John McGlynn is a Scottish

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 former footballer and current manager

Coach (sport)

In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...

 of Scottish club Raith Rovers

Raith Rovers F.C.

Raith Rovers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Kirkcaldy, Fife. They are members of the Scottish Football League, currently playing in the First Division, having secured promotion from the Second Division as champions in 2009. Rovers have won one national trophy, the...

.

Playing career

Musselburgh

Musselburgh

Musselburgh is the largest settlement in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, six miles east of Edinburgh city centre.-History:...

-born McGlynn enjoyed a brief senior playing career with Berwick Rangers

Berwick Rangers F.C.

Berwick Rangers Football Club are a football team based in the English Border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, although they play in the Scottish Football League Third Division...

, having been a youth player with Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers F.C.

Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....

. After three years with The Borderers, McGlynn dropped out of the senior game into junior football

Scottish Junior Football Association

The Scottish Junior Football Association is an affiliated national association of the Scottish Football Association and is the governing body for the Junior grade of football in Scotland. The term "Junior" refers to the level of football played...

, firstly with Musselburgh Athletic

Musselburgh Athletic F.C.

Musselburgh Athletic Football Club are a Scottish junior football club based in the town of Musselburgh, East Lothian. Formed in 1934, they have played under different names including Musselburgh Bruntonians, Musselburgh Juniors and Musselburgh Fern since 1898...

 then Whitehill Welfare

Whitehill Welfare F.C.

Whitehill Welfare F.C. are a football club currently playing in the East of Scotland Football League. Founded in 1953, they play their home matches at Ferguson Park in the village of Rosewell....

.

During his time at Ferguson Park, McGlynn started coaching youth sides and gradually coaching rather than playing became his primary function. He was subsequently appointed co-manager at Easthouses Lily

Easthouses Lily F.C.

Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare F.C. are a senior football club currently playing in the East of Scotland Football League. There has been an Easthouses Lily football club in Easthouses since the establishment of the Easthouses Colliery earlier in the 20th Century.Easthouses Lily FC was originally...

 before returning to Musselburgh as manager in his own right.

Coaching and management

In 1996, McGlynn was invited to assist with coaching the youth sides at Heart of Midlothian

Heart of Midlothian F.C.

Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...

 by newly appointed manager Jim Jefferies

Jim Jefferies

James "Jim" Jefferies is a Scottish football former player and manager. Jefferies played for Heart of Midlothian for almost his whole playing career and enjoyed a successful first managerial spell with the club, winning the 1998 Scottish Cup...

, initially on a part-time basis. Within two years he had earned a permanent position, eventually working his way up to the position of first-team coach.

He was twice appointed manager on a caretaker basis in 2005, after the departures of John Robertson

John Grant Robertson

John Robertson is a former professional association football player and is currently the manager of East Fife. His playing career included spells at Newcastle United, Dundee and Livingston but he is best known for his two spells at Heart of Midlothian...

 and George Burley

George Burley

George Elder Burley is a Scottish football manager and former player and manager, formerly the manager of Crystal Palace Football Club. Burley had a professional career spanning 21 years as a player making 628 appearances and earning 11 Scotland caps...

.

McGlynn ended his ten-year association with Hearts when he was appointed Raith Rovers manager on 20 November 2006. Rovers' second season in the Scottish Second Division ended in disappointment, finishing third and beaten in the promotion play-off semi-finals against Stirling Albion

Stirling Albion F.C.

Stirling Albion F.C. are a Scottish football club currently playing in the Scottish Second Division. The club are nicknamed The Binos . They play at Doubletree Dunblane Stadium in Stirling, on the outskirts of the city near the River Forth...

. In 2007–08, McGlynn's first full season, Raith again finished third and fell at the first play-off hurdle, losing to Airdrie United

Airdrie United F.C.

Airdrie United Football Club are a Scottish professional football team based in the town of Airdrie, North Lanarkshire. They are currently managed by ex-Airdrieonians player and former Airdrie United Under 19s coach Jimmy Boyle. They are members of the Scottish Football League and play in the...

. In 2008–09, however, McGlynn guided Raith to the Second Division title and subsequent promotion back to the First Division

Scottish Football League First Division

The Irn-Bru Scottish Football League First Division Championship is the highest division of the Scottish Football League and the second highest in the Scottish football league system....

.

McGlynn won his first manager of the month award as a Division One manager in March 2010. McGlynn led Raith

Raith Rovers F.C.

Raith Rovers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Kirkcaldy, Fife. They are members of the Scottish Football League, currently playing in the First Division, having secured promotion from the Second Division as champions in 2009. Rovers have won one national trophy, the...

 to a comfortable 7th place and took the club into their first Scottish Cup semi-final for 47 years, beating Peterhead

Peterhead F.C.

Peterhead F.C. are a football club based in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. They currently play in the Scottish Football League Third Division, following promotion in the 2004–05 season.Their home ground is Balmoor in Peterhead, with a capacity of 4,000...

, Airdrie

Airdrie United F.C.

Airdrie United Football Club are a Scottish professional football team based in the town of Airdrie, North Lanarkshire. They are currently managed by ex-Airdrieonians player and former Airdrie United Under 19s coach Jimmy Boyle. They are members of the Scottish Football League and play in the...

, Aberdeen

Aberdeen F.C.

Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...

 and Dundee

Dundee F.C.

Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...

. Raith were eliminated by eventual Cup winners Dundee United

Dundee United F.C.

Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...

.

McGlynn then led Raith to a First Division championship challenge in 2010–11. Despite losing out to Fife derby

Fife derby

The Fife Derby is a football rivalry that is based in Fife, Scotland. Matches are contested between any two from Dunfermline Athletic, Raith Rovers, East Fife and Cowdenbeath....

 rivals Dunfermline Athletic

Dunfermline Athletic F.C.

Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....

 in the final weeks of the season, McGlynn won the PFA Scotland Manager of the Year

PFA Scotland Manager of the Year

The PFA Scotland Manager of the Year is awarded by the Professional Footballers’ Association Scotland to the football manager in Scottish football who is seen to have been the best manager over the previous season...

 award.

Honours

Raith Rovers
As manager:

• Scottish Football League Second Division
  Scottish Football League Second Division
  The Scottish Football League Second Division is the second highest division of the Scottish Football League and the third highest overall in the Scottish football league system....
  
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2008–09

2008-09 in Scottish football

The 2008–09 season was the 112th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:* Hamilton Academical competed in the Scottish Premier League for the first time, their first season in the top-flight since the 1988–89 season, after being promoted as First Division champions the...