Twelve years after making his debut for Queen’s Park and then plying his trade in the lower divisions with St Mirren, Dumbarton, Dundee, Chesterfield and Partick Thistle, Paul McGinn has been capped for Scotland.
The older brother of Super John McGinn joined Hibs on the last day of the January transfer window last year and it’s fair to say that his arrival was not met with a great deal of enthusiasm from the fans, but his consistent performances as right back have earned him widespread praise.
After being called-up just one day before the World Cup qualifier against Austria, McGinn was thrown in the deep end, coming on with 13 minutes remaining as Scotland were battling to keep hold of their 1-0 advantage, and performed to standard he displays consistently for Hibs.
Paul played his part as Scotland earned a vital win and put themselves in a good place with the remaining qualifying games left.
After the game he explained how much representing Scotland meant to him.
He said: “I’m immensely proud! I’ve been on a similar journey to Andy Robertson from the bottom; we both played at Queen’s Park together, so it’s nice that the next time we end up playing together is in a Scotland jersey!
“I was straight in at the deep end. It was a tense affair, but we got over the line and I thought the boys deserved it on chances.
“Steve Clarke told me stuff like tuck in, all the usual, but mostly just to enjoy it.
“I think I’m enjoying it more now that it’s finished but it’s just a proud moment for me.”
“Look, Austria are a top team still, maybe not in the greatest of form right now but you need to come here and play well to win, and they still put us under a lot of pressure. Maybe a second goal would have killed it, but we didn’t quite get it.”
The game also saw Paul playing alongside his brother and former Hibs man, John again, which means two of the three McGinn brothers have now played for their country.
“It was also good playing alongside John although it would have been nice if he’d put that one in the top corner. I’m sure my mum and dad will be proud and there’s still time left yet for Stephen!”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
