Thank you G

COLERAINE FC extends its gratitude and appreciation to Gareth McConaghie after the defender announces his retirement from the game…

McConaghie joined the club in the summer of 2016 after a spell in junior football and made a total of 144 appearances, scoring seven times in the process.

After being on the books of Lisburn Distillery, Limavady United, Ballymoney United and Dervock, McConaghie made the step-up to senior football and helped Coleraine reach the Irish Cup final just twelve months later.

The following season (2017-18), McConaghie would star in the heart of the defence and was named in the NIFWA Team of the Year and was named as Man of the Match as Coleraine won the Irish Cup against Cliftonville.

McConaghie was also named in the matchday squad as Coleraine won the BetMcLean League Cup against Crusaders in 2020.

The Dervock native would also excel in Europe as he made five appearances in the Europa League – netting a successful penalty against NK Maribor as the Bannsiders famously progressed in Slovenia.

The 34-year-old has struggled with a knee complaint for the last 18 months and despite the best efforts of everyone at the club to solve the problem, McConaghie has taken the emotional decision to hang up the boots.

Coleraine boss Oran Kearney spoke passionately about ‘Big G’s’ contribution to the club and fondly recalled his spot kick in Maribor.

“I think the last 12 or even 18 months has been highly frustrating for Gareth,” he said.

“We’ve tried everything and he’s tried everything to try and get back and train and play regularly, but sadly, it hasn’t happened.

“Particularly in the last two months, he’s been at that point where he’s been close to pulling the plug and to bring yourself to that point where you’re going to retire is extremely tough to do for any sportsman.

“Gareth has been a big, big part of the growth of our club and the success of the last six years.

“We will all remember Maribor and Gareth was frustrated with the knee at that point, he was probably not meant to be on that trip at all but we decided to bring him across to keep him moving and training.

“We had an injury elsewhere and Gareth was named on the bench and we needed someone to play in front of the back four in extra-time and he put his hand up.

“He came on and kicked everything that moved for 15 minutes and the whistle hadn’t gone and him and Ian Parkhill were the first two guys to say that they were hitting a penalty.

“He rattled in a penalty that’s as good as you’ll see and that epitomises Gareth as a leader by action on pitch and he’ll be someone who will be fondly remembered by everyone involved at the club.”