Danny McGrain

Scottish footballer and manager
the Celtic and Scotland player

Daniel Fergus McGrain (born 1 May 1950) is a Scottish former professional footballer, who played for Celtic, Hamilton Academical and the Scotland national team as a right back. McGrain is regarded as one of Scotland's greatest players and throughout the 1970s and 80s as one of the best full backs in world football; sports writer Hugh McIlvanney commented, "Anybody who saw him at his best had the unmistakable impression of watching a great player, probably one who had no superior anywhere in the world." McGrain began his career at Celtic and was one of the "Quality Street Gang", a group of young players that emerged in the late 1960s. He progressed to the first team and went on to play 659 competitive games for Celtic between 1970 and 1987, winning seven League Championships, five Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups. He spent his final season of his career with Hamilton, where he helped win them promotion to the Premier Division. McGrain played in the 1974 and 1982 World Cups for Scotland. His 62 caps earned him a place in the Scotland national football team roll of honour and he was inducted to the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2004. After retiring from playing, McGrain had a spell as manager of Arbroath in the early 1990s, and is now currently part of the coaching staff at Celtic.

Born in Glasgow and raised in the city's Drumchapel area, McGrain played for Queen's Park Strollers and also featured for the Scotland Schools team, where he was scouted and signed for Celtic in May 1967, aged 17. He then went on and made his league debut three days later in the opening fixture against Morton at Celtic Park. in place of Jim Craig who had left the club at the end of the previous season. McGrain now became a first team regular and made 30 league appearances that season. He also rose through the ranks at international level, making two appearances for the Scotland Under 23 side in the spring of 1973, before finally making his debut at full international level for Scotland in May 1973 against Wales at Wrexham. By the mid 1970s, McGrain was considered by many to be one of the best full backs in the world. He played as what is known today as an attacking full back and contributed significantly in both attacking moves as well as in defence. He won a further league championship title and a Scottish Cup in 1974 and played in the World Cup for Scotland that same year. In 1977, McGrain won his second league and cup double. He was also voted Player of the Year by the Scottish Football Writers' Association. McGrain became captain of Celtic at the start of season 1977–78 in the wake of Kenny Dalglish's departure to Liverpool. However, a troublesome foot injury that medical staff struggled to identify or treat adequately saw McGrain miss most of the season with Celtic. He also missed the 1978 World Cup for Scotland. Celtic finished the season trophy less and failed to qualify for European competition for the first time since the early 1960s. McGrain eventually recovered from his mystery foot injury played in the club's last 18 league fixtures of the season in the spring of 1979. On his return from injury, a change in his style of play was apparent. There was a noticeable reduction of pace, which in turn was compensated for by a greater reliance on anticipation of play and distribution of the ball. McGrain went on to pick up his fourth league championship medal at the end of that season as Celtic clinched the title with a dramatic 4–2 win over Rangers in their final game of the season. McGrain continued to be a mainstay of the Celtic side during the early to mid 1980s; captaining them to a further three league championships, two Scottish Cups and one Scottish League Cup, In the summer of 1986, Airdrie made an approach for McGrain to become their player manager. Negotiations reached an advanced stage until a last minute change of heart by the Airdrie board. He played his final game for Celtic on 9 May 1987, a league fixture away against Hearts. He joined Hamilton Accies in the summer and helped them win promotion to the Premier Division before finally retiring from playing.

His international career began at Scotland Under 23 level on 13 February 1973, with a game against England at Kilmarnock. McGrain played alongside Alan Rough and Asa Hartford in a 1–2 defeat. He won a second cap at Under 23 level a month later away to Wales, winning 2–1. McGrain made his full international debut for Scotland on 12 May 1973, in a British Home Championship tie against Wales at Wrexham, winning 2–0. He won a further two caps over the following week in Home Championship ties against Northern Ireland and England. The game against England saw McGrain fielded in an unfamiliar role at left back to accommodate another highly rated right back, Sandy Jardine of Rangers. McGrain would go on to play at left back for many of his Scotland appearances in the 1970s in order to accommodate the Rangers player, still able to play to the abilities he displayed in his normal role. McGrain played in all three World Cup group matches (Zaire, Brazil and Yugoslavia), but despite being undefeated Scotland returned home having failed to qualify for the next phase. With his illness now being managed, McGrain was able to continue playing football. He made 16 consecutive international appearances in the run up to the 1982 World Cup in Spain. Now captain of the side, McGrain was named in Jock Stein's 22 man squad travelling to Spain. He played in Scotland's opening game against New Zealand but was dropped for the next match against Brazil. McGrain came on as a substitute for Gordon Strachan in Scotland's third game, against the Soviet Union. McGrain is a member of the Scotland national football team roll of honour, courtesy of the 62 caps he won during his career.

After retiring from playing, McGrain had a brief spell coaching at Clydebank in 1989. In November 1992 McGrain was appointed manager of Scottish Second Division side Arbroath. That season, McGrain led Arbroath to the quarter finals of the Scottish Cup, losing 0–3 at home to eventual winners Rangers. The following season Arbroath played McGrain's former club Celtic in a Scottish League Cup tie and lost 1–9, a record defeat for the club. McGrain resigned in January 1994 due to illness. In his 14 months at Gayfield Park, McGrain became popular with their fans and was followed by a group of supporters known as 'Danny McGrain's Bearded Army'. These supporters attended games wearing tribute T shirts and stick on beards, affectionately mimicking McGrain's own trademark beard. After a spell coaching the under 21 side,

McGrain is married to Laraine, and the couple have three daughters. McGrain supported Rangers (Celtic's Glasgow rivals) as a boy. He wrote two autobiographies, one when his career was at its peak and another shortly after he retired. In both, McGrain (a Protestant) told how he had been spotted by someone doing some scouting for Rangers when he was still a boy but the scout did not recommend him to Rangers, wrongly assuming from his name – Daniel Fergus McGrain – that he was a Catholic and that Rangers would not sign him because of this. In the 1983 New Year Honours, McGrain was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to association football in Scotland. The investiture was performed by the Queen Mother (the Queen was on tour in America), at Buckingham Palace. He was an inaugural inductee to the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2004,

McGrain is the vice patron of Football Aid, a Scottish charity fund raising organisation. He has been involved with them since their inception in 2000, and was appointed vice patron in 2004.

In 1996, Glasgow rock band Big Wednesday celebrated McGrain in music in their single "Sliding in like McGrain". McGrain appeared on television with the group as part of the promotional activities.