Alan McLoughlin

Manchester United

McLoughlin began his career as a trainee at Manchester United on leaving school in July 1983, turning professional at the start of the 1985–86 season. However, he never played a first team game for United even when featuring over 40 times for the reserves.

Swindon Town

After his release from Old Trafford, McLoughlin played in a trial tournament for Stoke City but was not signed. He featured in an exit trial match at Durham University. He was then offered a one-week trial by Oldham Athletic but joined Swindon Town in August 1986, just after they had won promotion to the Football League Third Division. He made his debut in a 2–2 draw with Newport County on 12 September 1986. However, he did not fit with then-manager Lou Macari's "long ball" style, and seven months and nine appearances later, he moved to Torquay United on loan. His Swindon career looked to be over when he returned to Torquay at the start of the following season for another loan spell, but suspensions to other players meant McLoughlin was given another chance in the first team and he soon established himself as a regular for Swindon. It was under Macari's successor as manager, Osvaldo Ardiles, that McLoughlin really blossomed. He was an ever-present in Ardiles' first season, scoring 16 goals. He capped a fine season by scoring the winning goal in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium on 28 May 1990 against Sunderland. However, before the next season began, Swindon were demoted…

Republic of Ireland

McLoughlin's performances at club level won him international recognition, and he was named by Jack Charlton in the Ireland squad for the 1990 World Cup in Italy. He made his International debut on 2 June 1990 in a 3–0 friendly win against Malta. He made two appearances at the 1990 World Cup, coming on as a substitute in the matches with England and Egypt.

On 17 November 1993, McLoughlin came on as a substitute and scored a 76th minute equaliser against Northern Ireland in a 1–1 draw at Windsor Park in a critical 1994 World Cup qualifier; the draw, combined with Spain's defeat of Denmark, meant that the Republic of Ireland team qualified for the 1994 World Cup in the United States. McLoughlin became the first Portsmouth player to be included in any World Cup squad since the 1958 tournament – nine years before McLoughlin himself was born. He was capped 42 times in total for the Republic of Ireland and scored two goals, his other goal coming on 2 April 1997 in a 3–2 away defeat to Macedonia.

After the end of his playing career, McLoughlin returned to Portsmouth, where he became a co-commentator on the now-defunct Portsmouth-based radio station The Quay. In February 2011, he joined BBC Radio Solent as matchday co-commentator for Portsmouth matches. He stopped this when offered a role in Portsmouth coaching set up in 2011. He occasionally deputised for Guy Whittingham as co-commentator on BBC Radio Solent.

In July 2011, he joined Portsmouth as Senior Academy Coach, working alongside other club favourites Andy Awford and Paul Hardyman. On 8 July 2013, McLoughlin was appointed Portsmouth's first-team coach. Alongside manager Guy Whittingham, he assisted the side in their first season in League Two after relegation. Whittingham was sacked in November 2013 and replaced by Richie Barker, who lasted just three months. Andy Awford then took charge for the rest of the season as along with Hardyman and McLoughlin, Portsmouth were unbeaten in their final seven matches, keeping in the league and finishing 13th. Awford was appointed permanent manager and McLoughlin kept his role as first-team manager alongside new assistant Paul Hardyman in May 2014. He was released from his position as first-team coach at Portsmouth on 4 December 2014.