Born: 24 February 1878

Born in: Newton Stewart

Other clubs: Newton Stewart (1893-98), Hibernian (1898-1900), Middlesbrough (1902-04), Brynn Central (1904-05), Southport Central (1905-06), Accrington Stanley (1906), Burslem Port Vale (1906-07), Bristol City (1907-08), Barrow (1908), Exeter City (1908-10)

Signed from: Hibernian

Joined Liverpool: May 1900

Debut: 06 Oct 1900

Final appearance: 08 Feb 1902

Debut goal: 27 Oct 1900

Last goal: 04 Jan 1902

Contract until: 02.12.1902

Honours: League Championship 1900/01

League: Apps / Goals: 32 / 14

All Competitions: Apps / Goals: 37 / 14

Player Profile

McGuigan was a speedy and tricky forward who was the first player to score five goals in a League game for Liverpool. His extraordinary quintet came against Stoke on 4 January 1902. It did make his task a lot easier that a number of Stoke's players were suffering from food poisoning after having eaten bad fish prior to the match. During the game a number of McGuigan's opponents had to leave the field to throw up and at one point there were only seven Stoke players left! McGuigan made his debut on 6 October 1900 when the Reds visited Derby County and scored five times in the 14 first division games he was selected for that year, enough to be eligible for a League Championship medal. Liverpool slumped to eleventh place a year later as they unsuccessfully defended their crown but McGuigan still contributed a goal every other game to give him very respectable final figures for Liverpool. After struggling with a knee injury McGuigan was transferred to Middlesbrough in December 1902. He broke down after only one game and Middlesbrough wanted Liverpool to return the heavy transfer fee paid for him but the Reds refused providing a doctor's certificate showing McGuigan with a clean bill of health. McGuigan left 'Boro after this single appearance.

McGuigan caused quite a stir in 1897 when he was a player with Newton Stewart and was invited to the Scotland International trials. In those days a seven-man selection committee picked the international team. The Evening Times wondered why a player from small-profile Newton Stewart was selected when the likes of Falkirk, Partick Thistle and Motherwell had no players present and Hearts, the current league champions, only had one player. He obviously didn't impress and the Evening Times said that McGuigan should not had "been asked to quit that region not even for an afternoon." The Scotsman later became a club director at Liverpool serving during the club's League Championship wins in 1922 and 1923.