McInroy: Albert

1935-1937 (Player Details)

Goalkeeper

Born: Walton-le-Dale, Nr Preston: 23-04-1901

Debut: v Stoke City (a): 31-08-1935

5’11” 13st (1935)

At St Thomas High School in Preston he was an Outside-Left but after leaving school and getting a job as a packer at the Preston Co-operative Society he played in goal for local sides Upper Walton and Coppull Central in the Preston & District League joinung Coppull Central in 1919. He signed amateur forms with Preston North End in 1921-22, but it was only a short stay as he only appeared twice for them before they discarded him and he stepped down to the Lancashire League. He went to High Walton United, Great Harwood and then Leyland Motors in November 1922. However, it wasn't long before both Manchester City and Sunderland took an interest in him. It was eventually Sunderland who took the plunge and signed him. He signed for the Wearsiders in May 1923 and quickly established himself, going on to win a full England Cap on 26th October 1926 in a 3-3 draw against Northern Ireland at Anfield. He played two hundred and twenty-seven times for the Roker Park club, two hundred and fifteen of them in the League and twelve in the F.A. Cup. He also played in six Durham Senior Cup games and two friendlies. After spending six seasons at Sunderland, in October 1929 he was transferred to Newcastle United for £2,750 and won an FA Cup Winners’ medal in 1932. He made his debut for the Magpies in a 0-1 defeat at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United on 5th October 1929. McInroy was Newcastle's goalkeeper in the famous "Over the Line" Cup Final win over Arsenal in 1932. He was obviously at the other end of the pitch so didn't see the incident clearly but related in an interview that sitting afterwards in an after-game dinner at the Cafe Royal, David Jack and Frank Moss, two of the Arsenal stars "had no complaints about the goal". He went on to state that all the hullabaloo was created by the media, that the fans and players didn't see it as a controversial incident. Incidentally, McInroy's 'bonus' for winning the cup was a 'massive' £8, it is small beer when compared to today's wages! With Newcastle, he quickly established himself as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the country. Indeed, it was his absence through injury during the latter part of the 1933-34 season that many maintain was the reason for Newcastle's relegation. But, he left the club after getting involved in a dispute with the directors over benefit payments. His final game was in a 0-2 defeat at Fratton Park against Portsmouth on 30th December 1933. In his five years at St James’ Park he made one hundred and sixty appearances, one hundred and forty-three were in the League. He returned to Roker Park in May 1934, but did not play in the first team, and joined Leeds in June 1935. Although already at the veteran stage, McInroy turned in some highly agile performances during his time with Leeds. He went back north to Gateshead in June 1937 and managed seventy-one appearances in two seasons. At the outbreak of the Second World War McInroy retired from professional football. A well-known dressing-room comedian, he later played for Stockton and junior clubs in the North-East during the War. Like many footballers of the time he then became a publican taking over several pubs. He once had "The Crown" in Gateshead, which at the time was the largest pub in Gateshead. He also had the "Havelock" in Houghton-le-Spring and a very famous pub in Newcastle, the "Baccus". He died in Houghton on 7th January 1985, aged eighty-three.