Jordan McGhee

Jordan McGhee

McGhee in 2024
Personal information
Date of birth	(1996-07-24) 24 July 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth	East Kilbride, Scotland
Position(s)	Utility player
Team information
Current team	Dundee
Number	6
Youth career
2007–2013	Heart of Midlothian
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2013–2017	Heart of Midlothian	58	(3)
2016–2017	→ Middlesbrough (loan)	0	(0)
2017–2019	Falkirk	65	(6)
2019–	Dundee	149	(15)
International career^‡
2011	Scotland U15[1]	2	(0)
2011–2012	Scotland U16[2]	9	(1)
2013	Scotland U18[3]	1	(1)
2013–2017	Scotland U21	20	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:00, 29 December 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 4 March 2019

Jordan McGhee (born 24 July 1996)^[4] is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for Scottish Premiership club Dundee. He can play as either a defender, both as a centre-back and full back, or as a midfielder. He began his career at Heart of Midlothian and had a spell on loan at Middlesbrough. He then spent two years at Falkirk, and was team captain from January 2019 until his departure in the summer of that year.

Club career

Heart of Midlothian

McGhee signed for Heart of Midlothian (Hearts) in 2007, having previously played for Claremont Boys Club.^[5] In July 2012, he signed a three-year professional contract, tying him to the club until 2015.^[5] A member of the club's under-20 squad^[6] McGhee made his first team debut^[7] aged 16,^[8] on 4 May 2013, coming on as an 86th-minute substitute at Tynecastle in a Scottish Premier League match against St Mirren, replacing Mehdi Taouil in a 3–0 win.^[9] The following season on 24 August 2013, in only his second substitute appearance,^[10] he scored his first professional goal,^[11] an 88th-minute winner in a 2–1 win over Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership.^[12] The following week he made his first start against Inverness Caledonian Thistle, in a 2–0 defeat.^[13]

In January 2015, McGhee signed a contract with Hearts that was due to run until the end of the 2016–17 season.^[14] Ipswich Town made two offers of around £250,000 for McGhee in August 2015, but these were both rejected by Hearts.^[15]

In January 2016 McGhee almost moved to Middlesbrough on loan but the move collapsed after paperwork failed to be completed in time.^[16] In July 2016, Middlesbrough returned to sign McGhee on a season-long loan to play in the club's development team.^[17][18]

Falkirk

McGhee moved to Scottish Championship club Falkirk in August 2017 for an undisclosed transfer fee.^[19] He made his debut two days later on 2 September 2017, starting at centre-back as his new side defeated Sligo Rovers in the Challenge Cup 2–1.^[20] McGhee was named as team captain in January 2019. Despite the team's best efforts, the Bairns were relegated to the Scottish League One at the end of the 2018–19 season.

Dundee

2019–20 season

In June 2019, McGhee signed a two-year deal with Dundee, who had been relegated to the Championship the previous season.^[21] McGhee became a key figure for the Dark Blues, impressing in a variety of different positions, scoring two important goals in consecutive games, and playing in every game until getting surgery on his hand in February 2020, which sidelined him for a couple of weeks.^[22] McGhee would be voted by his teammates as Dundee's Player's Player of the Year at the end of the season.^[23] At the beginning of July, McGhee would be announced as team captain.^[24]

2020–21 season

In his second season with Dundee, McGhee would be employed further up the pitch as a box-to-box midfielder by manager James McPake and would find success in this role.^[25] In January 2021, McGhee signed a two-year extension with Dundee, keeping him at the club until 2023.^[26] Later that month, McGhee would suffer a torn pectoral muscle that would require surgery and looked likely to have ended his season.^[27] He would make his return in April however, having recovered quicker than expected, and started in a game away to Dunfermline Athletic immediately upon returning to the squad.^[28] McGhee's return was a big factor in Dundee's upturn in form, and he would score 3 vital goals in the Premiership play-offs to help Dundee gain promotion to the Premiership.^[29]

2021–22 season

During the 2021–22 season, McGhee would require minor surgery to fix a persistent knee issue, which would sideline him for several weeks.^[30][31] Throughout the season he would return to his usual centre back role under McPake and Mark McGhee, and play his most games for the club in a single season yet, though this would not be enough to avoid relegation and a return to the Championship.^[32]

2022–23 season

McGhee would miss the start of the 2022–23 season with an Achilles injury.^[33][34] He would make his first appearance of the season on 20 August 2022, coming off the bench away to Greenock Morton.^[35] During the season he would once again be used largely as a midfielder by new manager Gary Bowyer.^[36] McGhee would mark his 100th appearance for Dundee with a clean sheet in an away victory over Hamilton Academical.^[37] McGhee would have a successful season in midfield, but after an injury late in a win against Raith Rovers in April 2023, McGhee would be out for the rest of the season with knee ligament damage.^[38] McGhee would lift silverware at the end of the season as Dundee would win the Scottish Championship title on the last day away to Queens Park.^[39]

2023–24 season

On 10 June 2023, Dundee announced that McGhee had signed a new two-year deal with the club, keeping him there until the summer of 2025.^[40] McGhee played his 150th game with the Dark Blues on 23 January 2024, in a comfortable away win over Livingston.^[41] Under Tony Docherty, McGhee played largely at centre back in a back 3 early on before cementing a role at right wing back, and bagged a trio of goals early on in 2024, including a late winner against local rivals St Johnstone.^[42] McGhee's purple patch was stopped by a calf injury sidelining him for several weeks, before returning off the bench in another win over St Johnstone.^[43][44]

2024–25 season

Returning to his traditional place at centre back, McGhee scored his first goal of the season on 17 August 2024 in a dominant League Cup knockout victory over Airdrieonians.^[45] After being out with an injury, McGhee returned to playing in November, and came off the bench on his return to score in Dundee's comeback victory over Kilmarnock.^[46]

International career

McGhee earned caps at under-15, under-16 and under-18 level before earning a call up to the Scotland under-21 squad aged just 17 after some impressive performances for Hearts.

After establishing himself as a regular at centre back alongside Stuart Findlay, he captained the Scotland under-21 side for the first time in a friendly against Switzerland on 18 November 2014 which ended in a 1–1 draw.^[47]

Career statistics

As of match played 29 December 2024^[48]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Heart of Midlothian	2012–13[49]	Scottish Premier League	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	2013–14[50]	Scottish Premiership	17	1	1	0	2	0	—		20	1
	2014–15[51]	Scottish Championship	18	2	0	0	1	0	2[a]	0	21	2
	2015–16[52]	Scottish Premiership	22	0	3	0	3	1	—		28	1
	2016–17[53]		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2017–18[54]		0	0	0	0	3	0	—		3	0
	Total		58	3	4	0	9	1	2	0	73	4
Falkirk	2017–18[54]	Scottish Championship	32	2	3	0	3	0	3[a]	0	41	2
	2018–19[55]		33	4	1	0	3	0	1	0	38	4
	Total		65	6	4	0	6	0	4	0	79	6
Dundee	2019–20[56]	Scottish Championship	24	2	1	0	4	0	1[a]	0	30	2
	2020–21[57]		15	2	0	0	3	0	4[b]	3	22	5
	2021–22[58]	Scottish Premiership	34	1	3	0	4	0	—		41	1
	2022–23[59]	Scottish Championship	29	3	2	0	2	0	3[a]	0	36	3
	2023–24[60]	Scottish Premiership	33	5	1	0	3	0	—		37	5
	2024–25[61]		14	2	0	0	6	1	0	0	20	3
	Total		149	15	7	0	22	1	8	3	186	19
Career total			272	23	15	0	37	2	14	3	338	29

1. Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup
2. Appearances in the Premiership play-offs

Honours

Club

Heart of Midlothian

• Scottish Championship: 2014–15

Dundee

• Scottish Premiership play-offs: 2020–21^[29]
• Scottish Championship: 2022–23^[39]

Individual

Dundee

• Players' Player of the Year: 2019–20^[62]

References

1. "Jordan McGhee Under-15 Scotland Profile". scottishfa.co.uk. Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
2. "Jordan McGhee Under-16 Scotland Profile". scottishfa.co.uk. Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
3. "Jordan McGhee Under-18 Scotland Profile". scottishfa.co.uk. Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
4. "Jordan McGhee". hydc.co.uk. Heart of Midlothian Youth Development Committee. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
5. "Jordan's joy at three-year Hearts deal". eastkilbridenews.co.uk. East Kilbride News. 20 June 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
6. "Gary Locke could give teenager Jordan McGhee debut". The Scotsman. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
7. "Hearts 3–0 St Mirren: Buddies fall at Tynecastle". The Scotsman. 4 May 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
8. "Hearts exact revenge for League Cup misery". The Scotsman. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
9. "Hearts 3–0 St Mirren". BBC Sport. 4 May 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
10. "17-year-old McGhee hits winner to continue Jambos fightback". Daily Record. Glasgow. 25 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
11. "Gary Locke lavishes praise on Jordan McGhee". BBC Sport. 24 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
12. "Jordan McGhee is the hero as brave Hearts stun Dons with late winner". Daily Record. Glasgow. 24 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
13. "Inverness remain top of the Scottish Premiership following a convincing victory over 10 man Hearts". BBC Sport. 31 August 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
14. "Hearts: Defender Jordan McGhee commits to new deal". BBC Sport. 14 January 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
15. Lamont, Alasdair (4 August 2015). "Hearts reject Ipswich Town bids for Jordan McGhee". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
16. Anderson, Barry (1 February 2016). "Jordan McGhee's move from Hearts to Middlesbrough collapses". Edinburgh Evening News. Archived from the original on 23 November 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
17. "Hearts: Jordan McGhee heads for Middlesbrough as Viktor Noring is offered deal". BBC Sport. 4 July 2016.
18. "Boro Take Scotland U21 Captain on Season Long Loan". Middlesbrough FC. 5 July 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
19. "Falkirk sign defenders Jordan McGhee and Conrad Balatoni". BBC Sport. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
20. "Sligo v Falkirk line ups". Falkirk FC. 2 September 2017.
21. "Jordan Signs". Dundee FC Official Website. 17 June 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
22. Cran, George (7 February 2020). "Injury bombshell for Dundee after key defensive pair go under knife". Evening Telegraph. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
23. "Jordan wins Player's Player". Dundee FC. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
24. "Jordan McGhee appointed club captain". Dundee FC. 1 July 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
25. Cran, George (15 December 2020). "Dundee boss James McPake says Jordan McGhee can make box-to-box midfield slot his own and be the Dark Blues' Murray Davidson". eveningtelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
26. "Jordan signs extension". dundeefc.co.uk. 8 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
27. Cran, George (5 February 2021). "James McPake sees similarities between Dundee new boy Jason Cummings and Celtic's former Dee star Leigh Griffiths". eveningtelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
28. Cran, George (14 April 2021). "Jordan McGhee: Ripping muscle from bone, surgery and what it feels like to defy a season-ending injury". eveningtelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
29. "Dundee promoted as Kilmarnock drop down for first time in 28 years". BBC Sport. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
30. Cran, George. "Dundee injury update: Surgery for Jordan McGhee to sort persistent knee problem, doubts over Max Anderson but positive news on Shaun Byrne and Alex Jakubiak". The Courier. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
31. "Dundee midfielder Jordan McGhee to miss Motherwell clash after knee surgery". BT.com. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
32. "Dundee relegated from Scottish Premiership after St Johnstone beat Aberdeen". Sky Sports. Retrieved 8 August 2022.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
33. Cran, George. "Dundee team news for Partick Thistle clash as Gary Bowyer provides Jordan McGhee update". The Courier. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
34. Cran, George. "Dundee team news: Boss Gary Bowyer provides update on Zak Rudden and Jordan McGhee ahead of Queen's Park clash". The Courier. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
35. "Greenock Morton v Dundee". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
36. Cran, George. "Dundee verdict: Player ratings, star man and key moments as Dee misses prove costly in Inverness draw". The Courier. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
37. "Hamilton Academical v Dundee". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
38. Robertson, Neil. "Dundee midfielder Jordan McGhee's season is over". The Courier. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
39. "Dundee back in Premiership after eight-goal epic". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
40. "McGhee extends stay". Dundee Football Club – Official Website. 10 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
41. "Martindale future a 'conundrum' as Dundee thrash Livingston". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
42. "Dundee snatch dramatic derby win over St Johnstone". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
43. Cran, George (5 March 2024). "Dundee suffer injury blow with Jordan McGhee set to miss key matches as Dens kid turns out for Scotland". The Courier. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
44. "St Johnstone v Dundee". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
45. "Dundee vs Airdrieonians: Scottish League Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
46. "Dundee vs Kilmarnock: Scottish Premiership". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
47. "Switzerland 1–1 Scotland". Scottish Football Association. 18 November 2014.
48. Jordan McGhee at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
49. "Games played by Jordan McGhee in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
50. "Games played by Jordan McGhee in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
51. "Games played by Jordan McGhee in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
52. "Games played by Jordan McGhee in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
53. "Games played by Jordan McGhee in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
54. "Games played by Jordan McGhee in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
55. "Games played by Jordan McGhee in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
56. "Games played by Jordan McGhee in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
57. "Games Played by Jordan McGhee in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
58. "Games played by Jordan McGhee in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
59. "Games played by Jordan McGhee in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
60. "Games played by Jordan McGhee in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
61. "Games played by Jordan McGhee in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
62. "Jordan wins Player's Player". Dundee Football Club – Official Website. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2023.

External links

• Jordan McGhee on Twitter