Naughton first played Gaelic football at juvenile and underage levels with the Annaghdown club.
He eventually progressed to the club's senior team and claimed three Galway SFC titles in 1982, 1985 and 1987.
Naughton first appeared on the inter-county scene for Galway as a member of the minor team.
[2] Naughton joined the Galway senior football team in 1973 and won the first of eight Connacht SFC medals in his debut season.
He was appointed manager of the Galway minor team in advance of the 1993 All-Ireland MFC, however, his tenure was short-lived after he received a two-year suspension after a controversial game against Roscommon.