Education
McAnespie graduated from the youth ranks at Street Johnstone, making his first team début against Clydebank on 4 February 1997.
McAnespie graduated from the youth ranks at Street Johnstone, making his first team début against Clydebank on 4 February 1997.
Capable of playing in defence and midfield, McAnespie represented Scotland at under-21 level and has played in the Scottish Premier League for Street Johnstone and Hearts. Street Johnstone
He scored on both occasions. He went on to make 50 league appearances for the Saints, notably scoring in wins against both Celtic and Rangers in the 1998-1999 season.
McAnespie, however, would never gain a full international call-up.
Fulham
McAnespie joined Fulham in 2000, for a reported fee of £80,000. Considered an investment for the future, he managed only two League Cup appearances during his three years with the London side.
This period was punctuated by brief loan spells with Hearts and Bournemouth. At Bournemouth he scored once against Bristol City.
Upon returning to Fulham, he spent the rest of the season playing in the reserve team
McAnespie would recall his disappointment at his loan spell at Bournemouth. He was released in early 2003 and turned out four times for Paul Sturrock"s Plymouth Argyle at the end of the 2002-2003 season before returning to Scotland with Falkirk. Return to Street Johnstone and lower leagues
Having returned to Scottish football, McAnespie spent several short, injury-disrupted spells with lower division clubs.
He left Falkirk in October 2004 to return to Street Johnstone, before joining Ayr United in January 2006.
He rejected Ayr"s offer to re-sign in the summer and instead joined Alloa Athletic. On 21 June 2007, McAnespie was sold by Alloa to Greenock Morton for a five figure fee (rumoured to be £11,750).
At Morton he scored his first and only goal for the club against Partick Thistle. In the summer of 2008, McAnespie went on trial with Wycombe Wanderers, where he scored against Flackwell Heath, but was unsuccessful in getting a move to the Chairboys, and remained with Morton for a further season.
This included a loan spell at near neighbours Third Division side Dumbarton, until the end of the season.
Sadly for McAnespie, he injured himself again after only one game for Dumbarton so spent most of his time at the Rock on the sidelines. McAnespie was released after the end of the 2008–2009 season, as confirmed by Davie Irons on 8 May in the Greenock Telegraph. Return to senior football
McAnespie"s time in retirement was short, with Arbroath picking him up on a one-year contract for the 2010-2011 season.
In June 2012, he joined Stirling Albion, having been released by Arbroath at the end of the 2011-2012 season.
On 4 April 2014, McAnespie left Stirling Albion due to work commitments. McAnespie signed for Junior side Kilbirnie Ladeside in July 2014.
He was already a member of the Scotland U21 side and Craig Brown"s idea was designed to ease the transition of younger players into the full national side.