Jim Magilton facts for kids
Magilton with Ipswich Town in 2007
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | James Magilton | ||
| Date of birth | 6 May 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Belfast, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Cliftonville (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Distillery | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1984–1986 | Distillery | 1 | (0) |
| 1986–1990 | Liverpool | 0 | (0) |
| 1990–1994 | Oxford United | 150 | (34) |
| 1994–1997 | Southampton | 130 | (13) |
| 1997–1999 | Sheffield Wednesday | 27 | (1) |
| 1999 | → Ipswich Town (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| 1999–2006 | Ipswich Town | 262 | (15) |
| Total | 581 | (64) | |
| International career | |||
| 1990 | Northern Ireland U21 | 1 | (0) |
| 1990 | Northern Ireland U23 | 1 | (0) |
| 1991–2002 | Northern Ireland | 52 | (5) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2006–2009 | Ipswich Town | ||
| 2009 | Queens Park Rangers | ||
| 2012 | Melbourne Victory | ||
| 2015–2017 | Northern Ireland U21 | ||
| 2021 | Dundalk (caretaker) | ||
| 2023– | Cliftonville | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
James Magilton (born on May 6, 1969) is a former professional football player from Northern Ireland. He is currently the manager of Cliftonville, a team in the NIFL Premiership.
During his playing career, Jim was a midfielder. He played in the top English league, the Premier League, for teams like Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday, and Ipswich Town. He started playing in the Irish League with Distillery. He later joined Liverpool but did not play in any first-team games. In 1990, he moved to Oxford United, and then to Southampton four years later. He played in 581 league games and scored 64 goals. Jim also played for the Northern Ireland 52 times, scoring 5 goals. He also represented his country at the Under-21 and Under-23 levels.
After retiring as a player, Jim became a manager. He managed Ipswich for three years. He also had a short time managing Queens Park Rangers. Since then, he has managed Melbourne Victory, the Northern Ireland U21 team, and Dundalk.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Football
James Magilton was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on May 6, 1969. He went to St. Mary's Christian Brothers' Grammar School.
Jim started his football journey at a junior club called St Oliver Plunkett. He was a very talented midfielder. He was known for his excellent passing skills.
Playing Career Highlights
Jim Magilton played for several clubs during his career. These included Distillery, Oxford United, Sheffield Wednesday, and Southampton. He finished his playing career after seven and a half years at Ipswich.
Starting at Distillery
Magilton began his professional playing career with Distillery in the Irish League. He played his first senior game in March 1985. He was only 15 years old at the time.
Time at Liverpool
Jim Magilton was a young player at Liverpool. He trained alongside famous players like Steve McManaman. He became a professional player in 1988. However, he never played in a first-team match for Liverpool. He was a substitute in the 1988 and 1990 Charity Shields. Liverpool won against Wimbledon in 1988. Two years later, they drew 1–1 with Manchester United. Both games were played at Wembley Stadium.
Moving to Oxford United
In October 1990, Jim Magilton moved to Oxford United. He was 21 years old. The transfer cost £200,000. He played in 150 league games for Oxford. He then moved to Southampton in February 1994.
Playing for Southampton
Jim Magilton joined Southampton in February 1994. He was the second player signed by manager Alan Ball. The transfer cost Southampton £600,000. Jim played his first game for Southampton on February 14, 1994. They won 4–2 against Liverpool. In that game, Matthew Le Tissier scored three goals. Jim quickly became an important central midfielder for the team. He was known for his hard work and ability to move the ball between the penalty areas.
In the 1994–95 season, Jim played in all 42 league games. He scored 6 goals that season. He continued to play regularly for the next two seasons. After a new manager, Dave Jones, arrived in 1997, Jim decided not to sign a new contract. He had played 156 games for Southampton.
Joining Sheffield Wednesday
In September 1997, Magilton moved to Sheffield Wednesday. The transfer fee was £1.6 million. He played his first game for them on September 13, away against his old club, Liverpool. He played in 22 games during his first season at Sheffield Wednesday. He scored one goal in a 1–1 draw with West Ham in April 1998. He played only 6 games in the first half of the 1998–99 season.
Years at Ipswich Town
In January 1999, Magilton joined Ipswich Town on loan. He played his first game for Ipswich on January 17. It was a 2–1 loss away to Sunderland. He scored his first goal for Ipswich on March 13, 1999. It was in a 3–0 home win against Huddersfield Town at Portman Road. In March 1999, he signed a permanent deal with Ipswich for about £750,000.
He was a regular player for Ipswich in the 1999–2000 season. He scored his first goal of that season on August 30. It was in a big 6–1 win over Barnsley. Jim helped Ipswich try to get promoted that season. He scored 4 goals in 38 league games. Ipswich finished 3rd in the First Division. He scored his only career hat-trick in a 5–3 win against Bolton Wanderers. This was in the 1999–2000 play-off semi-finals on May 17. This win helped Ipswich reach the play-off final. Jim said it was his best performance ever. He played in the final at Wembley Stadium. Ipswich beat Barnsley 4–2 and were promoted to the Premier League.
Magilton continued to be a key player for Ipswich the next season. He scored his first Premier League goal for Ipswich on September 6. It was in a 2–1 loss away to Leicester City. He played in 33 league games that season. Ipswich finished 5th in the Premier League. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Cup the next season.
The 2001–02 season was tough for Jim and Ipswich. The club was relegated from the Premier League. He played regularly in the league and UEFA Cup at the start of the season. However, he played less often in the second half. After being relegated in 2002, Ipswich had financial problems. Jim was told he could leave for free, even though he had a year left on his contract. But he wanted to stay. He said, "There is no chance of me wanting to leave. I want to stay and repay the faith the manager and the supporters have shown in me." He played in 47 games that season and scored three goals.
After Matt Holland left in 2003, Jim Magilton became the team captain. He signed a new one-year contract in July 2003. On September 27, he scored a late winning goal in a 2–1 away win over Watford. He led Ipswich to a 5th place finish in the 2003–04 season. They qualified for the play-offs. However, Ipswich lost to West Ham United in the semi-finals.
He signed another one-year contract in July 2004. Ipswich manager Joe Royle confirmed Jim would remain captain. Royle said Jim always showed 100 percent commitment. He scored 3 goals in 44 games that season. He led the team to 3rd place in the Championship. They just missed out on automatic promotion. Ipswich lost to West Ham United again in the play-off semi-finals.
Jim was offered a new one-year contract in July 2005. After thinking about it, the 36-year-old midfielder signed the contract on July 8. He continued to play regularly in the 2005–06 season. He played in 35 games and scored once. The 2005–06 season was his last as an active player for Ipswich. However, he was still registered to play in 2006–07 while he was the manager.
International Career
Jim Magilton played for Northern Ireland at the Under-21 and Under-23 levels in 1990. He made his senior debut for his country in 1991. He scored his first goal for Northern Ireland on February 5, 1991. It was in a 3–1 friendly win against Poland in Belfast. He became a regular player for Northern Ireland. He played in their 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification games. He scored his second goal against Albania on September 9, 1992. Northern Ireland won that game 3–0. He scored two more goals in 1993 World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia. His fifth goal for his country was on February 11, 1997. It was in a 3–0 friendly win against Belgium. He also played in Northern Ireland's 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign in 1997.
Magilton was named Northern Ireland captain for a match against Yugoslavia on August 16, 2000. He played regularly in his country's 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification games in 2000 and 2001. Jim Magilton played 52 games for Northern Ireland in his career, scoring 5 goals.
Managerial Career
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Jim Magilton had planned to become a coach at another club. But he decided to apply for the manager job at Ipswich. This happened after Joe Royle left before the 2006–07 season. Magilton was appointed Ipswich manager on June 5, 2006. He said he would not play for the first team anymore, but hoped to play for the reserve team. In May 2007, Jim was considered for the Northern Ireland manager's job. However, he decided not to take it because he felt he didn't have enough experience yet.
In his first season as manager (2006–07), he led Ipswich to 14th place in the league. In the 2007–08 season, Ipswich finished 8th. They missed the play-offs by just one point. This was thanks to their strong home record, even though their away form was not as good. However, despite spending a lot of money on new players, the team did not make the play-offs in the 2008–09 season. Because of this, Magilton was sacked as manager on April 22, 2009.
Queens Park Rangers
On June 3, 2009, Magilton became the manager of Queens Park Rangers. He signed a contract until June 2011. He replaced Paulo Sousa. On December 9, 2009, Magilton was suspended by Queens Park Rangers. This was after an incident at Watford's Vicarage Road. Reports said he had a heated argument with player Ákos Buzsáky. On December 16, 2009, it was announced that Magilton had left Queens Park Rangers by agreement.
Shamrock Rovers
On July 6, 2011, Magilton became the Assistant Manager for Shamrock Rovers. He helped Michael O'Neill for the rest of the 2011 season. They helped the team win their second league title in a row. They also reached the Europa League group stages.
Melbourne Victory
On January 7, 2012, Magilton was hired as the head coach of A-League club Melbourne Victory. This was for the rest of the 2011–12 season. He took over from interim coach Kevin Muscat. When he became coach, Magilton immediately started to improve the team. He signed Australian defender Mark Milligan and Spanish midfielder Ubay Luzardo. He also signed Sierra Leonean-Australian midfielder Julius Davies. In his first game as coach, Melbourne Victory drew 1–1 with Adelaide United. His first win came in round 19, when Melbourne Victory beat the Central Coast Mariners 2–1.
His time as coach was not very successful. The team had two wins, five draws, and five losses in 12 games. Melbourne Victory did not make the finals. Magilton said the club needed to rebuild the team. He released some players and signed new ones like Adama Traoré and Sam Gallagher. His contract ended and was not renewed. Magilton left the club on April 2, 2012. With a winning percentage of only 16.67%, Magilton is statistically the coach with the lowest winning rate for Melbourne Victory.
Irish Football Association
On June 21, 2013, Magilton was appointed as the elite performance director by the Irish Football Association. He signed a four-year contract.
Northern Ireland U21
In May 2015, Magilton became the manager of the Northern Ireland U21 national team. Damien Johnson and Kevin Horlock were his assistant coaches. Mark Crossley was the goalkeeping coach.
Dundalk
In December 2020, Magilton left his role at the Irish FA. He took a new job as sporting director at Irish club Dundalk. Magilton became the temporary manager of the first team in April 2021. This happened when Shane Keegan left the club. His temporary time as manager ended on June 16, 2021. He had four wins, three draws, and three losses. The club then appointed Vinny Perth as manager. On November 13, 2021, it was announced that Magilton had left his role as Sporting Director.
Cliftonville
On June 6, 2023, Cliftonville announced Magilton as their new manager. On May 4, 2024, Magilton led Cliftonville to win their first Irish Cup title since 1979. They won against Linfield.
Career Statistics
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 1991 | 6 | 1 |
| 1992 | 5 | 1 | |
| 1993 | 7 | 2 | |
| 1994 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1995 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1996 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 4 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2000 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2001 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 52 | 5 | |
- Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Magilton goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 February 1991 | Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Poland |
3–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 9 September 1992 | Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Albania |
3–0 | 3–0 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 17 February 1993 | Tirana, Albania | Albania |
1–0 | 2–1 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 2 June 1993 | Riga, Latvia |  Latvia |
1–0 | 2–1 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 11 February 1997 | Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Belgium |
2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
Managerial Statistics
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Ipswich Town |  |
5 June 2006 | 22 April 2009 | 156 | 59 | 43 | 54 | 37.82 |
| Queens Park Rangers | |
3 June 2009 | 16 December 2009 | 23 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 39.13 |
| Melbourne Victory |  |
7 January 2012 | 2 April 2012 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 16.67 |
| Northern Ireland U21 |  |
11 May 2013 | 11 October 2016 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 5.56 |
| Dundalk (interim) |  |
19 April 2021 | 16 June 2021 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 40.00 |
| Cliftonville | |
6 June 2023 | Present | 103 | 57 | 16 | 30 | 55.34 |
| Total | 322 | 133 | 76 | 113 | 41.30 | |||
Honours and Achievements
As a Player
Liverpool
- FA Charity Shield: 1988, 1990 (shared title)
Ipswich Town
- Football League First Division play-offs: 2000 (promoted to Premier League)
Individual Awards
- Ipswich Town Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2023
As a Manager
Cliftonville
- Irish Cup: 2023-24
