Paddy McLaughlin (footballer, born 1991)
Northern Irish association football player
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Patrick Joseph McLaughlin (born 14 January 1991) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Darlington on loan from National League club York City. He has played in the Football League for the club. McLaughlin previously played for Newcastle United, Grimsby Town, Harrogate Town, Gateshead, Hartlepool United and Kidderminster Harriers. He has represented Northern Ireland at levels up to under-21.
|
McLaughlin with York City in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Patrick Joseph McLaughlin[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 14 January 1991[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Larne, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[3] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Darlington (on loan from York City) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2007–2008 | Newcastle United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2011 | Newcastle United | 0 | (0) |
| 2011–2013 | York City | 74 | (14) |
| 2013–2015 | Grimsby Town | 54 | (3) |
| 2015 | → Harrogate Town (loan) | 4 | (1) |
| 2015–2018 | Gateshead | 125 | (12) |
| 2018–2019 | Hartlepool United | 24 | (1) |
| 2019 | → York City (loan) | 15 | (3) |
| 2019– | York City | 135 | (9) |
| 2022 | → Kidderminster Harriers (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2025– | → Darlington (loan) | 26 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2010–2012 | Northern Ireland U21 | 10 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 01:26, 22 May 2026 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Early career
Born in Larne, County Antrim, McLaughlin began his career at Newcastle United in July 2007.[4] He signed a professional contract a year later but he never played a match at St James' Park. In June 2011, McLaughlin was released by Newcastle after four years at the club.[5]
McLaughlin signed for Conference Premier club York City on 30 June 2011 on a two-year contract.[6][7] McLaughlin said "I thought York was the best club for me. The gaffer has given me the chance to come down here and play some football."[7] He made his debut for York on the opening day of the 2011–12 season in a 2–1 away win against Ebbsfleet United.[8] McLaughlin started in the York team that beat Newport County 2–0 at Wembley Stadium in the 2012 FA Trophy Final.[9] Eight days later, he came on as an 86th-minute substitute in the 2–1 win over Luton Town in the 2012 Conference Premier play-off final at Wembley Stadium, seeing the club win promotion to League Two after an eight-year absence from the Football League.[10] He finished the season with 55 appearances and scored 13 goals.[8] After making 33 appearances and scoring four goals for York in 2012–13,[11] he was released by the club.[12]
Grimsby Town and Gateshead
McLaughlin signed for Conference Premier club Grimsby Town on 28 June 2013 on a two-year contract.[13] Following 2013–14, in which he was a regular in the team that was defeated in the semi-final of both the Conference Premier play-offs and the FA Trophy, McLaughlin found himself less involved with the first team during 2014–15.[14] This prompted him to join Conference North club Harrogate Town on loan in March 2015.[15] He was released by Grimsby at the end of the season.[16]
McLaughlin signed for National League club Gateshead on 10 July 2015 on a one-year contract.[17] After scoring 4 goals in 41 appearances during 2015–16,[18] McLaughlin signed a new two-year contract with Gateshead in May 2016.[19]
Hartlepool United and York City return
McLaughlin signed for Gateshead's National League rivals Hartlepool United on 26 June 2018 on a contract of undisclosed length.[20] He rejoined York City on 23 January 2019 on loan until the end of the 2018–19 season, with the club now in the National League North.[21] He signed for the club permanently on 30 April 2019 on a two-year contract.[22]
On 14 November 2022, McLaughlin signed for Kidderminster Harriers on a month's loan.[23]
On 24 October 2025, McLaughlin joined National League North club Darlington on a one-month loan deal. On 1 December 2025, Darlington confirmed that McLaughlin's loan had been extended until the end of the season.[24]
International career
Career statistics
- As of match played 25 April 2026
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| York City | 2011–12[8] | Conference Premier | 44 | 10 | 1 | 1 | — | 10[a] | 2 | 55 | 13 | |
| 2012–13[11] | League Two | 30 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 33 | 4 | |
| Total | 74 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 88 | 17 | ||
| Grimsby Town | 2013–14[18] | Conference Premier | 31 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 6[c] | 1 | 40 | 5 | |
| 2014–15[18] | Conference Premier | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 1 | 26 | 1 | ||
| Total | 54 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | 8 | 2 | 66 | 6 | |||
| Harrogate Town (loan) | 2014–15[18] | Conference North | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | |||
| Gateshead | 2015–16[18][27] | National League | 35 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 5[c] | 1 | 41 | 4 | |
| 2016–17[18] | National League | 44 | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | 1[c] | 0 | 47 | 6 | ||
| 2017–18[18] | National League | 46 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 8[c] | 2 | 57 | 6 | ||
| Total | 125 | 12 | 6 | 1 | — | 14 | 3 | 145 | 16 | |||
| Hartlepool United | 2018–19[18] | National League | 24 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 2[c] | 0 | 29 | 2 | |
| York City | 2018–19[18] | National League North | 15 | 3 | — | — | — | 15 | 3 | |||
| 2019–20[18][28] | National League North | 21 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 1[d] | 0 | 25 | 1 | ||
| 2020–21[18][29] | National League North | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 1[c] | 0 | 16 | 1 | ||
| 2021–22[18][30] | National League North | 37 | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | 49 | 5 | ||
| 2022–23[18] | National League | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 19 | 1 | ||
| 2023–24[18] | National League | 40 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 43 | 1 | ||
| 2024–25[18] | National League | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Total | 150 | 12 | 13 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | 175 | 12 | |||
| Kidderminster Harriers (loan) | 2022–23[18] | National League North | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Darlington (loan) | 2025–26[18] | National League North | 26 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 27 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 454 | 43 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 7 | 529 | 54 | ||
- Seven appearances and two goals in FA Trophy, three appearances in Conference Premier play-offs
- Appearance in Football League Trophy
- Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
- Appearance in National League North play-offs
