Mal Donaghy facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Malachy Martin Donaghy | ||
| Date of birth | 13 September 1957 | ||
| Place of birth | Belfast, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| ?-1976 | Post Office Social Club | ||
| 1976–1977 | Cromac Albion | ||
| 1977–1978 | Larne | 20 | (0) |
| 1978–1988 | Luton Town | 408 | (16) |
| 1988–1992 | Manchester United | 89 | (0) |
| 1989–1990 | → Luton Town (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 1992–1994 | Chelsea | 68 | (3) |
| Total | 590 | (19) | |
| National team | |||
| 1978 | Northern Ireland U-21 | 1 | (0) |
| 1980–1994 | Northern Ireland | 91 | (0) |
|
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Malachy Martin Donaghy, born on September 13, 1957, in Belfast, is a famous former footballer. He played for the Northern Ireland national team. He also played for well-known clubs like Luton Town and Manchester United.
Contents
Mal Donaghy's Football Journey
Starting His Club Career
Mal Donaghy grew up in West Belfast. He first started playing football as a goalkeeper. His first team was St. Agnes' in the Down and Connor League.
Soon after, he changed to playing as an outfield player. He joined a team called Post Office Social Club. After only six months, he moved again. This time, he joined Cromac Albion.
His talent was quickly noticed by Brian Halliday, who was the manager of Larne. Mal's rise in football was very fast. After playing just 20 matches for Larne, he moved to Luton Town. This happened in June 1978, and the transfer fee was £20,000.
Playing for Luton Town
Mal Donaghy spent ten years playing for Luton Town. This was a very successful time for the club. In 1982, he helped Luton win the Second Division title. This meant he got to play in the First Division for the first time.
He helped Luton stay in the First Division. He was a very important part of the team. In the 1986–87 season, Luton finished seventh, which was a club record. In 1987–88, Mal helped Luton win their first major trophy. They had a surprising 3-2 win against Arsenal in the 1988 Football League Cup Final.
Moving to Manchester United
In October 1988, Mal Donaghy left Luton Town. He moved to Manchester United for £650,000. This was a big amount of money for a 31-year-old player. But Mal proved that manager Alex Ferguson made a good choice.
He played very well and consistently. He played in his usual position as a central defender. He also played as a full-back when needed.
When he first joined United, Mal was the main left-back for the 1988–89 season. He only missed one game because he had already played for Luton in the League Cup. However, he did not play as much in the 1989–90 season. He was not even on the bench for the 1990 FA Cup Final win.
He was also an unused substitute for the European Cup Winners' Cup win. And he was on the bench for the League Cup final loss. In 1991–92, United finished second in the First Division. They also won their first-ever League Cup. Mal's chances to play were still limited. He was not in the squad for the 1992 Football League Cup final.
Playing for Chelsea and Retirement
In August 1992, Mal Donaghy moved again. He was almost 35 years old. Chelsea manager Ian Porterfield paid £100,000 for him. Mal helped Chelsea finish 11th in the first Premier League season in 1992–93.
The next season, 1993–94, Chelsea reached the 1994 FA Cup final. But Mal was not in the squad for the final. Chelsea lost 4-0 to his old team, Manchester United. After that season, Mal Donaghy decided to stop playing club football.
After His Playing Career
After he stopped playing, Mal Donaghy moved back to Northern Ireland with his family. He briefly managed Newry Town. Then he worked as a coach for Cliftonville. He also worked as a Youth Development Officer for Donegal Celtic. In 2000, he became the coach for the Northern Ireland under-19 team.
Playing for Northern Ireland
Mal Donaghy played 91 times for the Northern Ireland national team. His first game was in May 1980 at Windsor Park. Northern Ireland won 1-0 against Scotland. They also won the championship that year.
He became even more famous during the 1982 and 1986 World Cup tournaments. In the 1982 World Cup, he played in four of Northern Ireland's five games. He was sent off (had to leave the game) after 60 minutes. This happened in the famous 1-0 win against Spain in Valencia. He returned for Northern Ireland's last match.
His final game for Northern Ireland was against Mexico in Miami. This was in June 1994, just three months before his 37th birthday.
Awards and Achievements
Club Honours
- Luton Town
- League Cup: 1987–88
- Manchester United
- European Cup Winners Cup: 1990–91
- FA Charity Shield: 1990
- European Super Cup: 1991
International Honours
- Northern Ireland
- British Home Championship: 1979–80, 1983–84
See also
In Spanish: Mal Donaghy para niños
