Thetownend.com

Messages coming in that he has sadly passed away today. RIP

Rest in peace Alan Mac.


https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/former-ireland-midfielder-alan-mcloughlin-dies-aged-54-1.4555117?mode=amp

Far too young.

RIP!

Horrible news. Thoughts with his family.

Would be a fitting tribute if the charity game fundraising page picked up a bit of steam, perhaps from other clubs he was popular at.

RIP

Oh no. Very sad news.

RIP Macca.

Man thats shit.  RIP legend.

Such awful news. A true STFC legend, his performances and goals , particularly in the 1989/90 season, culminating in the 1-0 win over Sunderland at Wembley, will continue to live long in the memory. Was sold for £1m the following season to Southampton.

All of this pales in to insignificance though when you consider he was only 54. Dreadfully difficult times for his family.

RIP Macca  :(

That is extremely shit.

RIP

Condolences to his family, such a nice guy and taken away far too early
RIP Macca and thanks for the memories

That is so shit, so sad 😞
RIP Alan
Magnificent player. True Swindon legend

Far far too young, desperately sad for the family, massive loss to the Academy, club and the town as a whole. RIP Macca.

Shit news. I had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of times and he came across as a very nice, genuine bloke. One of our best midfielders ever.

Very sad news. A town and Irish legend. RIP

That goal at the Dell in the cup.  I bunked off school to get to that game and was stood behind the goal.  What a memory to cherish.

One of my favourite players of all time.  Gutted.  

Thoughts are with his family.

Terrible, terrible news. Makes all the other stuff going on irrelevant.

Met him a couple of times. Lovely guy.

Thoughts with his family.

OMG, THAT is, sad, sad news. RIP Alan, another legend gone way before his time. Condolences to his family and friends.

A post with 100% agreement.
What a player and what a wonderful human being. Met him a fair few times and every time an absolute gentleman
.
RIP Macca, never forgotten.

Awful news. One of my idols when I first started watching Town. RIP Alan.

Such sad news, RIP

RIP to a true STFC legend.  Far too early gone.  Condolences to family and close ones.

A great footballer and by all accounts a great man as well. Scored the goal at Wembley of course that took us into Div 1 but also scored the goal that took Ireland to USA 94 also so was a man for the moment.

RIP Alan.

Such sad news. My thoughts are with his family. Alan was a super player and I have fond memories of him in our midfield. He was an integral part  of Ossie's side and played a major part in our short-lived promotion to the old first division.  RIP Alan.

RIP, Alan.  You came on as a sub during my first ever Town game.  You replaced Shaun Close.  Always been in your debt for that.

How very sad.  Gave those of us of a certain age our best ever moment with the goal against Sunderland.  Thanks for the memories Macca.  RIP Sir.

RIP Alan, so very sad news. He was brilliant in the 89-90 season (and others); one of my favourite players of all time.

Didn't realise he had such little time left. Far, far too young. RIP Alan, thank you for all of the happy memories.

Absolutely gutted !. What a player, what a man. What a legend. One of my hero's. Will never be forgotten.

Sad, Sad news.  Thoughts with his family and all who knew him.   True legend, 100% Swindon.    R.I.P. Alan.

Such sad news! Condolences to his family and friends. His prominent place in our club’s history is assured.

Very sad.

54 for christ's sake .....

Terrible news.  Far too young.

You scored the goal that technically would never count but you are a true legend to us all.
A term that is quite hard to write with sincerity in this age but for you Alan, it holds firmly.

My memory is weak as I was only 4yrs old when you scored that goal and I knew then why I had the club's moniker in my name. I knew then that I would be bound to this club for as long as I am around this earth and this life.

Sleep well Alan Mac, wherever you may be now - I don't think many could disagree that we hope it involves you scoring at Wembley in perpetuity.

You will be dearly missed.

Absolutely gutted. Was always one of my all time favourite players after I spent a couple of hours with him at the Highworth fete before he had made the first team. At the time I used to be at New College and take in Reserve games for free on Weds afternoons where Alan Mac was putting in top displays - he played a couple of times with little impact until the day of the fete when i had the chance to tell a young Alan how good I thought he was in the Reserve games and that it was just a matter of time until he made it big and keep plugging away. No-one at the fete had a clue who he as so I got to chat footy for a couple of hours and his career to that date at Man Utd with lots of stories of Lou Macari being told. He seemed to appreciate someone outside his circle thinking he had what it took and incredibly just two weeks later he got his chance in the first team again. He never looked back and rarely missed another game that season.

I liked to think my words had really hit home but the truth is probably that he always had the ability and it was (as I had said) just a matter of time before he struck it big. Nevertheless I never forgot that day and we chatted about it on twitter where he would often chat to myself about the Swindon Youth teams in later years.

A true Swindon Town legend and that day at Wembley will never be forgotten. (Or the time when he came back to play against us for Pompey and Glenn Hoddle decided he had to take out the danger man with a shocker of a tackle - only got a yellow as it was Glenn but Alan Mac hobbled off!)

RIP Sir Alan Mac

RIP Alan Mac.

You scored the goal that put Swindon into the top division for the first time in its history and for that you will always be a true legend.

A great player who started his career slowly under Macari but came to the fore under Ardiles and culminated in scoring that (slightly defelected) goal at Wembley in 1990, a game he bossed the midfield, he then played in the World Cup Finals with Eire helping them get to the QF's.

You then came back to a club you openly said you love to become academy manager in 2016 and put a lot back into the club that launched your career.

At least you are now at peace.

RIP Macca a true Swindon Town legend who was taken from us far far too soon.

Thoughts are with his friends and family, that's no age at all. RIP

So very sad. One of those moments when news of someone who you had never met passing brings forward more emotion than you expect. I remember the footage as Ireland qualified for the WC QF’s and I looked specifically for the player from my team involved in it. RIP Alan Mac

Very sad news. As well as being a fantastic player, it is obvious from the testimonies that have come from Ireland, Portsmouth, Swindon and beyond that he was a great human being as well. RIP Alan McLoughlin.

Always had time for a chat after the game, a true gent and fantastic player and he would be in my all time Town 11.

Been remembering how good Macca was for us. He was superb at what is now known fashionably as 'third man running'. Kinda before its time, a bit like the Ardiles style of football which suited him perfectly. Why he scored regularly too. He really was a gifted footballer.

Well worth a read........

https://www.irishpost.com/sport/a-love-letter-from-an-adoring-fan-to-his-hero-alan-mcloughlin-211584

Such sad sad news, used to love watching him.

In the dark days of Diamandis when I was on the trust I was interviewed for ITV news alongside Alan. He was with us, no doubt. Heart and soul he was Swindon. Had a great chat with him and he was keen to help us much as possible. I will never forget his performances off and on the pitch for our great club. RIP

Squires gets it right again:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2021/may/11/david-squires-on-alan-mcloughlin-my-first-football-hero

Very touching.  What a player and obviously, also, what a man.

I have a very indististict memory of a league cup game at Darlington in the old stadium. It was a first leg match and we got thrashed, although we went through eventually. The mood there was not great but I remember one of the players coming over and apologising to the supporters for something.

I seem to remember it was Alan Mac but my memory is not what it was and he may not have even be playing!

Anyone got any recollection?

Yes, he was playing.

http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/MatchCentre.asp?MatchID=19910701

We won the second leg 4-0 and Alan Mac scored the fourth

Cheers.

What was he apologising for?

The next 30 years.
What a sad loss RIP.

Saw his debut with Reg at Newport. We arrived late to the match by taxi as we lost all sense of time in the pub. My nephew has been in conversation with David Squires today - what a lovely piece by him in the Guardian.

I am a massive Pompey fan living in Bassett for the last 30 years. Longer than I lived in Pompey. A great deal of respect is being shown for Macca on here and on the Pompey forum. A great man, footballer and person.

Agreed