Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
A genuinely lovely, lovelyso footballing man ALAN MCLOUGHLIN DIES AGED 54
Tributes pour in for midfielder after he loses cancer battle
TRIBUTES flowed in for Republic of Ireland legend Alan Mcloughlin last night after he passed away from cancer at the age of 54.
The midfielder, whose equaliser against Northern Ireland secured World Cup qualification in 1994, had been battling renal cell carcinoma.
The recurrence of the disease had only become public last month, though he had been suffering from different forms of it for over a decade.
His former team-mates were among the first to hail the man who guaranteed them a berth at USA 94.
Jason Mcateer said: “Devastated to hear of the passing of my old team mate Alan Mcloughlin, great fella. Thoughts are with his family.”
Meanwhile, Paul Mcgrath commented: “So sorry to hear of the passing of Alan, I met Alan back in our United days & we also had a lot of successes and laughs with the Irish team. So sad for Alan’s family & friends. Rest in peace pal.”
Ray Houghton told RTE: “I know he was blown away with the number of people wanting him to get through it.
“I didn’t realise how bad it was this time around and obviously the news today is dreadful for everyone who knows him.
FIGHTER
“Such a lovely fella, there’s not one person I know who played with Alan, played against him, who would have a bad word to say about him.
“He was just a genuinely lovely, lovely footballing man.”
Former Ireland goalkeeper Alan Kelly said: “It’s with the saddest of hearts that I say goodbye to one of my best mates, Alan Mcloughlin. He was a fighter, full of northern grit, with a razor sharp wit to match but most of all he was a true gentleman & friend.
“Our hearts and prayers are with Deby, Abby and Megan. RIP my friend.”
Mcloughlin had a kidney tumour successfully removed in 2012, but was told in 2019 that the cancer had returned – and spread to his remaining kidney, his lungs and his chest.
The tumours did shrink due to daily drug treatment after immunotherapy failed, but doctors discovered another growth on his vertebrae earlier this year and he was subsequently rushed to hospital with a fractured neck.
The dad-of-two underwent surgery around the start of last month and was able to recover at home before planned radiotherapy treatment for his neck and the start of a new round
There’s not a person I know who had a bad word to say about him RAY HOUGHTON YESTERDAY
of medication before his sudden death. A statement from the FAI read: “The Football Association of Ireland extends our deepest sympathies to Debbie, Abby and Megan Mcloughlin following the death today of our former international midfielder Alan Mcloughlin at the age of 54.
“Alan had bravely faced into a second battle with cancer in recent months with his courage in adversity an example to all those who knew him and loved him.
“Capped 42 times by the Republic of Ireland under Jack Charlton and
Mick Mccarthy, Alan famously scored the Windsor Park equaliser against Northern Ireland in November 1993 that sent the Republic of Ireland to USA 94. He was named Ireland’s Player of the Year in 1996.”
FAI president Gerry Mcananey said: “Alan will always be remembered for that goal in Belfast, a goal that brought the entire country to its feet.
He was a great player for Ireland, a fantastic footballing man who coached so many young players and a very proud family man.”
Ireland’s President Michael D Higgins added: “Supporters of Irish soccer, and in particular those who will have followed the team during the Charlton and Mccarthy eras, will have been greatly saddened by the news of
PROUD Alan won 42 international caps
WHAT A HIT Celebrating draw in Belfast in 1993 the death of former international Alan Mcloughlin. Sabina and I send our deepest sympathies to his family and friends, and to all those who knew him as a player for both club and country.”
A former Man United trainee who went on to play for Swindon, Portsmouth and Wigan, Mcloughlin was born in Manchester to Irish
THAT’S MY ROY
He was a fighter, full of northern grit with a razor sharp wit to match ALAN KELLY YESTERDAY
parents and attended the same school as Noel Gallagher. He received call-ups to the England B and Ireland B sides on the same day in 1990, but opted for Ireland after seeing the emotional reaction of his Limerick mother.
That March, both countries met at Turner’s Cross in Cork, with Mcloughlin scoring for Ireland in a famous 4-1 win. It would remain his only goal for his country until that fateful game three years later in Belfast, when he volleyed home six minutes after coming on as a sub.
Speaking subsequently about that “Night in November”, Jack Charlton later told how the player had followed his instructions to the letter.
He said: “I put Alan Mcloughlin on and I said, ‘Alan, you play where you play best, behind the front two. We’ll be getting the ball in there and you pick up the drop offs at the edge of the box’.
“We’d had some good chances and lashed them over the bar, put them wide of the post, we never hit the target. Alan suddenly took a couple of seconds to pull it down, let it bounce and he stuck his volley in exactly where he wanted.”
Ironically, Mcloughlin never featured during any of Ireland’s four games in the States. It was the second World Cup he had been selected for in dramatic circumstances after he
was called up at short notice before Italia 90, replacing a devastated Gary Waddock as Ireland prepared to depart for their training camp.
Charlton had decided he needed more midfield back-up amid injury concerns over Ronnie Whelan and Ray Houghton, with Waddock being told at the airport he was out.
Mcloughlin later revealed: “It had nothing to do with me. Jack had put a squad together and decided to change his mind.”