Thanks, No Thanks – Ipswich Town

No thanks – Gareth McAuley

Bit harsh this one as Ipswich didn’t take him directly from us, but it still stung to see them reap the rewards of our gamble (and of course, Gaz Mac’s skill).

Gareth McAuley was a cut above almost all the defenders that played under Keith Alexander, and that is some claim given the quality of defender Keith signed. He came from Ireland via the same contacts that brought us Jeff Hughes and could have brought us James McClean. He cost us the princely sum of £10k, the only time in his career he has commanded a transfer fee. Obviously, Keith used him upfront a bit at first as he struggled to get into a side boasting the meanest defence in the division. For one season we had McAuley, McCombe, Futcher and Morgan to choose from at centre half.

Eventually Paul Morgan became side-lined with an injury, which gave McAuley his chance to partner Ben Futcher at the back. He immediately drew the plaudits for his excellent performances, which included a man of the match display against Derby County. After that he battled for a starting centre back role with fellow giant Jamie McCombe for much of the season.

His also displayed a degree of versatility, earning a starting role as the right full-back, replacing the perpetually out of form Matt Bloomer. He continued to play in this position for the rest of the season, helping Lincoln to the play-off final. He wasn’t just renowned for his defensive prowess either, he also chipped in with 5 goals, including both in the 2–1 aggregate victory over Macclesfield in the play-off semi-final.

In 2005 he received his first full Northern Ireland cap whilst still a Lincoln player, appearing from the bench as they went down 4-1 to Germany. His cap was a real boost for The Imps and vindicated Keith’s extensive use of his Ireland contacts.

During the next season, he cemented a spot in the centre of the Imps defence. He replaced the departing Ben Futcher and enjoyed a fantastic season. Despite our own failings in the play-offs he was named in the League Two Team of the Year, which meant he caught the attention of a number of bigger clubs. The lure of playing at a higher level saw McAuley reject City’s offer of a new contract in the summer of 2006, and he moved on a free transfer to Leicester. He played 75 times for them but really excelled when at Ipswich, during a time when we were, frankly, going downhill quickly.