THE MAKING OF McGINN
Inside story of national hero’s rise from St Mirren to summit
DAVID LONGWELL has never come across a kid quite like John McGinn.
For a man whose career running youth academies spans four clubs, two continents and thousands of children over more than 20 years, that’s something.
He’s never forgotten the sight of this whirlwind from Clydebank – all left foot, small but fearless – thundering around Glasgow’s Kelvinhall on Sunday mornings.
Longwell, who for 15 years oversaw the St Mirren talent factory from which McGinn emerged, chuckles reminiscing.
“He just had this aptitude for playing football,” he said, recalling a six-year-old who would head the ball with all the ferocity of a battle-hardened centre-half.
“There’s a lot that’s made him who and what he is. But that personality was always there, even since a young kid.”
Indeed, McGinn may be the only player on the planet whose name is teed up with the word “Super” from fans of not one, not two, but three clubs.
Seven goals in his last six Scotland caps have brought the Tartan Army under his spell.
Sir Alex Ferguson is a fan, as is Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
His rise from Saints to Hibs then Aston Villa amid speculation of Manchester United splashing out £50million has followed adversity that leaves most youngsters on the scrapheap.
Not McGinn, born to schoolteachers Stephen and Mary, the grandson of ex-Celtic chairman and SFA president Jack, and brother of pros Paul and Stephen.
Spare a thought then for John’s twin sister Katie, bucking the football trend but who he has said would “slap” him if he ever succumbed to the excesses of England’s mega-rich top flight.
It’s a cultural universe away from Scotland’s west coast and the Buddies’ community teams.
Longwell, with thanks to colleague Andy Hogg who also guided eldest sibling Stephen towards Saints, got McGinn involved at the club’s academy early. The idea was to move quickly in the hope of forging a connection that would shield against the advances of richer clubs further down the line.
In McGinn’s case it worked, although that loyalty was very much a two-way street.
Technique can be worked on, tactics can be taught – but growth? A cruel waiting game.
Longwell said: “For a period of time, one part of his body grew, the other didn’t – it was tough. But you need to show patience and allow time to develop.
“That’s what we did that a lot of clubs wouldn’t do. Kids would be disregarded quite early because of their size or stature.”
Saints’ patience was admirable but, as the young McGinn knew, not infinite. “Wee McGinn” – a moniker he’s said to have hated – didn’t have it easy.
Longwell said: “I had many conversations with his parents as well. At times we had to play John in a multitude of positions just to try to allow him to have an impact.
“He was a left-back a lot of the time and progressed into midfield as he got older.
“It’s so difficult saying to a young boy, ‘You’re growing, you just need to be patient’.”
Watch him roll defenders who are clambering over his back or jink away from challenges, the hallmarks of a player who had to figure it out his own way.
McGinn’s odyssey through the Saints academy had culminated in a League Cup triumph and player of the year award.
Along the M8 Graeme Mathie, with head of football operations George Craig, was in the early stages of developing Hibs’ new approach to transfers in his then role as head of recruitment.
His operation was aided by uni interns, whom he’d tasked with compiling all the out-of-contract players in leagues worldwide.
Down in Paisley, there was a promising midfielder who felt it was time to seek pastures new.
Despite interest from England, the MLS and a freak training ground accident where McGinn was speared through the leg with a pole, Hibs got their man.
A phone call from then boss Alan Stubbs proved decisive.
Mathie, now the club’s sporting director, said: “John can do a bit of everything. He’ll take the ball off the back four to start the game, he could get in the box and be the player who drives his team up the field as well as putting a foot in defensively.”
What most impressed Mathie, however, was his humility.
McGinn, 15 months after helping Hibs win a first Scottish Cup in 114 years, kept his counsel as the club denied him a deadlineday move to Nottingham Forest.
By now a Scotland international, he was abroad when the deal was shut down, prompting an offer from Mathie to meet and explain the situation on his return.
It wasn’t required. “I’ll never forget the text he sent back,” said Mathie. “He said, ‘Look, I get it, this is football, it’s no problem at all. I’m loving being at Hibs and I want to have the best season of my career and hopefully get a move to a good club’.
“Let’s be honest, while John was committed to Hibs, somebody was potentially offering to give him four or five times his money to take him to the English Championship and us, as a club, had said no to that.
“That was an unbelievable thing for a young man to say.”
A year later McGinn again was unmoved by speculation surrounding offers from Celtic while perpetual motion on the pitch in Hibs’ quest to reach the Europa League group stage.
Mathie said: “I’ll never forget that wee run we had in Europe, in friendlies and in the league games he played.
“John must’ve thundered into about 50 tackles where any of them could have caused him an injury. He wasn’t thinking about his move or protecting himself – he was giving everything he had for the club.”
If Jack Grealish is now the face of Villa, McGinn is its heartbeat, a footballer who sparks those around him into life. And when he does, Longwell’s old St Mirren WhatsApp group flashes. He doesn’t have to look at it to know why.
“John McGinn, again,” it reads.
I had many conversations with his parents as well. At times we had to play John in a multitude of positions just to try to allow him to have an impact
DAVID LONGWELL