Maxie McCann
Quick Facts
Biography
James "Maxie" McCann (born 1934) is a former soccer player from Dublin, Ireland. Maxie joined the Hoops in 1954 and made his debut on the 10th of April in a 2-0 win against Bohemians at Dalymount Park having signed the previous Tuesday. He scored a hat trick in his second senior game [1]. He played for Shamrock Rovers F.C. as a winger. He played in European competition for the Milltown club, famously scoring in a 3-2 defeat for Rovers against Manchester United in a 1957 European Cup Preliminary Round tie at Old Trafford [2]. This goal was the first ever scored in European competition by a player representing an Irish club. In total he made 2 appearances for Rovers in Europe and scored 46 League and 7 FAI Cup goals during his time at Glenmalure Park. He also represented the League of Ireland XI 4 times scoring three. He won his one and only senior cap for the Republic of Ireland national football team on 25 November 1956, scoring the third goal in a 3-0 win over world champions Germany at Dalymount Park. He won two Republic of Ireland B national football team caps in 1958 scoring the winner in Iceland on his debut. He shared his benefit with Tommy Hamilton against Sunderland at Dalymount Park on the 30th of April 1962 [3]. His son Ray played for Bohemian F.C. in the 1980s,other sons Shay had a long career playing in the Athletic Union League, David (Maxie) player his schoolboy football at Belvo, part of the first Belvo team to win an A league in the D.D.S.L, then went on to Leinster Senior and League of Ireland, youngest son Paul played for Sheriff Y.C. and his grandson Alan McCann plays for St Patrick's Athletic F.C.'s U21s. In February 2008 Jimmy, along with Liam Hennessy were invited to the Munich commemoration at Manchester United [4].