McCourt leading Vinny Perth of St Patrick's Athletic on a merry dance during his spell at Shamrock Rovers in 2005. Source: Andrew Paton/INPHO

WHATEVER HAPPENS IN tonight’s promotion-relegation play-off final second leg at Markets Field, Paddy McCourt will play professional football for the last time.

Having announced he is retiring from the game to become the head of Derry City’s youth academy, the 34-year-old winger is hanging up his boots after Finn Harps’ clash with Limerick.

An unbelievably gifted footballer who will be the first to admit that his commitment levels didn’t always match his natural ability, ‘The Derry Pele’ still managed to carve out a career that many players could only dream of — lining out for Rochdale, Shamrock Rovers, Derry City, Celtic, Barnsley, Brighton, Luton Town, Glanavon, Finn Harps and Northern Ireland.

And, as you’ll see below, he didn’t do average goals…

Shamrock Rovers v Bray Wanderers (2005)

Shamrock Rovers v Bray Wanderers (2005)

Derry City v UCD (2007)

St Mirren v Celtic (2009)

St Johnstone v Celtic (2010)

St Pauli v Celtic (2010)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Celtic (2010)

Celtic v Inverness Caledonian Thistle (2010)

Northern Ireland v Faroe Islands (2011)

Barnsley v Middlesbrough, 2013

Brighton v Barnsley (2013)

Finn Harps v Sligo Rovers (2017)

And here’s an excellent, in-depth interview he did with former Celtic team-mate Si Ferry earlier this year, in which McCourt speaks extensively about his playing days:

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