Mark McNulty’s form has been nothing short of sensational for Hibs since joining on loan from Reading in January. Scoring six goals and grabbing three assists in just eight games, he has inspired Paul Heckingbottom’s side through a mini renaissance. It’s no coincidence Hibs have lost just twice since his arrival.
He’s brought out the best in Florian Kamberi and brings attacking flair to the Easter Road side. Now the former Coventry City and Livingston man has got his first ever Scotland call-up.
McNulty in action against Celtic. (photo by Alan Rennie/Action Plus via Getty Images)
It’s a terrific achievement for McNulty. He has worked extremely hard to get to this position, given how many obstacles the striker has had to hurdle.
McNulty has always known where the net is, but finding a place to call home hasn’t always been as easy. Starting out at Hutchinson Vale, McNulty played for Celtic and current club Hibs as a youngster. He was released from the Easter Road side though in 2009 and made the switch to Livingston at the age of 16, giving him a bigger chance of playing first team football.
McNulty’s just reward
It was in West Lothian that the forward really began to find his feet. Spending five years at the Lions, the striker made over 100 appearances for the club, with goals becoming a regularity in his time at Livi.
McNulty showed his potential at Livi, despite only being 16. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)
This form earned him a move to Sheffield United where he again had to try and break into a first team squad. He scored on 10 occasions for the Blades over 40 games. This was in between loan spells at Portsmouth and Bradford City, where the Scotsman had varied success.
McNulty’s time at Sheffield was up and again he dropped down the footballing ladder in search of first team football. He linked up with Mark Robins in League Two at Coventry City and he played like a man possessed at times. Scoring 23 times for the Sky Blues, he earned man of the match in the play-off final which sent them back to League One.
Whilst his time at the Ricoh Arena was the best of his career in terms of goals, McNulty jumped back into the Championship with Reading, where games again became an irregularity. This prompted him to make the switch to Easter Road. The rest as they say is history.
The striker has reached the top, despite facing several obstacles. (photo by Alan Rennie/Action Plus via Getty Images)
McNulty has dealt with blow after blow in his time as a professional. He has had varied success at different clubs but his ability to find the net is undeniable. He has reached the top the hard way and the striker will be hoping for his moment on the biggest stage.
If McNulty makes his Scotland debut, it will really cap off his rise from rags to riches. He has been at the very bottom. Now he’s in with a chance of making it to the biggest stage a Scotsman can play on.