McKinlay, Tosh

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Fullname: Thomas Valley McKinlay
aka: Tosh McKinlay, Thomas McKinlay
Born: 3 Dec 1964
Birthplace: Glasgow Scotland
Signed: 4 Nov 1994
Left: 19 Oct 1999
Position: Left-back/defence
Debut:
[…]
Internationals
: Scotland
International Caps: 22
International Goals: 0

BiogMcKinlay, Tosh - Pic

Thomas Valley McKinlay (“Tosh”) was already a veteran of the Scottish football scene when he finally arrived at his first love Celtic on 2nd November 1994.

The Glasgow born full-back was just a month short of his 30th birthday when he moved to Celtic in a £350,000 move from Hearts, who he had joined in 1988 after a near 7-year spell with Dundee.

He’d actually inadvertently played a role in Celtic history when with Dundee. He was in the Dundee side on the final league match day facing Hearts in the 1985/86 season, and McKinlay was substituted for Albert Kidd who scored the decisive goal that lost Hearts the league for Celtic to take the title.

A former Scotland Under-21 international McKinlay may not have been the most glamorous of signings but Celtic boss Tommy Burns believed the left-back would give his side some much needed balance by allowing Tom Boyd to play in his favoured right-back berth.

Tosh McKinlay would make his Hoops debut in a 2-2 league draw at Dundee United on Guy Fawkes night and he quickly established himself as a first-team regular. In the best Celtic traditions he was a full-back who loved to push forward and his deliveries from out wide were a vital weapon in attack.

No more so than in the 1995 Scottish Cup final when Pierre Van Hooijdonk was able to take advantage of a great Tosh McKinlay cross to score the only goal of the game and earn Celtic their first piece of silverware since 1989.

In many ways Tosh was the personification of Tommy Burns’ Celtic side. He was a passionate character, full of energy and always eager to attack, but also it was this desire to get forward that meant he was on occasion guilty of defensive lapses and so lost goals & points. In fairness, the fault lay with Tommy Burns’ tactics more than Tosh McKinlay’s errors.

Tosh’s good form in a Celtic shirt would see him earn full international caps and despite a well publicised training ground bust up with new Bhoy Henrik Larsson (the pair soon made up) he was still a part of the 1997/98 championship winning squad. Strictly by this time he was being displaced by Stephane Mahe and for part of the season he was drafted out on loan to Stoke to give him game time. He only therefore played a small part in that pivotal league title win, and there are many who feel he deserved a a greater role.

Tosh McKinlay departed Celtic as a player in 1999 for a short spell in Switzerland with Grasshoppers. He later moved to Kilmarnock in 2000.

He was a regular player for Celtic throughout the transition years as Celtic struggled to overcome Rangers to stop their challenge towards ten-in-a-row. That has to be respected. It was no easy environment but he gave his all.

A fully committed Celt he remains a popular figure among the support and after a spell as a player’s agent he now does media work for the club and – with his now trademark pinstripe suit – is a regular guest on Celtic TV.

Playing Career

Club From To Fee League Scottish/FA Cup League cup Other
Kilmarnock 10/01/2000 31/05/2000 Signed 14 (1) 0 0 (0) 0 1 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Grasshoppers 19/10/1999 10/01/2000 Free No appearance data available
Stoke 26/01/1998 27/02/1998 Loan 3 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Celtic 04/11/1994 19/10/1999 £350,000 85 (13) 0 11 (1) 0 3 (2) 0 9 (0) 0
Hearts 07/12/1989 04/11/1994 Signed 206 (0) 6 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Dundee 01/08/1987 07/12/1988   162 (0) 8 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Totals £350,000 470 (14) 14 11 (1) 0 4 (2) 0 9 (0) 0
  goals / game 0.02 0 0 0
  Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals

Honours with Celtic

Scottish League

Scottish Cup

Scottish League cup

Pictures

TOSH: I JUST SNAPPED; Celt opens his heart on Larsson bust-up.

1997 Scottish Daily Record & Sunday
Tosh McKinlay last night lifted the lid on the week of misery that sparked his amazing training- ground attack on Henrik Larsson. The emotional Celtic full-back’s frustrations boiled over on Thursday when he head- butted the Swedish star. And after two days cooling down, McKinlay admitted the inner turmoil created by starting only three games for Celtic in the last three months and scrapping to keep his Scotland place pushed him over the edge. Wim Jansen now looks set to show Tosh the door – but the frozen-out ace insists he wants to STAY with the club he has always supported and put the Larsson affair behind him. He sighed: “What happened was nothing that hasn’t happened before at other clubs. “It was always my intention to wait until Christmas and then assess my position at Celtic Park. That is still how I feel. “This is the biggest season of my life and I am desperate to play for Scotland at France 98.” It was anxiety which caused McKinlay to blow up and end his week in violence.

On SUNDAY he had brooded over being left out of Celtic’s squad for the previous day’s game against Dunfermline. On MONDAY McKinlay was chosen in Craig Brown’s squad for the friendly against France amidst speculation he wouldn’t make the World Cup unless he regained his Celtic place. On TUESDAY he played for Celtic’s reserve side against Dunfermline after demanding a meeting with Wim Jansen. On WEDNESDAY McKinlay was alone with his thoughts and ended the partnership with his agent, Raymond Sparkes. On THURSDAY there was the bust-up with Larsson which cast a giant shadow over his future. And on FRIDAY Tosh was told to stay away as Celtic prepared for the Old Firm match.

Looking back Tosh insisted: “When you are named in the Scotland squad you are considered to be among the best players in the country. “I asked to see Wim because I had been left out of Celtic’s first team for the first time and that had never happened before. “But Wim told me that he didn’t consider me to be among the top 16 players at Celtic Park. You can’t be much more straightforward than that.”

McKinlay now reckons he’s at a crossroads and admitted: “I played in every qualifying tie for Scotland and I believe I could STILL make the World Cup if I can put this behind me and get back into Celtic’s side before the end of the season.” McKinlay turned down a move to Wolves because he needs a big club to keep him in Craig Brown’s plans.

He said: “Nobody knows if players are getting regular first team football because they are outside of the English Premiership. Being with Celtic means having a high profile. “I don’t regret signing the two year contract. “Footballers are lucky in the job market. If we are out of favour we still get paid. “Other people who are made redundant are not so lucky. I intend to stay as lucky as I can for as long as I can.
“I have played in the European Championship finals and they tell me that is a picnic compared with the World Cup.