McIntosh plots coaching move as injury hits

Mar 15 2008 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

MARTIN McINTOSH has reluctantly accepted his top-level playing career may be over.

But Mansfield’s former Town centre-back, who has been hit by hamstring and calf injuries, is hoping to get a chance in coaching.

Already UEFA B-qualified, the 37-year-old Scotsman will aim for his A licence this summer.

And he’s already gaining experience with Sheffield Wednesday’s Under 14 side.

“I coach the kids on a Monday, Thursday and Sunday, and I’m really enjoying it,” said McIntosh, who lives in the steel city.

“I wanted to get some experience under my belt, and as the club nearest to where I live, I approached Wednesday and asked if they were interested in a bit of help.

“I’ve been doing it since November, and it’s going well. Funnily enough, one of the teams we’ve played is Town, and I can tell the fans that there are some very promising players coming through.”

Signed by Peter Jackson from Rotherham in the summer of 2005, McIntosh made 52 Town appearances in an eventful two-season spell during which he was farmed out to Grimsby on loan then told he wouldn’t play for the club again with three months of last season remaining.

After Jacks on’s sacking, he was recalled by caretaker chief Gerry Murphy and stayed involved when current boss Andy Ritchie arrived with four games of the campaign to go.

He failed to earn another Galpharm contract, however, and accepted the offer of a one-year deal with League II Mansfield, who also signed released Town frontman John McAliskey.

The injuries, the most problematic of which is to the hamstring and was originally suffered at the end of September, then recurred during December, have limited McIntosh to just 11 appearances.

That takes the overall career tally of the Scotland B international, who comes from East Kilbride, near Glasgow, but started out in London with Tottenham, to 519.

Having failed to make the first team at Spurs, he returned North of the border to play for St Mirren, Clydebank and Hamilton before being signed by Stockport for £80,000 in 1997.

After a £250,000 transfer to Hibernian in 2000, he first arrived in Yorkshire in 2001, when he joined Rotherham for £125,000.

With McIntosh in the ranks, the Millers had some decent seasons in the Championship, but he values his time at Town, where he was a member of the side which reached the League I play-offs two seasons ago, just as highly.

“Despite the ups and downs, I had a great time at Town, I got great backing from the fans and it’s a club I have a lot of regard for,” said the man who faced Town when they beat the Stags 4-0 in their final pre-season friendly.

That scoreline was a sign of trouble to come for Mansfield, who are fighting for their Football League lives.

Tuesday’s 1-0 home defeat against a Hereford side which included McIntosh’s fellow former Town centre-back John McCombe left the Stags firmly entrenched in the dreaded bottom two.

Having earlier this month parted company with Bill Dearden, the manager who signed McIntosh and McAliskey, former assistant manager Paul Holland is in caretaker charge.

Holland said of the news that McIntosh is unlikely to play for the club again: “Martin has been very honest. He is as frustrated as anyone but I spoke to him and he said if there was anything he could do to help me he would, which I appreciate.”

McIntosh added: “While I plan to have a go at playing non-league football, I have to be sensible and say that given my age, it’s very unlikely I’ll play at the top level again.

“But I want to pursue coaching, so hopefully I’ll still be involved in the game for a good while yet.”