The Thistle Archive

Jonny Tuffey started his career in 2003 at English club Coventry City, brought to the club by scout Willie McKeown. He progressed his way through the academy system with the Sky Blues but failed to make a first-team appearance. He was third choice at Coventry but was a near ever-present for the reserves. Jonny signed for Partick Thistle in May 2006, making his competitive debut that September in a 2–1 league win at Hamilton Accies but in the very next game he and Thistle were crushed by six to nil at home to Gretna. Jonny would go on to make 14 further appearances that term, keeping four clean sheets.

By the 2007–08 season, and with Thistle under new management, Jonny Tuffey had become Thistle's first-choice goalkeeper. In March 2008 he won the First Division player of the month award, in a month in which Thistle were unbeaten, including a 1–1 draw away to Rangers in the Quarter Final of the Scottish Cup. He finished the 2007–08 season with 34 appearances in all competitions. Having been a consistent fixture in Northern Ireland's youth set-ups (over 30 caps from the 17s to the 21s) the 21-year-old Jonny made the the step up to the senior team under manager Nigel Worthington. He won his first full cap on 19 November 2008 in a 2–0 defeat to Hungary. In doing so, he became the 32nd player to be capped for his country while playing for Partick Thistle and became the sixth Partick Thistle player to be capped by a country other than Scotland, the first since Adrian Madaschi who played four times for Australia in the summer of 2004. After the game, he said “It was fantastic, it was something that I have dreamed about since I was a boy. It's been a long journey to get here but now that the cap has come I'm over the moon.”

During the 2008–09 season Tuffey started all 36 league games for Partick Thistle and kept 14 clean sheets. His second cap was earned in the summer of 2009 when he memorably saved a penalty against the World Champions (Italy) in their own backyard, albeit the game was ultimately lost 0-3. Jonny finished the 2009–10 season with 38 competitive appearances for Thistle. Over the course of a 3 year period at this time his caps total rose to 8; 5 as a Partick Thistle man and 3 with Inverness CT for whom he signed in the summer of 2010, after turning down a new contract offer from Partick Thistle. He struggled to become 1st choice during his time at ICT though and left Inverness at the end of the 2011–12 season. His last game for the club was in a 2–0 win over Hibs, although he was an unused substitute. He signed for St Johnstone shortly after leaving Inverness. Having made only one appearance for St Johnstone, he was released in June 2013 and subsequently signed for Linfield, back home in Northern Ireland.

Upon his release by Linfield, Tuffey joined fellow NIFL Premiership side Glenavon on a two-year deal, making his official debut for the side in a Europa League qualifier in which Glenavon lost 3–0 away to Shakhtyor Soligorsk (subsequently lost 5–1 on aggregate). He went on to replaced James McGrath as Glenavon's first choice goalkeeper and won the Glenavon player of the month award for August 2015. On 23 January 2021, Glenavon Manager Gary Hamilton told the club's website that Tuffey had turned down the offer of a new contract, stating, “He's looking for something else in his career, he's looking for a new challenge.” On 31 January 2021 (transfer deadline day), Jonny signed for Crusaders on a three-and-a-half year contract. In August of that year, he took on the further role as manager of the Women's team (Crusaders Strikers) having previously served as their goalkeeping coach. In May 2026, the Crusaders website announced that Jonny would be retiring as a player and wrote a glowing tribute to their goalie:

Jonny has been simply brilliant for Crusaders and made 223 appearances for the club after signing in January 2021. Jonny was the rock that Crusaders needed time and time again in defence as he controlled the back four with his experience and vital saves on many occasions keeping Crusaders in games. He was instrumental in our Irish Cup wins in 2022 and 2023 and who will ever forget his assist in the final moments of ordinary time in the 2023 final with a header to set up the equaliser and we know the rest. Jonny also won a charity shield with Crusaders in 2022. A lot will be written and spoken about Jonny after hearing this news but on behalf of Crusaders FC thank you for everything you have done in your playing career at our club. You will go down as one of the greats who have played for us and your memory will live on. Jonny will not be taking our colours off anytime soon as he remains the Crusaders Strikers manager and Head of Academy nurturing our future stars through.

Jonny is included in our feature piece, The Definitive Who's Who Of The Partick Thistle Internationalists →

2009 - SFL FIRST DIVISION