How John McGinn put ‘wee guy from Clydebank mode on’ to emerge from dark days at Aston Villa

There are certain traits that are inherently part of the Scottish DNA and, in what has been a tricky season of highs and lows, John McGinn has been grateful for them.
Moira Gordon
By Moira Gordon
Published 18th May 2023, 07:30 GMT
 Comment

At club level there have been trials as his personal form slipped at a time when he was supposed to be leading by example as Aston Villa captain but in those dark moments, as criticism rained down on him, he tapped into the inner ‘screw you’ setting which has helped so many of his compatriots.

“It probably does affect you a wee bit. At the start of the season and a couple of months in, it was the most I’ve ever been questioned in my career. A lot of people doubted whether I could play at this level. Could I be Aston Villa captain?

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“The only thing better in football than winning is proving people wrong! You have that in the back of your head. You put the wee guy from Clydebank mode on and show them that they are wrong. I’m sure Billy [Gilmour] was the same. He’d have been wanting to prove people wrong. Nathan [Patterson] will have probably wanted to prove his manager wrong. It’s something we’ve all got deep inside us – that we’ll fight. I’m sure everyone is the same in that situation.”

John McGinn has been named Scottish Football Writers International Player of the Year for a fourth year running.John McGinn has been named Scottish Football Writers International Player of the Year for a fourth year running.
John McGinn has been named Scottish Football Writers International Player of the Year for a fourth year running.

While McGinn, and Scotland team-mates Gilmour [at Brighton] and Patterson [at Everton] have faced difficulties at club level this term, the national team has offered solace.