Paul McCarthy RIP

Awful news.

When Paul first came to Brighton he and Derek Mcgrath lodged with a work colleague of mine. I met him on many occasions and he would secure me complimentary tickets for away games.

He was a very level headed and modest person. Also a very talented defender in what was a poor side at times.

Tis a sad day.

RIP

So sad and ridiculously young. Condolences to his family for their loss.

Terrible and such sad news. Rip Paul, remembered for always giving your all. Thoughts with your family and friends.

OMG awful news RIP Paul .

Don Tmatter said:

An absolute tradgedy. Sincere condolences to his family. Hope the club & Wycombe can make appropriate gestures.

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Wycombe have written a very nice obituary on their website.

He was very much appreciated here; he's a hero up there.

Brighton Lines said:

Awful news.

When Paul first came to Brighton he and Derek Mcgrath lodged with a work colleague of mine. I met him on many occasions and he would secure me complimentary tickets for away games.

He was a very level headed and modest person. Also a very talented defender in what was a poor side at times.

Tis a sad day.

RIP

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I'd forgotten about Derek McGrath. I may be wrong but he was a relatively short midfielder in the Jeff Minton mould. Also Irish and I think he was also playing in the Rep of Ireland U21 match I went to see at Brentford.

Terrible news, what a great centre back he was.

Thanks all for the kind words.

I understand they will pay tribute to him at the event this evening. Also the seat allocated to him will remain empty which is a nice touch.

Arthur said:

Also the seat allocated to him will remain empty which is a nice touch.

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Lump in throat moment.

Randomly through work I ended up spending the day with Andy Woodman (then at Oxford with Macca).
I said I was an Albion fan and Woodman phoned Macca up and put him on speaker.
Macca said he loved playing for the Albion and said the potential of the club was massive (this is back when we were sh*t).
I'm glad to hear he got to enjoy watching us, now our potential is being realised.
A hero to my generation of Albion fans

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/2907567/paul-mccarthy-dead-age-45-brighton-wycombe/

Scored in the FA Cup quarter final for Wycombe Wanderers v Leicester. Certainly a real hero for them.

A touching obituary on the Wycombe Wanderers website.

http://www.wycombewanderers.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/obituary-paul-mccarthy-1971-2017-3585866.aspx

Paul McCarthy was one of the greats.
Signed by Alan Smith in the summer of 1996, ‘Macca’ was one of a number of new faces at Adams Park in the turbulent era that followed Martin O’Neill’s exit from the manager’s post. Many of those new arrivals failed to reach the high standards set by those players who’d achieved such phenomenal success in the years that had gone by, but Paul McCarthy was different.

Born in Cork, the defender began his career with Brighton & Hove Albion, making close to 200 appearances in a seven-year stretch. Whilst not the tallest, Macca was a physical presence not to be messed with – rugged, strong, but not short on quality.

His first season at Adams Park brought about mixed fortunes and plenty of instability in the team, with Macca being one constant in a much-changed backline. Terry Evans, Jason Cousins and Matt Crossley were regular defensive partners as he settled into the club with 45 appearances and one goal in his maiden season in south Bucks.

An injury sustained in February 1998 cut short his second season but he returned to feature 36 times in the following campaign, starring in both wins over Manchester City and earning a second of four red cards in his Wycombe career in a fiery encounter at Luton Town.

Macca was an established and hugely respected member of the side by the time the 2000/01 campaign came around, and had begun to develop a canny knack of scoring vital goals. He netted an extra-time winner over Barnet in the first round of the League Cup, and also sealed a home victory over Notts County that October.

But his next five goals ensured his name – and those of his team-mates – would be written into Wycombe Wanderers folklore for eternity, playing his part in the incredible run to the semi-final of the FA Cup.

The first came in uncharacteristic fashion for Macca – a stylish overhead kick to see off Millwall in a second round replay. Wycombe had never scored an FA Cup third round goal in their history, but he put an end to that with an equaliser against Grimsby at Adams Park, and then opened the scoring in the replay success.

McCarthy epitomised the never-say-die spirit of that side with a last-gasp equaliser at full-stretch in the fifth round replay at Wimbledon, forcing a penalty shootout in which he converted his spot-kick in an 8-7 triumph.

Next up were Leicester City in the quarter-final, and McCarthy nodded home the first goal which is often overlooked due to the nature of ‘Ceefax hero’ Roy Essandoh’s fairytale last-minute winner.

Macca and co defended resolutely against a Liverpool frontline containing Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen and Emile Heskey in the semi-final, going down 2-1 at Villa Park, before attentions turned the following year to winning promotion.

The Irishman played 32 times as the side fell away from the play-offs towards the end of the year, but did strike a last-gasp winner over QPR to spark euphoric scenes at Adams Park, and found himself a victim of measures to cut costs and reduce the average age of the squad the following season, keeping a clean sheet in what was to be his final game for the Chairboys against Huddersfield before moving on to Oxford.

From there, he dropped into non-league with Hornchurch and then Gravesend & Northfleet – soon to be known as Ebbsfleet – where he won an FA Trophy winners’ medal in 2008.

Paul returned to Adams Park for a dinner to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the cup run in 2011, but kept in contact with friends from the club and is said to have kept a close eye on Wanderers’ results through the years.

The sad news reached the club on Monday morning that he had died suddenly of a suspected heart attack.

He leaves a legacy, never to be forgotten, and scored 19 times in 259 appearances for the club.

Rest in peace, Macca.

Read more at http://www.wycombewanderers.co.uk/n...hy-1971-2017-3585866.aspx#2jS4U0ZpoX7F4HAR.99

Publius Ovidius said:

How shocking.

Really stood out in a horrible time for this club.45 is no age these days.

Perhaps this is someone that does deserve a minutes applause for those of us who remember him fondly.

RIP Paul...a life well lived and cut too short.

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Dreadful news. I do not normally agree with a minutes applause for all and sundry, but in this case more than suitable.An often forgotten legend for the club.Condolences for his family,RIP Paul

very sad news remember seeing Paul play at goldstone many a time and such a young age....puts things into perspective RIP

Sad news to start the week and indicative of how far we have come since the 90's when Wycombe was seen as a big move for Paul.

RIP Paul.

Very sad condolences to family and friends Paul was a bright light during a very dark period of the Albion's history

He played in the same youth team in Ireland as Roy Keane and the same scout recommended them both for trials at the Albion. Two guys with chalk and cheese temperments - I'm glad we got the nice one. A great servant to our club and a decent human being. Sincere condolences to his family. RIP Macca.

A great player when we didn't have many.

We've argued on here recently about the merits of minutes applauses ... but if ever this was the right thing to do it's for the passing of this guy.

Giraffe said:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/2907567/paul-mccarthy-dead-age-45-brighton-wycombe/

Scored in the FA Cup quarter final for Wycombe Wanderers v Leicester. Certainly a real hero for them.

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I think he scored 5 goals in their FA Cup run and also scored a penalty in the shootout against Wimbledon. Must have been one of the top scorers in that seasons FA Cup, great for a central defender.

Shocking and dreadful, such a great player for us, stalwart. RIP and condolences to his family.