Joe Fagan
Encyclopedia
Joe Fagan was an English
football
manager best known for being manager of Liverpool F.C.
from 1983 to 1985.
Fagan began his managerial career at Nelson
in the Lancashire Combination
as player-manager, where he led the club to the Championship in his first season in 1952, with the club narrowly missing out on re-election to the Football League
. He moved on to become assistant manager at Rochdale
in 1954, serving under future Everton
manager Harry Catterick
, before joining Liverpool as a coach in 1958.
Bill Shankly
joined Liverpool as manager in December 1959. Shankly utilised the The Boot Room
for a second purpose, a location for coaches meetings. Fagan was a founder member of Shankly's boot room staff along with Reuben Bennett
and Bob Paisley
.
When Bill Shankly
retired as Liverpool manager in 1974, Paisley took over as Manager. Paisley appointed Fagan as his assistant in turn.
It was announced on 26 August 1982, two days before the start of the 1982-83
league season, that Paisley would retire as manager at the end of the campaign. Fagan was appointed as his successor on 1 July 1983, after the season had ended with Liverpool as league champions for the second season running and League Cup winners for the third season running.
Fagan managed the side that won Liverpool's fourth European Cup
in 1984, a penalty shoot out win against A.S. Roma
.
It was Fagan who signed Jan Mølby
, a Danish
midfielder
who became an outstanding player for Liverpool. Fagan's original two-year contract would have taken him up to the end of the 1984-85
season. On 29 May 1985, just hours before the Heysel Stadium disaster
, Fagan announced he would retire, and was succeeded by leading Scottish
and Liverpool forward Kenny Dalglish
.
Fagan was also a known motorcar enthusiast.
He died of cancer in July 2001, aged 80. He was buried at Anfield Cemetery, near Liverpool's stadium.
Manager (all with Liverpool)
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football
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...
manager best known for being manager of Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
from 1983 to 1985.
Career
Joe Fagan's playing career was largely spent at Manchester City for whom he signed in 1938. The outbreak of the Second World War curtailed a meaningful career but he was a member of the side that achieved promotion to the first division in 1946 -1947 season.Fagan began his managerial career at Nelson
Nelson F.C.
Nelson F.C. are an English football club, based in Nelson, Lancashire. They are currently members of the North West Counties Football League Division One, who played their home matches at Victoria Park, Lomeshaye Way. They are full members of the Lancashire County Football Association.-Early years:...
in the Lancashire Combination
Lancashire Combination
The Lancashire Combination was a football league founded in the North West of England in 1891–92. It absorbed the Lancashire League in 1903. In 1968 the Combination lost five of its clubs to the newly formed Northern Premier League...
as player-manager, where he led the club to the Championship in his first season in 1952, with the club narrowly missing out on re-election to the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
. He moved on to become assistant manager at Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
in 1954, serving under future Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
manager Harry Catterick
Harry Catterick
Harry Catterick was an English football player and manager. As a player Catterick played for Everton and Crewe Alexandra, in a career that was interrupted by World War II, but he is most notable as a manager...
, before joining Liverpool as a coach in 1958.
Bill Shankly
Bill Shankly
William "Bill" Shankly, OBE was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Liverpool between 1959 and 1974. One of Britain's most successful and respected football managers, Shankly was also a fine player whose career was interrupted by the Second World War...
joined Liverpool as manager in December 1959. Shankly utilised the The Boot Room
The Boot Room
The Liverpool Boot Room was a room at Anfield, home of Liverpool F.C., during the 1960s - early 1990s where the coaching staff would sit, drink whisky and discuss the team, tactics and ways of defeating the next opposing side....
for a second purpose, a location for coaches meetings. Fagan was a founder member of Shankly's boot room staff along with Reuben Bennett
Reuben Bennett
Reuben Bennett from Aberdeen was a Scottish professional association footballer for Queen of the South, Dundee F.C. and Elgin City. He was then manager at Ayr United and a founder member of the Boot Room coaching staff at Liverpool F.C.-Player:In Bennett's playing days he was a goalkeeper with...
and Bob Paisley
Bob Paisley
Robert "Bob" Paisley OBE was an English football half back turned manager. His association with Liverpool was to span nearly half a century including his contribution to the club, first as a player, then as a physiotherapist and coach, and finally as manager.In nine years as manager between 1974...
.
When Bill Shankly
Bill Shankly
William "Bill" Shankly, OBE was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Liverpool between 1959 and 1974. One of Britain's most successful and respected football managers, Shankly was also a fine player whose career was interrupted by the Second World War...
retired as Liverpool manager in 1974, Paisley took over as Manager. Paisley appointed Fagan as his assistant in turn.
It was announced on 26 August 1982, two days before the start of the 1982-83
1982-83 in English football
The 1982–83 season was the 103rd season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Bob Paisley's last season as Liverpool manager ended on a high as they topped the First Division with a comfortable lead. Bob Paisley retired as Liverpool manager with a record 21 prizes in nine years. His...
league season, that Paisley would retire as manager at the end of the campaign. Fagan was appointed as his successor on 1 July 1983, after the season had ended with Liverpool as league champions for the second season running and League Cup winners for the third season running.
Fagan managed the side that won Liverpool's fourth European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
in 1984, a penalty shoot out win against A.S. Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
.
It was Fagan who signed Jan Mølby
Jan Mølby
Jan Mølby is a Danish former international footballer who spent much of his professional football career at English club Liverpool.- Club career :...
, a Danish
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
who became an outstanding player for Liverpool. Fagan's original two-year contract would have taken him up to the end of the 1984-85
1984-85 in English football
The 1984–85 season was the 105th season of competitive football in England.-Bradford City disaster:56 spectators died and more than 200 were injured when a fire ripped through the Main Stand at Valley Parade during Bradford City's Third Division fixture with Lincoln City on 11 May...
season. On 29 May 1985, just hours before the Heysel Stadium disaster
Heysel Stadium disaster
The Heysel Stadium disaster occurred on 29 May 1985 when escaping fans were pressed against a wall in the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, as a result of rioting before the start of the 1985 European Cup Final between Liverpool of England and Juventus of Italy...
, Fagan announced he would retire, and was succeeded by leading Scottish
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
and Liverpool forward Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
.
Fagan was also a known motorcar enthusiast.
He died of cancer in July 2001, aged 80. He was buried at Anfield Cemetery, near Liverpool's stadium.
Career honours
Player- 1946-47 Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
Promotion (Level 2) with Manchester City
Manager (all with Liverpool)
- Winner
- 1984 Football League Cup1984 Football League Cup FinalThe 1984 Milk Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool and Everton. Liverpool were extremely fortunate to make it to the final of the competition after knocking out a Walsall side from the 4th Division who most neutrals and pundits would agree were the superior team at Anfield...
- 1984 League Championship (Level 1)
- 1984 European Cup1984 European Cup FinalThe 1984 European Cup Final was an association football match between Liverpool of England and Roma of Italy on 30 May 1984 at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy. It was the final match of the 1983–84 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the UEFA Champions League. Liverpool were appearing in...
- 1984 English Manager of the Year
- 1984 Football League Cup
- Runner-up
- 1983 Charity Shield1983 FA Charity ShieldThe 1983 FA Charity Shield was the 61st FA Charity Shield, an annual football match played between the winners of the previous season's First Division and FA Cup competitions. The match was played on 20 August 1983 at Wembley Stadium and contested by Liverpool, who had won the 1982–83 First...
- 1984 Charity ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
- 1984 Intercontinental CupIntercontinental Cup and FIFA Club World Championship statisticsStatistics for the Intercontinental Cup which ran from 1960 to 2004.-Finals:-By country:-By team:-By continent:-Man of the Match:Since 1980-See also:*Intercontinental Cup*Copa Libertadores*UEFA Champions League...
- 1984 European Super CupEuropean Super CupThe UEFA Super Cup is an annual football game between the reigning champions of the two cup competitions organized by UEFA: the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League...
- 1985 League Championship (Level 1)
- 1985 European Cup1985 European Cup FinalThe 1985 European Cup Final was a football match played between Liverpool of England and Juventus of Italy at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium on 29 May 1985....
- 1983 Charity Shield
- Semi-finalist
- 1985 FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
- 1985 FA Cup