| Bth | 23/04/01 | Walton-le-Dale | |
| P/H/W | Gk | 5ft 11in | 11st 12lb - 12st 7lb |
| Jnd | 10/29 (28) | Sunderland | £2,750 |
| Dep | 06/34 (33) | Sunderland | |
| A/G | 190 |
Goalkeeper McInroy spent almost five years on Tyneside during which time he amassed almost 200 appearances and gained a Cup Winners' medal in 1932. During most of his time on Tyneside he was the mainstay of the defence, but that did not stop the club treating him very shabbily in the end.
Hailed from Walton-le-Dale in Lancashire and. as a youth, he signed amateur forms for Preston North End. Then played in the Lancashire Combination for Leyland in whose ranks his goalkeeping attracted the attention of Sunderland who signed him in 1923. He made over 200 appearances over seven seasons for the Wearsiders and played for England against Ireland in 1927 or 1926.
A model of consistency. Safe and sure, he was bundle of agility and contrary to the usual run was left-handed.
Though he weighed almost 12st 11lb and stood 5ft 11in (sometimes recorded as 5ft 10in), "Mac" sprung well, as many a forward who was robbed by his cat-like leap to the ball could have testified.
During the 1933/34 season Albert suffered a suspected broken collar-bone in the match at Portsmouth on the 30th December. Although that proved not to be the case, whilst testing his right hand to see if it was in order the middle finger burst. "Then they sent me to a nursing home," McInroy stated, "where the hand was cut in four places. I stayed there three weeks and when I came out it was still discharging, the trouble being septic poisoning." The problem kept him out for the rest of the season.
McInroy was due to receive his five-year benefit in October, but he received a curt letter from the club which simply said: Dear Sir, I regret to inform you, the directors have decided not to retain your services for next season and you are at liberty to sign for any club. Yours faithfully, A. Cunningham, Manager.
"That is the letter a cruel reward for faithful services." said an indignant McInroy in an exclusive interview with the "Sunday Sun" . "This dismissal means that I have lost £650, my benefit, through no fault of my own, and I am thrown on to the scrap heap. Apart from my hand I am fit enough to play for any club; in fact, I was never fitter in my life.
"I consider that the directors have treated me unfairly. On 143 occasions I have appeared between the sticks. apart from Cup ties, and now, when I am temporarily unfit. I am thrown aside without anything in my pocket except a free transfer, the symbol of not being good enough."
"You can, therefore, understand my bitterness, and I am sure that the supporters of the club will be with me in feeling that I am labouring under a very severe handicap”.
He returned to Sunderland and later moved to Leeds United, Gateshead and Stockton before guesting for other North East clubs during the War.
Painting by Piotr Jozefowicz - if you would like a copy of this painting or a copy of the painting of any other player, past or present, please contact Piotr directly at: 008bond@wp.pl
Action images are AI generated (Google Gemini) based on photographs taken directly from a contemporary newspaper at the Local Studies department at Newcastle Central Library, therefore will not be totally accurate.