George Kerr (footballer)
Encyclopedia
George Adams McDonald Kerr (born 9 January 1943 in Alexandria) is a Scottish
former footballer
and manager
. As a player, he played for Barnsley
, Bury
, Oxford United
and Scunthorpe United
. As a manager, he managed Lincoln City
twice, Grimsby Town
, Rotherham United
and Boston United
.
in 1977 and became manager of Grimsby Town in 1979. The Mariners won the Third Division championship in 1980 and finished 7th in the Second Division the following season after challenging for promotion with the side third with seven games remaining, and a return to Division One after a 33-year absence looked very much on the cards, but the clubs form fell away afterwards, with them winning only one more game. That form was not maintained the following season despite a good start, and with Grimsby bottom of the league Kerr was sacked on 11 January 1982 to make way for his assistant, David Booth
.
He was appointed manager of Rotherham United on 21 March 1983 but was unable to save the club from relegation to the Third Division. He remained in charge for another two years, first avoiding relegation and then challenging for promotion before finishing mid-table. In November 1983, Rotherham knocked out first division Southampton
in the League Cup
. In June 1985, Kerr returned to Lincoln where despite the presence of Phil Turner
and Neil Redfearn
in midfield, the side was relegated to the Fourth Division. He remained in charge the following season, which began well with the Imps as high as 7th in the New Year. An inexplicable collapse in form followed and Kerr left the club in March, before Lincoln became the first club to be relegated from the Football League to the Conference. He later managed Boston United.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
former footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
. As a player, he played for Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
, Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
, Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
and Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
. As a manager, he managed Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
twice, Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
, Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
and Boston United
Boston United F.C.
Boston United Football Club are an association football club based in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. They currently play in the Conference North. The club is known as 'the Pilgrims' in reference to the Pilgrim Fathers, who fled from Boston to the USA and founded Boston, Massachusetts. The club's...
.
Managerial career
Kerr briefly managed Lincoln CityLincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
in 1977 and became manager of Grimsby Town in 1979. The Mariners won the Third Division championship in 1980 and finished 7th in the Second Division the following season after challenging for promotion with the side third with seven games remaining, and a return to Division One after a 33-year absence looked very much on the cards, but the clubs form fell away afterwards, with them winning only one more game. That form was not maintained the following season despite a good start, and with Grimsby bottom of the league Kerr was sacked on 11 January 1982 to make way for his assistant, David Booth
David Booth (football manager)
David Booth is an English football coach and manager. He is currently coaching the Sisaket F.C. team. In England, he was manager of the English football clubs Grimsby Town and Darlington .-Early years:...
.
He was appointed manager of Rotherham United on 21 March 1983 but was unable to save the club from relegation to the Third Division. He remained in charge for another two years, first avoiding relegation and then challenging for promotion before finishing mid-table. In November 1983, Rotherham knocked out first division Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
in the League Cup
League Cup
In association football, a League Cup or Secondary Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946/47 and was entitled the Scottish...
. In June 1985, Kerr returned to Lincoln where despite the presence of Phil Turner
Phil Turner (footballer)
Phil Turner is a retired English footballer.Turner, a central midfielder, began his career at Lincoln City with whom he won promotion to the Third Division in 1981 under Colin Murphy, and formed midfield partnerships with Glenn Cockerill and then Neil Redfearn before joining Grimsby Town in 1986...
and Neil Redfearn
Neil Redfearn
Neil David Redfearn is an English former footballer and manager who is currently under-18s coach and reserve team manager at Leeds United....
in midfield, the side was relegated to the Fourth Division. He remained in charge the following season, which began well with the Imps as high as 7th in the New Year. An inexplicable collapse in form followed and Kerr left the club in March, before Lincoln became the first club to be relegated from the Football League to the Conference. He later managed Boston United.