The newest entry in our ‘Whatever happened to’ where we profile the lesser known lads that have pulled on the red and white stripes of the Lads. This time we go back again in the 1980s and profile a central defender who spent just two years on Wearside before moving on. Featured this week is right back Joe Hinnigan.
Born in Liverpool, Joe Hinnigan didn’t come through the professional ranks anywhere. In fact, Joe’s grounding came in the tough and uncompromising battleground which was the Northern Premier League. One of his team mates in those early days was midfielder Jimmy Case who would win multiple honours with Liverpool as well as feature for Brighton and Hove Albion and Southampton. After playing 80 games in three years, Hinnigan would move to ambitious rivals Wigan Athletic for the princely sum of £1250.
At the time Joe joined Wigan, they were still a non-league side but making waves. The Latics were admitted to the Football League in the days of re-election in 1978 with Joe playing an integral part. Joe would also score the first ever League goal for the Latics which came in their fourth game, but visitors Newport County would triumph 3-2. He would net four more times that season as the newcomers would finish a creditable sixth in their maiden League season, just four points behind Barnsley who went up in the then fourth promotion spot. His displays for the Latics were soon attracting bigger fish to acquire the defender, and it was the Lads who would swoop for him under Ken Knighton with the Lancashire side receiving £130K for him in February 1980.
Joe’s debut for the Lads came against Luton Town in the Second Division where a single John Cooke effort gave the Lads the win in front of a 25,387 crowd at Roker. His first of five goals in all competitions for the Lads also came at Roker but it was in vain as the Lads lost 2-1 to eventual league champions Aston Villa. In December 1982, Joe left Wearside to return to the North West and drop a couple of divisions to turn out for Preston North End with the Lads receiving a nominal fee from the Lilywhites for his services. In 1984, Joe was on the move again and headed south to Gillingham. Spells at Wrexham and Chester City followed before he hung his boots up at the age of 35 in 1990.
After retirement, Joe went into physiotherapy. He spent stints at four different sides in the North West, usually following Graham Barrow where the latter was appointed. He moved onto Shrewsbury Town in 2006 before moving to Accrington Stanley in 2008.
