John Melligan

John Melligan came to Aggborough on loan from local 1st Division side Wolverhampton Wanderers. In his first spell with us he scored 7 times in 12 games. He was then re-called by Wolves, because of injuries to their squad, but then came back to us for the rest of the season.

Fast, and not afraid to take a player on, his sublime skills saw him winning a handful of caps for the Republic of Ireland U21 team.

At the end of the season Wolves were promoted to the Premiership and great things were forecast for John ‘JJ’ Melligan. He failed to make the team though and after continued pressure from Ian Britton the Wolves eventually allowed ‘JJ’ to come back to Aggborough for a further one month loan.

It couldn’t have come at a better time with the Harriers struggling near the foot of the table and Brittons job on the line but once he was sacked and Jan Molby came back to take charge Melligan left to go back to the Wolves.

He then went out on loan to Doncaster Rovers but was released be Wolves at the end of the season. With everyone expecting him to sign for us he sprung a surprise and joined arch rivals Cheltenham Town prior to the start of the 2004-05 season and lasted four years there before joining Leyton Orient in June 2007.

He left there by mutual consent at the beginning of February 2010 and returned to his native country to play for Dundalk but a clause in his contract said that if a league club came in for him he could leave. When Cheltenham came calling a second time he joined them again.