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A product of local schools football, midfielder John McLaughlin joined
the club as an apprentice and signed professional forms on his 17th
birthday, February 25, 1969. John made an immediate impact in the
reserve side and impressed manager Bill Shankly so much that he
described him in these glowing terms: "His potential is unbelievable. He
knows the game, and is very mature for his age. He is the best
schoolboy prospect to be turned up for a very long time." Not wishing to
rush John's development, Shankly waited nearly a year before giving him
his first team debut, in a 2-1 League defeat at Chelsea on February 18,
1970. John failed to appear again that season, one which was to be a
turning point in the club's fortunes. Following a disappointing 5th
place in the League, a distant 15 points behind champions Everton, and
an embarrassing FA Cup exit to Division Two side Watford, Shankly saw
the need to rebuild an ageing squad and, at least initially, regarded a
talented youngster like McLaughlin as a key element in this
transformation. John started Liverpool's first match of the 1970-71
season, a 2-1 League win at Burnley on August 15, and marked his debut
at Anfield a week later with two first-half goals in a 4-0 League
victory over Huddersfield Town.
Surprisingly, he failed to score again
in the League that term, but his consistent form meant he was a first
team regular and he went on to make 33 League appearances, starting
every one of those games. Although he made another 12 appearances that
season in cup competitions (including seven in Europe as Liverpool
reached the semi-finals of the Fairs Cup), John's only other goal came
in a 1-0 FA Cup 3rd round win over Aldershot at Anfield on January 2,
1971. He played in the next three FA Cup ties, but missed both the
semi-final win over Everton and a 2-1 final defeat by Arsenal, Liverpool
succumbing to an extra-time goal from Charlie George as the Gunners
completed a League-FA Cup double.
After another disappointing League
season - Liverpool finished fifth in 1970-71, 14 points behind champions
Arsenal - Shankly's rebuilding continued apace and by the end of 1971
legendary figures such as Roger Hunt, Ian St John and Tommy Lawrence had
all left the club, being replaced by the likes of Kevin Keegan, John
Toshack and Ray Clemence, all of whom would prove to be inspired
purchases. However, with this transformation complete and with Emlyn
Hughes and Ian Callaghan excelling in central midfield, it became clear
that McClaughlin had no future in the new-look Liverpool side. He made
only six appearances during the 1971-72 campaign (five in the League,
one in the League Cup) and just three in the next four seasons. His last
appearance in a red shirt came in a 2-1 League Cup win over Brentford
in October 1974. After a loan spell at Portsmouth, where he played five
games in the 1975-76 season, he was forced to retire with a knee injury
in April 1976 at the tender age of 24, having made a total of 55
appearances for Liverpool, scoring three goals. A career that had
promised so much as a teenager was to remain frustratingly unfulfilled. (Martin Greensill)
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