John McGrath (footballer, born 1938)

John Thomas McGrath (23 August 1938 – 25 December 1998) was an English footballer and manager in the Football League.

He played as a defender, and started his career at Bury from 1955 to 1960. He then spent the next eight years with Newcastle United following a £24,000 transfer, helping them to the Second Division title in 1964–65. In 1968 he joined Southampton for a £30,000 fee, where he would spend the final six years of his playing career, though he also played briefly for Brighton & Hove Albion in 1973. In total he played 489 league games in a nineteen-year career in the Football League.

Starting his management career at Port Vale in 1979, he won them promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1982–83. Following this he left to take the reins at Chester City in 1984. Appointed manager at Preston North End in 1986, he led them promotion out of the Fourth Division as runners-up in 1986–87, before departing in 1990. He finished his career with a brief spell in charge of Halifax Town in 1992.