McIndoe started his professional career at Luton Town making his debut in 1998. He played 39 games for the Hatters before moving on a free transfer to Hereford United in 2000. He did well for Hereford but the club's financial pressures forced them to accept a £25,000 bid from rivals Yeovil Town in 2001. McIndoe made 91 appearances and scored 22 league goals before signing for Doncaster Rovers in 2003. He played 122 games for Rovers, scoring 28 goals.

In 2005 he scored the first penalty in the Football League Cup tie against Premier League side Manchester City to start Doncaster's cup run. He then scored a memorable penalty against Aston Villa. Additionally, he scored against Arsenal after only four minutes, but Doncaster lost the tie on penalties - in which McIndoe scored his penalty - after Gilberto Silva, scored an equaliser during injury time in extra time.

With a Scotland 'A' call, McIndoe sensed an opportunity to break into the Scottish national side. McIndoe wanted to play at a higher level to make sure he was not overlooked for a place in the national team, and signed for Championship side Derby County on loan in the second half of the 2005-2006 season. At the end of 2005-06, McIndoe was named in the PFA League One team of the year.

McIndoe signed for Barnsley, for £125,000 in the 2006-2007 pre-season. He netted the first goal in Barnsley's win against Hull City in August 2006. He demonstrated himself as a tricky and adventurous proposition to any rival side.

Much in the mould of Devaney and Campbell-Ryce, he could turn a game and a defence with a trick or two, and was probably the prototype player to allow Barnsley the luxury of wingers again. However his performances had attracted 'bigger' attention and the ambition of the lad bit again...

He moved on loan to Wolverhampton Wanderers in autumn 2006, activating a clause in his contract allowing him to move elsewhere if he wished. He moved permanently on 1st January 2007 for £250,000. Hardly pressing for a regular place, in July 2007 McIndoe signed a three-year contract with newly promoted Championship side Bristol City for an undisclosed fee.

Does any player live their own dream? Or do they attempt to hijack or live in someone else's?

In my opinion, I'm afraid that McIndoe generally underestimated the ability of his colleagues - whilst he was a Red. Trusting the lads around him, he could have been the architect of something special!

His career isn't over by any means, but my personal opinion is that his strength as an individual is playing as the underdog. When expectation looms, will he deliver? We'll see.
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Ian Wilkinson

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