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Steve McMahon (footballer)

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Steve McMahon
Personal information
Full name Stephen Joseph McMahon
Position(s) Midfielder

Stephen McMahon (born August 20, 1961 in Liverpool) was one of the toughest midfield football players of his generation who galvanised the Liverpool team of the late 1980s.


Playing career

Born and raised locally, McMahon was a blue as a youngster and was snapped up as a boy by Liverpool's fierce rivals Everton, playing for them as a teenager his first appearances at Goodison Park was as a ballboy. He quickly established a reputation as a no-nonsense midfield player with a good deal of skill to complement his bravery and attitude. He made his league debut on the 16th August 1980 in the 3-1 defeat to Sunderland at Roker Park, he went on to be voted the supporters player of the year by the end of the 1980/81 season. His commanding presence in the Toffees midfield earned the captaincy of the club but Everton's lack of success couldn't quench his thirst for honours, so after 4 seasons which included 100 league appearances and 11 league goals McMahon was on the move.

He joined Aston Villa on the 20th May 1983 for £175,000 (rejecting a move to Liverpool in order to stay in the good books of the Evertonians), he made his league debut on the 27th August 1983 in the thrilling 4-3 Midlands derby win over West Bromwich Albion at Villa Park. Much like his days at Everton, McMahon, the uncompromising player who didn't shirk a challenge, settled quickly and established himself in the heart of the Villians midfield. However the success he craved never materialised with Villa finishing a disappointing 10th in his first season at the club, to confound matters his previous club, Everton, finished 3 places above them in 7th spot. The following season, 1984/85, ended up worse than the previous one as Villa finished in 10th spot again, only this time Everton won title thus gaining the success McMahon had wanted.

Still yearning trophies, even more so since Everton's success, MaMahon finally agreed to join Liverpool on the 12th September 1985 for £350,000 thus becoming the first signing to be made by new manager Kenny Dalglish. He made his debut 2 days later on the 14th in the 2-2 league draw with Oxford United at the Manor Ground. He didn't have to wait long for his first goal either, it came a week later on the 21st, ironically, in the highly charged atmosphere of the derby against, boyhood heroes and former club, Everton. MaMahon's 42nd minute strike must have felt like being knifed in the back for all the Evertonian's in the Goodison crowd that day, but to make things worse it turned out to be the winner as the Reds triumphed by 3 goals to 2.

He played a crucial role in Liverpool's "double" winning side of that season, although his joy at winning a League championship medal was tempered slightly by his omission from the side for the FA Cup final which again was ironically against rivals and former club Everton, the first all Merseyside FA Cup final. However, he was more fortunate than the other players left out by Dalglish as McMahon was given the substitute's role and ended up with a winners' medal when Liverpool won 3-1, though he did not get on to the pitch.

The following year, McMahon this time started at Wembley when Liverpool contested the League Cup final against Arsenal. He set up the opening goal for Ian Rush but they ultimately lost the match 2-1. He had earlier scored four goals in Liverpool's record 10-0 victory over Fulham in the same competition.

Dalglish reshaped the side the following season, incorporating new signings John Barnes, Peter Beardsley, John Aldridge and Ray Houghton but McMahon remained in the side. By now his reputation as one of the best hardmen in the game was established. Though his tackling was often subjected to scrutiny by the football authorities and criticism from opposing players and managers, there was no doubt that his skills as a footballer were of the highest order.

McMahon scored frequently for a man in his position as Liverpool played some of the best club football ever seen and coasted to the 1988 League title. Memorable strikes included a 30 yard shot against Manchester United and the opener in a crucial Merseyside derby against Everton, although Liverpool only won the latter of those two games. When Liverpool reached the FA Cup final again, McMahon was one of the team's two Scousers (along with Aldridge) obliged to perform a localised rap on the official FA Cup final song The Anfield Rap, written in a trend-encapsulating rap and house music style by team-mate Craig Johnston.

The song got to No.3 in the UK charts, but Liverpool surprisingly lost the final at Wembley to Wimbledon. McMahon was afforded the ultimate respect by fellow hardman Vinnie Jones, who said that if he could stop Steve McMahon, then Wimbledon could stop Liverpool. Jones indeed clattered McMahon in the opening minute of the game but McMahon said afterwards that his own individually sub-standard performance had nothing to do with the tackle.

Later in 1988, McMahon won his first of 17 caps for England. There had been widespread clamouring in the press for manager Bobby Robson to select him, and indeed ITV commentator Brian Moore rapped a verse to that effect on the Cup final song ("Well Steve McMahon sure can rap, it's about time he had an England cap; so come on Bobby Robson, he's your man; 'cause if anyone can, Macca can!") with the last expression repeated in a scratch mix manner to emulate Melle Mel's rap which eulogised Chaka Khan on her 1984 hit I Feel For You. Robson awarded him his debut on the 17th February '88 in a friendly international with Israel in Tel Aviv. McMahon played the full 90 minutes along with fellow Reds Barnes and skipper Beardsley but couldn't influence a victory having instead to make do with a goalless draw.

In 1989 McMahon was again a regular fixture as Liverpool again chased a "double" of League and FA Cup. As one of the local lads in the team, he was deeply affected by the Hillsborough disaster during the FA Cup semi-final on the 15th April, he, along with the rest of Liverpool F.C, showed great compassion and attended a number of the funerals. He was certainly on his game with some of his tackling during the re-scheduled semi-final against Nottingham Forest a month later. Forest manager Brian Clough was publicly critical of McMahon afterwards, although many people could understand the scousers determination to propel the Reds into the final which was to be played against Everton, a fitting final in many peoples eyes, he also wanted to bring the famous old trophy back to Anfield as a dedication to the 96 supporters who lost their lives.

Liverpool won the Cup by 3 goals to 2 - McMahon set up the opening goal for Aldridge after just 4 minutes of the final - but they lost the League title in a decider at Anfield against Arsenal. Television viewers saw McMahon telling his team-mates they were one minute from victory and another "double" and shouting "come on!" to himself as the game's last seconds ticked away, only for Arsenal midfield player Michael Thomas to score Arsenal's late, late winner and steal the championship.

McMahon again played frequently as Liverpool won back the title in 1990 but lost out on another "double" when they were beaten 4-3 by Crystal Palace in a thrilling FA Cup semi-final, in which McMahon scored.

He was then selected by Robson for the England squad which would play in that summer's World Cup in Italy. McMahon came on as a substitute in the opening group game against the Republic of Ireland but was responsible for gifting the Irish side their equaliser in the 1-1 draw - he miscontrolled a ball midway inside his own half of the pitch and Kevin Sheedy, a former Everton team-mate of McMahon's, stole the ball and crashed a shot past Peter Shilton. McMahon started the later group game against Egypt which England won, and then started the second round match against Belgium. He did not do a lot wrong in this game, but fatigue and a tactical change saw him replaced by David Platt, who went on to score a spectacular winner and keep hold of his place right through until the semi-final defeat against West Germany, scoring twice more during the tournament. McMahon did not feature again.

After playing 15 games of the 1991/92 McMahon, who was now 30, left Liverpool to join Manchester City for £900,000 on Christmas Eve '91 after playing 276 games, during which time he scored 50 goals.

McMahon made his City debut 2 days later on Boxing day in a 2-1 win over Norwich City at Maine Road, he, again, quickly established himself and became a firm favourite amongst the City fans who appreciated his no nonsense approach.

McMahon played in 87 league matches for the sky blues before an offer to became player-manager of Swindon Town tempted him away from Manchester.

Post-playing career

Unfortunately, his time there did not work out and he moved on to become a successful boss (eventually) for Blackpool. After relegation to football's bottom rung, McMahon led them back to immediate promotion via the play-offs and also won two LDV Vans Trophies.

McMahon's time at Blackpool was marked by a mixture of sparkling football and mediocrity, often in back to back weeks. Few fans could deny that his sides were amongst the most skillful and entertaining seen at Bloomfield Road in recent decades on their day, but also questions were asked about the level of commitment McMahon gave to his job. 'Playing golf' seemed to be a regular pass-time of the often entertaining scouser and some fans believed McMahon's sides lacked fitness and discipline. Whatever the truth, McMahon is likely to be remembered more fondly than not by the Tangerine faithful.

He left Blackpool following an argument over funds just before the final game of the 2004 season, having bizzarely resigned midway through the season, only to burst in on the press conference announcing the decision and withdrawing the resignation following a short chat with chairman Karl Oyston. He spent his time after Blackpool away from management doing a spot of punditry for the BBC.

He was signed in early 2005 as the manager of Perth Glory FC in Australia. However, his tenure at the club proved short. A combination of media speculation, poor signings from the transfer market, indifferent form and an apparent dispute with the board saw him leave the club in December 2005.

In early February 2006, McMahon signed an eighteen-month contract to work as a television pundit for Asia-based ESPN Star Sports.

He has a son, Steve McMahon Jr, a defender who played for Perth Glory, Blackpool and was loaned out to Kidderminster Harriers in 2004.

During his days at Anfield he was a firm favourite with the supporters who loved his never say die attitude, this fact was brought to light when after a poll conducted by the official Liverpool Football Club web sitein the summer of 2006 saw McMahon placed in a more than respectable 42nd position. The poll, 100 Players Who Shook The Kop, asked Red supporters to name their favourite 10 players of all time, astonishingly more than 110,000 fans worldwide took part in the poll.

Honours As Player

Honours As Manager

Preceded by Blackpool F.C. manager
2000-2004 		Succeeded by
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