Players - Joe McQue

Joe McQue
Born: 11 March 1873
Born in: Springburn, Glasgow
Died: 11 June 1914
Other clubs: Campsie Black Watch, East Stirlingshire, Campsie, Celtic, Falkirk
Signed from: Celtic
Joined Liverpool: August 1892
Debut: 03 Sep 1892
Final appearance: 02 Mar 1898
Debut goal: 03 Sep 1892
Last goal: 29 Jan 1898
Contract until: September 1898
Honours: Lancashire league 1892/93; Second Division 1893/94, 1895/96
League: Apps / Goals: 103 / 10
All Competitions: Apps / Goals: 142 / 14

Player Profile

Scottish centre-half McQue was in the Liverpool team that won the Lancashire league in the club's inaugural season. His claim to fame is also scoring in Liverpool's first-ever Football League match in 1893, a second division fixture away to Middlesbrough Ironopolis. He was described as "a finely built young fellow, with superb tackling powers and excellent judgement of the ball." He only missed two games as the club easily won the title by 12 points from Small Heath in second place, winning 22 and drawing six of their 28 games.

McQue initially struggled with the pace of the First Division. "Compared with last year's brilliance a great falling off is most noticeable in McQue," Liverpool Mercury reported. Liverpool weren't strong or experienced enough to cope with life in First Division, but only Tommy Bradshaw made more League appearances for the club than McQue in 1894/95. Liverpool were relegated but went straight up again as champions. McQue started the 1896/97 season as a regular but six weeks into the campaign the diminutive Robert Neill replaced him. Neill returned home the following season so McQue got more chances in his final season at Anfield, playing 19 games. McQue had an excellent eye for goal and 14 goals for a defender at that time was a terrific return.

After undergoing an operation at the Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, McQue died only 40 years of age.

Appearances per season

Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
1892-1893 0 2 0 0 18 20
1893-1894 26 3 0 0 1 30
1894-1895 29 3 0 0 0 32
1895-1896 26 2 0 0 4 32
1896-1897 8 1 0 0 0 9
1897-1898 14 5 0 0 0 19
Totals 103 16 0 0 23 142

A more detailed look at the player's appearances

Total Started/substitutions
142 Started
0 Substituted
0 Substitute
0 On bench
Total Venue
72 Home
69 Away
1 Neutral
Total Competition
103 League
18 Lancashire League
16 FA Cup
5 Test Match
Total W D L Win% Manager
82 46 17 19 56.1% William Edward Barclay
32 23 2 7 71.9% John McKenna
28 11 6 11 39.3% Tom Watson

Goals per season

Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
1892-1893 0 0 0 0 2 2
1893-1894 2 1 0 0 0 3
1894-1895 1 0 0 0 0 1
1895-1896 5 0 0 0 0 5
1897-1898 2 1 0 0 0 3
Totals 10 2 0 0 2 14

A more detailed look at the player's goals

Total Opponent
2 Higher Walton
1 Arsenal
1 Burton Swifts
1 Crewe Alexandra
1 Darwen
1 Derby County
1 Everton
1 Grimsby Town
1 Hucknall St Johns
1 Middlesbrough Ironopolis
1 Nottingham Forest
1 Notts County
1 Port Vale
Total Started/substitutions
14 Started
Total Competition
10 League
2 FA Cup
2 Lancashire League
Total Goal minute period
1 1-15 minutes
4 31-45 minutes
1 61-75 minutes
3 76-90 minutes
Total Goal origin
14 Open play