtic fan. Celtic were in the lead, but UEFA ordered a replay of the match at a neutral venue – and the Austrian side ultimately won the re-match at Old Trafford, Manchester. McGarvey sparked controversy among Rapid Vienna officials and fans by urging the club to apologise for what he classed as "completely disrespectful" and a "hornet's nest" in the form of their fans behaving in a manner which caused the game to be cancelled in hope of being able to get through to the next stage of the competition.

Personal life and death

In October 2022, McGarvey's family announced that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He died on 1 January 2023, at age 66, with his son confirming the news on social media.

Honours

St Mirren

• Scottish First Division: 1976–77
• Scottish Cup: 1986–87

Liverpool

• The Central League: 1979–80

Celtic

• Scottish Premier Division: 1980–81, 1981–82
• Scottish Cup: 1979–80, 1984–85
• Scottish League Cup: 1982–83

Clyde

• Scottish Second Division: 1992–93

Shotts Bon Accord

• Central Jr League Cup: 1994–95

References

1. "Frank McGarvey – Scotland Football League Record from 26 Apr 1978 to 26 Apr 1978 clubs – St Mirren". londonhearts.com. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
2. "Frank McGarvey, former Celtic and St Mirren striker, dies aged 66". The Guardian. PA Media. 1 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
3. ^ Esplin, Ronnie (4 January 2023). "Obituary: Frank McGarvey, former Celtic striker who won every major medal in Scotland". The Scotsman. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
4. Ferguson, John. Kilsyth Rangers: A History, 1945–1995, Nekton Books (1 September 1995), ISBN 978-1897995044
5. Wilson, Jeremy (January 2023). "Frank McGarvey dead: Former Celtic, St Mirren and Scotland striker dies, aged 66, from pancreatic cancer". The Telegraph. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
6. Paton, Ewan (January 2023). "Celtic pay tribute to Frank McGarvey following sad passing". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
7. ^ "Frank McGarvey: Former Celtic, St Mirren and Scotland forward dies aged 66". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
8. "Frank McGarvey". Sporting Heroes. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
9. ""For two years he was a genius," McGarvey on £90-a-week Nicholas, offered a tenner pay rise by Celtic". The Celtic Star. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
10. McGarvey, Frank; Esplin, Ronnie (2008). Totally Frank. Mainstream. ISBN 978-1-84596-364-4.OL 36692755M
11. "Rapid Vienna change their minds over Celtic strip issue", The Guardian, 25 September 2009.
12. Cassidy, Peter (15 October 2022). "Frank McGarvey thanks Celtic fans for support following cancer diagnosis". STV News. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
13. "Celtic icon Frank McGarvey dies aged 66 as tributes flood in". The Herald. 1 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
14. ^ "Frank McGarvey on Sir Alex relationship". Paisley Daily Express. Yumpu. 20 February 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
    "Frank McGarvey opens up on love-hate relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson". Paisley Daily Express. 20 February 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
15. ^ "Frank McGarvey, Saints Career". StMirren.info. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
16. "LIVERPOOL SQUAD – 1979/1980". Play up Liverpool. 31 May 1980. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
    "When You See a Chance Take It – Frank McGarvey & Liverpool". The Greatest Team. 1 February 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
17. "Frank McGarvey". Sporting Heroes. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
18. "1980 Scottish Cup Final".
    "1985 Scottish Cup Final". FitbaStats. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
19. "1982 Scottish League Cup Final". FitbaStats. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
20. "Past Masters #8: Frank McGarvey". Clyde FC. 24 November 2003. Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
    "SAINTS OF '87: Where are they now?". Evening Times. 15 February 2008. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
21. "Player: Frank McGarvey". SBA Academy. Retrieved 8 June 2021.

External links

• Frank McGarvey at WorldFootball.net
• Frank McGarvey at National-Football-Teams.com
• Frank McGarvey at EU-Football.info
• Profile as a St Mirren player
• Career statistics
• Profile as a Celtic player

• 1956 births
• 2023 deaths
• Footballers from Glasgow
• Men's association football forwards
• Celtic F.C. players
• Clyde F.C. players
• Kilsyth Rangers F.C. players
• Liverpool F.C. players
• Queen of the South F.C. managers
• Queen of the South F.C. players
• Scotland men's international footballers
• Scotland men's under-21 international footballers
• Scottish Football League managers
• Scottish Football League players
• Scottish Football League representative players
• Scottish football managers
• Scottish men's footballers
• Shotts Bon Accord F.C. players
• Troon F.C. players
• St Mirren F.C. players
• Scottish league football top scorers
• Scottish Junior Football Association players
• Deaths from pancreatic cancer