Frank McAvennie
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Francis McAvennie | ||
| Date of birth | 22 November 1959 | ||
| Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1979–1980 | Johnstone Burgh | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1980–1985 | St Mirren | 135 | (48) |
| 1985–1987 | West Ham United | 85 | (33) |
| 1987–1989 | Celtic | 55 | (27) |
| 1989–1992 | West Ham United | 68 | (16) |
| 1992 | Aston Villa | 3 | (0) |
| 1992 | Cliftonville | 0 | (0) |
| 1992 | South China | ? | (?) |
| 1992–1994 | Celtic | 30 | (10) |
| 1994 | → Swindon Town (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 1994 | Falkirk | 3 | (2) |
| 1994–1995 | St Mirren | 7 | (0) |
| Total | 393+ | (136+) | |
| National team | |||
| 1982–1987 | Scotland U21 | 4 | (1) |
| 1985–1988 | Scotland | 5 | (1) |
| 1987 | Scotland B | 1 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Francis "Frank" McAvennie (born 22 November 1959) is a Scottish former football striker best known as a player with West Ham United and Celtic, having had two spells with each of these clubs. With Celtic he won the Scottish Football League Premier Division in 1987–88 and the Scottish Cup also in 1988. He was capped five times at senior level for Scotland during the 1980s, scoring one goal.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, McAvennie grew up in Milton and attended St. Augustine's School also in Milton.
McAvennie started his playing career in Scottish Junior League football. In 1979 during an amateur game with a local side, the 200 Club, in Kirkintilloch, McAvennie, playing well, came to the attention of local scouts. He was recommended to local junior side Johnstone Burgh signing for them for a £500 fee. He completed a trial for Partick Thistle playing in a single game where he was sent on as a substitute only to be substituted off in the same game and be told by manager Bertie Auld that he would never make a career in the game of football. Before turning professional, he had joined the Territorial Army and later had trials with the British Army but was not accepted for a role with them due to his inability to hit the target during shooting practices. He also had a spell working as a road sweeper. He did not move into professional football until he joined St Mirren in 1980, at the age of 20. His league debut came in the 1981-82 season in a 4-3 defeat of Airdrieonians. Playing as a midfielder, McAvennie scored two goals. In 1982 he was named Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year. He would make 135 league appearances for them over the next five years, scoring 48 goals.
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