John Reilly

Who is John Reilly?

John Reilly is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a striker. Reilly began his career with Dundee United, signing as a schoolboy and going to make over fifty league appearances in the first half of the 1980s, making enough appearances to earn a medal during United's Scottish Premier League win in the 1982–83 season. Signing for Motherwell in 1985, Reilly suffered an achilles tendon injury which looked to have ended his career at the age of 24, prompting early retirement. After revolutionary surgery, however, he was able to continue playing and went on to play a handful of games for a number of Scottish lower league clubs, including Dunfermline Athletic and East Fife, while taking on a player/manager role at Cowdenbeath.

After retiring for the second time in the mid-1990s, Reilly remained in the game, coaching youngsters and working as a freelance sports journalist.