Gordon McQueen (born 26 June 1952 in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire) is a former Scottish football player, who played as a central defender for St. Mirren, Leeds United, Manchester United and Scotland.
Playing career
McQueen was a goalkeeper as a schoolboy, but later switched to centre back. He was signed at the age of 18 by St. Mirren. He soon had scouts from other clubs monitoring his progress, and it was Leeds who finally offered £30,000 in 1973, seeing him as a long-term replacement for the ageing Jack Charlton.[4] Charlton played for some of the 1973 season, but had decided to quit as it drew to a close.[5] McQueen played six times in his first season[4] at Leeds but missed out on the 1973 FA Cup Final, with manager Don Revie preferring the experience of utility player Paul Madeley.[citation needed]
With Charlton gone and Madeley used as the team's player-of-all-positions, McQueen was in the team for most of the 1973–74 season. Leeds won the league championship, going 29 games without defeat at the start of the season, and McQueen played a crucial part as Norman Hunter's defensive partner.[5] At the end of the season, McQueen was called up to the Scotland squad and made his international debut against Belgium.[6]
McQueen and Hunter excelled at the back the following season, notably in Leeds' campaign in the European Cup, during which McQueen scored three goals. McQueen was suspended for the final after being sent off in the semi-final against Barcelona. Leeds lost 2–0 in the final to Bayern Munich.[5]
McQueen was now a regular for Scotland; he was in the 1978 FIFA World Cup squad in Argentina but did not play due to injury. He played his last match for Scotland in 1981, attaining 30 caps and scoring 5 goals for his country.
In February 1978, McQueen moved from Leeds to rivals Manchester United for £495,000.[2] On signing he famously stated that '99% of players want to play for Manchester United and the rest are liars'.[7] McQueen helped Manchester United reach the 1979 FA Cup Final, scoring a late goal as Manchester United came back from 2–0 down against Arsenal to level the scores (his 85th minute goal cutting the deficit to 2–1), only for their opponents to wrestle the Cup back with a last-minute winner.[8]
McQueen finally gained an FA Cup winner's medal in 1983 after a replay against Brighton & Hove Albion. He also was in the team which lost the League Cup final to Liverpool in the same season. McQueen finally left Manchester United in 1985, after losing his first team place to Paul McGrath and not being included in the 1985 FA Cup Final side that beat Everton 1–0.
Post playing career
He coached abroad and then briefly managed Airdrieonians[9] and coached his old club, St Mirren.[2] When McQueen's friend and former team-mate Bryan Robson became manager of Middlesbrough, McQueen joined him as reserve team coach.[citation needed] He left the club when Robson did, and became a pundit for Sky Sports.
It was announced on 29 April 2008 that he returned to Middlesbrough as an assistant scout, along with Boro legend David Mills. McQueen, who still lives in the area, specifically the village of Hutton Rudby in North Yorkshire, and his son and two daughters, who are also Middlesbrough fans.[10]
Personal life
He became a father in 1979 to Hayley McQueen, who would become a sports journalist on Sky Sports and Manchester United's in-house TV channel MUTV. His other daughter, Anna McQueen works for digital experience creation agency, Delete in Leeds, West Yorkshire.
In October 2011 McQueen was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx and started treatment at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, near his home in North Yorkshire.[11] McQueen was a smoker until 2000, and has admitted being a heavy drinker.[12]
References
1974–75 Football League First Division PFA Team of the Year |
|---|
| |
|
1977–78 Football League First Division PFA Team of the Year |
|---|
| |
|
| Persondata |
|---|
| Name |
McQueen, Gordon |
| Alternative names |
|
| Short description |
Footballer; football manager |
| Date of birth |
26 June 1952 |
| Place of birth |
Kilbirnie, Scotland |
| Date of death |
|
| Place of death |
|
