McManus, who played as a centre-back, was a product of Celtic's youth academy and rose through the ranks to become first team captain ahead of the 2007–08 season.

I'm proud to follow in the footsteps of so many great Celtic captains from the past and I hope that I will be able to achieve as much success as they have over the years.

Before the beginning of the 2008–09 SPL Championship it was announced that McManus would wear the No.4 shirt, after its previous owner Adam Virgo left the club in July 2008.

[7] This meant that McManus linked up again with Gordon Strachan, who signed four other Celtic players during the January 2010 transfer window.

McManus signed for Bristol City on loan until the end of the season on 14 February 2012 and made his debut at home in the 2–2 draw against Crystal Palace the same day.

He was recalled on 28 March, due to injury worries to Matthew Bates and Seb Hines following the match against Bristol City (McManus did not play against Boro).

[15] He made his competitive debut for Motherwell in a home Europa League match against Russian side Kuban Krasnodar.

[18] McManus earned his first cap at international level for Scotland on 11 October 2006, coming on as a substitute in the 2–0 defeat to Ukraine at the Olympic Stadium in Kyiv.

[21] On 10 September 2008, McManus was sent off for a deliberate handball in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Iceland at Laugardalsvöllur in Reykjavík.

[23] He used his right hand to tip the crossed ball over the crossbar to stop approaching Icelandic striker Heiðar Helguson from scoring a goal, while Scotland were leading 2–0.

[citation needed] In 2008, after a Champions League game against Barcelona, McManus swapped jerseys with Leo Messi but has since lost it.