McGeough’s run of appearances would probably have continued except that his sending off in a 2-1 defeat at Brentford towards the end of February resulted in a three-game suspension. Returning to make an appearance off the bench in a 1-0 home defeat to Colchester he then regained his place for four games before being left out in favour of the fit-again Terry Heath in a 3-3 home draw with Doncaster. But with Heath breaking his toe in that match the Irishman was back again for a solitary game which saw a 2-0 defeat at Doncaster before he was left out again for the last three games of the season as Taylor gave other members of the squad some match experience. He finished the season with a total of 38 games in all competitions.
In the 1974 close season the signing of former Welsh international winger Dick Krzywicki heralded Graham Taylor settling on a 4-4-2 formation with Dennis Booth, signed from Southend after a spell on loan, and Dave Smith first choices for the two midfield spots. McGeough remained at the club however, but was not in the squad from which the team for the first game of the season was chosen, with former Sheffield Wednesday youngster Gordon Byron starting the game. However, despite a 2-1 win over Chester Byron was then left out of the side and McGeough was named as substitute for the next game, coming off the bench in a 1-1 draw at Rotherham in the First Round of the League Cup. He made another substitute appearance in the next game which saw a 1-0 defeat at Crewe before making his first start of the season in place of the unfit Alan Harding in the second leg of the cup tie with Rotherham which produced another draw. McGeough kept his place in the side for the next seven games which included a 5-0 win over Exeter City but also a 5-0 defeat at Cambridge. A 2-1 win at Swansea towards the end of September turned out to be his last game for the club as Alan Harding who had been suffering intermittent fitness problems became available again. McGeough was an unused substitute in the next two games, both home wins, but then with Colin Symm who had missed most of the early part of the season able to come into midfield and Gordon Byron taking over as substitute, the Irishman found himself out of the first team picture by the middle of October.
Some inconsistent results had seen City hold a position in mid-table, and despite Graham Taylor saying the midfield needed strengthening it was clear Jimmy McGeough was no longer part of the manager’s plans and after a total of 10 games in all competitions in the season so far he was allowed to return to Waterford.
Waterford were no longer the force they had been in his earlier spell with them but they did finish third in the league in the 1975/76 season and fourth a year later. In the summer of 1977 after a further 63 league games and two goals Jimmy McGeough left Waterford and at the age of 33 was appointed player-manager of newly-formed club Thurles Town about to embark on their first-ever season in the League of Ireland.
Playing in 17 league games for the County Tipperary side, however, McGeough was unable to prevent a disastrous season for them as Thurles finished bottom of the league with just one game won. After a season in charge he departed in the summer of 1978, this time to cross the Atlantic Ocean rather than the Irish Sea, to become player-coach of New York Apollo in the American Soccer League, turning out in 23 games for them and scoring once before his playing career ended. He remained as coach when the club changed their name to New York United and in 1981 was named as the American Soccer League’s ‘Coach of the Year’ after they finished as runners-up. During this time, he assisted with the staging of the football scenes in the feature film ‘Escape to Victory’.
Now settled in America, McGeough spent ten years as head coach at the State University of New York at East Farmingdale as well as coaching New York Arrows in the Indoor Soccer League. Later, he was coach with New York side Long Island Rough Riders, and from 2000 on the coaching staff with Major League Soccer side Tampa Bay Mutiny in Florida. This team folded for financial reasons in 2002 and meanwhile in January of that year McGeough returned to Ireland for a third association with Waterford United as they were now known, this time as manager. The club were by now in the second tier, or First Division, of the League of Ireland and McGeough led them to a top half finish by the end of the season. This included an incident not long after he had returned to the country, when fined for being sent to the stands during a match with Dundalk he asked if he could pay in US dollars.
McGeough led Waterford United to the First Division title in 2002/03, winning promotion to the Premier Division. In 2003 the League of Ireland began to be played in the summer months and out of ten clubs Waterford finished in sixth place. Despite this relative success on the pitch McGeough had a difficult relationship with the club chairman and he was sacked at the end of the year causing much outrage and protests from the supporters.
After returning to the USA for a time he was back across the Atlantic in August 2004, this time to his native Northern Ireland to take charge of Larne FC in County Antrim. The players there included a 19-year-old left back named Jeff Hughes who was to join Lincoln City a year later. McGeough led the tiny club to an appearance in the Irish Cup Final where they were beaten 5-1 by Portadown and to safety from relegation before returning to the United States to re-join his family. It was reported at the time that 9/11-related terrorism laws prevented him from being out of the USA for more than 12 consecutive months.
McGeough’s sons Paul and Tony were professionals in the New York soccer scene while his other son, Jimmy McGeough Jr., had a lengthy career as a player with a large number of US clubs mostly those competing in indoor leagues, including a spell as assistant manager of Carolina Vipers. McGeough Jr then coached youth soccer for several years, including coaching children in Florida alongside his father.
Jimmy McGeough’s Football League appearances came to a total of 67.
Thanks to Gary Parle and Ian Nannestad for their help with this article, especially for information regarding Jimmy McGeough’s date of birth.
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