Lawrie McMenemy
Encyclopedia
Lawrie McMenemy MBE
(born Gateshead
, 26 July 1936) is a retired English
football coach, best known for his spell as manager of Southampton Football Club. Lawrie McMenemy is rated in the Guinness Book of Records as one of the twenty most successful managers in post-war English football.
man, started his footballing career with Newcastle United
although he never appeared in their first team, before moving to Gateshead
in the late 1950s, but McMenemy joined the club after they had left the Football League. An injury ended his career in 1961, but he moved into coaching instead, spending three years in coaching at the club.
and transformed them from a struggling side into Northern League
champions and also took them to the third round of the FA Cup
.
where he spent two years as a coach before he got his big break as manager of Doncaster Rovers
where he remained until May 1971, winning the Fourth Division Championship in 1968–69.
, where he won a Fourth Division championship. In July 1973 he was approached and joined Southampton
.
victory over Manchester United
. It was widely predicted before the game that United would easily win (one pundit said the score would go into double figures). However Southampton, who were in the Second Division at the time (the current NPower Championship
) and had a much older team, put up a stern challenge for United. The only goal of the game was scored by Bobby Stokes
with just seven minutes to go, and captain Peter Rodrigues
received the FA Cup from the Queen
. They were the second club in just three years to win the FA Cup from outside the top flight of English football after Sunderland
in 1973 and only one more side from outside the top flight (West Ham United in 1980) has won the trophy.
In 1978, the Saints won promotion to the First Division
and in 1979 reached the League Cup
Final where they lost 3-2 to Nottingham Forest
.
McMenemy was linked with the vacant Manchester United manager's job at the end of the 1980-81 season
, but he ruled himself out of the running and the job went to Ron Atkinson
instead.
McMenemy had signed World Cup winner Alan Ball to aid his side, later adding serving England captain Kevin Keegan
when he came home from Germany in 1980. In 1984 he guided the club to 2nd place in the First Division - their highest ever finish.
, who had just been relegated to the Second Division. At the time he was the highest-paid manager in English football, but his time on Wearside was not a success and he quit in March 1987 - just weeks before Sunderland fell into the Third Division for the first time in their history.
, managing the Under 21 side, and picking out the future talents like Darren Anderton
and Steve McManaman
. When England failed to qualify for USA 94, Taylor and McMenemy both resigned.
. But it didn't last long and in 1997, when Rupert Lowe
arrived as the new chairman, neither McMenemy nor then manager Graeme Souness
got on with him and promptly resigned, publicly denouncing the new board in the process.
manager, but he was not successful and he resigned two years later after they failed to qualify for the 2000 European Championships.
Since 2000, McMenemy has concentrated on his role as FA special ambassador, travelling to Afghanistan
in 2002 to help set up a national league and liaising with the English team in the Special Olympics
.
In July 2006, he was appointed as a non-executive director of Southampton Football Club.
prior to 1990 as their 'football analyst'. He presented BBC Radio's 'Down Your Way
' in 1989 and was a summariser for Sky TV News & Eurosport satellite TV until 1990. He currently is in demand as an after-dinner speaker. He has written several books on management motivation. He also writes a regular column in the Southern Daily Echo
. He has appeared on the documentary Dream Fans The Spirit of Southampton in 2005. He is also the author of a testimonial in The Future of the NHS
(2006) (ISBN 1-85811-369-5) edited by Dr Michelle Tempest
.
His media work also saw him as a panel member of 5 World Cups as well as TV appearances on "This is you life" and "Parkinson".
McMenemy is also the Chairman of the Special Olympics UK.
He is related to Harry McMenemy
.
Doncaster Rovers
Grimsby Town
Southampton
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
, 26 July 1936) is a retired English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
football coach, best known for his spell as manager of Southampton Football Club. Lawrie McMenemy is rated in the Guinness Book of Records as one of the twenty most successful managers in post-war English football.
Playing career
McMenemy, an ex-Coldstream GuardsColdstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
man, started his footballing career with Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
although he never appeared in their first team, before moving to Gateshead
Gateshead F.C.
Gateshead Football Club are a professional Association football club, based in Gateshead, England. They currently play in the Conference National, the fifth level of the English football league system.Ian Bogie is the current manager....
in the late 1950s, but McMenemy joined the club after they had left the Football League. An injury ended his career in 1961, but he moved into coaching instead, spending three years in coaching at the club.
Bishop Auckland
In 1964 he was appointed manager of non-league Bishop AucklandBishop Auckland F.C.
Bishop Auckland Football Club are an English football team based in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. They are one of the most successful amateur sides, having won the old FA Amateur Cup on 10 occasions , and losing finalists on a further 8. They currently play in the Northern League Division One. ...
and transformed them from a struggling side into Northern League
Northern League (football)
The Northern League is a football league in North East England for semi-professional and amateur teams. Having been founded in 1889, it is the oldest surviving football league in the world after the Football League....
champions and also took them to the third round of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The 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...
.
Sheffield Wednesday & Doncaster Rovers
McMenemy then moved to Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
where he spent two years as a coach before he got his big break as manager of Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
where he remained until May 1971, winning the Fourth Division Championship in 1968–69.
Grimsby Town
He then became manager of Grimsby TownGrimsby 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...
, where he won a Fourth Division championship. In July 1973 he was approached and joined Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
.
Southampton
In 1976, McMenemy guided Southampton, then in the Second Division, to an FA Cup finalFA Cup Final 1976
The 1976 FA Cup Final took place on 1 May 1976 at Wembley Stadium. It was contested between Manchester United and Southampton.United had finished third in the First Division that season, and were strong favourites, while unfancied Southampton had finished sixth in the Second Division...
victory over Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. It was widely predicted before the game that United would easily win (one pundit said the score would go into double figures). However Southampton, who were in the Second Division at the time (the current NPower Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
) and had a much older team, put up a stern challenge for United. The only goal of the game was scored by Bobby Stokes
Bobby Stokes
Bobby Stokes was an English footballer, well known for scoring the winning goal in the 83rd minute of the FA Cup Final for Southampton F.C. against Manchester United in 1976.-Early career:...
with just seven minutes to go, and captain Peter Rodrigues
Peter Rodrigues
Peter Joseph Rodrigues is a retired footballer, best remembered as the captain of Southampton's 1976 FA Cup winning team.-Cardiff City:...
received the FA Cup from the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
. They were the second club in just three years to win the FA Cup from outside the top flight of English football after Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
in 1973 and only one more side from outside the top flight (West Ham United in 1980) has won the trophy.
In 1978, the Saints won promotion to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
and in 1979 reached the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
Final where they lost 3-2 to Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
.
McMenemy was linked with the vacant Manchester United manager's job at the end of the 1980-81 season
1980-81 in English football
The 1980–81 season was the 101st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The Football League introduced a three points for a win system in place of the two points for a win system which had operated since the league's formation in 1889...
, but he ruled himself out of the running and the job went to Ron Atkinson
Ron Atkinson
Ronald Ernest Atkinson, commonly known as "Big Ron" and "Bojangles" is an English former football player and manager. In recent years he has become one of Britain's best-known football pundits...
instead.
McMenemy had signed World Cup winner Alan Ball to aid his side, later adding serving England captain Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
when he came home from Germany in 1980. In 1984 he guided the club to 2nd place in the First Division - their highest ever finish.
Sunderland
He left Southampton on 1 June 1985, but made a return to football five days later when he was named manager of SunderlandSunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, who had just been relegated to the Second Division. At the time he was the highest-paid manager in English football, but his time on Wearside was not a success and he quit in March 1987 - just weeks before Sunderland fell into the Third Division for the first time in their history.
England
In 1990 he ended a three-year break from football when being appointed as assistant manager to England boss Graham TaylorGraham Taylor (football manager)
Graham Taylor OBE is a football pundit, ex-football manager, and a former player. He is best known as the manager of the England national football team, as well as being manager of Watford, a club he took from the Fourth Division to the First in the space of five years, then from bottom of the...
, managing the Under 21 side, and picking out the future talents like Darren Anderton
Darren Anderton
Darren Robert Anderton is a retired English footballer who spent most of his career with Tottenham Hotspur as a midfielder. He played 30 times for the England national football team, scoring 7 goals.-Career:...
and Steve McManaman
Steve McManaman
Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most...
. When England failed to qualify for USA 94, Taylor and McMenemy both resigned.
Back to Southampton
McMenemy soon bounced back however and was offered the new position of Director of Football by Southampton at the end of 1993. Fans and the local media were delighted when he accepted the role, which made him the first man to be employed as a Director of Football in the English game. In McMenemy's first season back at Southampton, the Saints finished 10th in the PremiershipFA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
. But it didn't last long and in 1997, when Rupert Lowe
Rupert Lowe
Rupert James Graham Lowe is a British businessman, who was the chairman of Southampton Football Club from 1996 to 2006. He regained his power in May 2008, teaming up with Michael Wilde, who had previously forced Lowe out, becoming chairman of the club's parent company, Southampton Leisure Holdings...
arrived as the new chairman, neither McMenemy nor then manager Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
got on with him and promptly resigned, publicly denouncing the new board in the process.
Northern Ireland
A year later, in 1998 McMenemy was appointed Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
manager, but he was not successful and he resigned two years later after they failed to qualify for the 2000 European Championships.
Since 2000, McMenemy has concentrated on his role as FA special ambassador, travelling to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in 2002 to help set up a national league and liaising with the English team in the Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
.
In July 2006, he was appointed as a non-executive director of Southampton Football Club.
Media work
McMenemy has made frequent appearances on TV football panels since 1972 as well as BBC TV's 'Superkids' and TVS's 'Children's Challenge' (two series). He also regularly appeared on TV-amTV-am
TV-am was a breakfast television station that broadcast to the United Kingdom from 1 February 1983 to 31 December 1992. It made history by being the first national operator of a commercial television franchise at breakfast-time , and broadcast every day of the week for most or all of the period...
prior to 1990 as their 'football analyst'. He presented BBC Radio's 'Down Your Way
Down Your Way
Down Your Way was a BBC radio series which ran from 29 December 1946 to 1992, originally on the Home Service, later on BBC Radio Four, usually being broadcast on Sunday afternoons. It visited towns around the United Kingdom, spoke to residents and played their choice of music...
' in 1989 and was a summariser for Sky TV News & Eurosport satellite TV until 1990. He currently is in demand as an after-dinner speaker. He has written several books on management motivation. He also writes a regular column in the Southern Daily Echo
Southern Daily Echo
The Southern Daily Echo, commonly known as the Daily Echo or simply The Echo, is a local newspaper that covers the area of south-central Hampshire, England, including the city of Southampton...
. He has appeared on the documentary Dream Fans The Spirit of Southampton in 2005. He is also the author of a testimonial in The Future of the NHS
The Future of the NHS
The Future of the NHS is a book published by xpl Publishing in 2006 . It is edited by Dr Michelle Tempest and brings together forty-four leading experts in the fields of health care, politics and policy making...
(2006) (ISBN 1-85811-369-5) edited by Dr Michelle Tempest
Michelle Tempest
Dr. Michelle Tempest is a British psychiatrist and author. In 2010 she was the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for North West Durham.-Academic background:...
.
His media work also saw him as a panel member of 5 World Cups as well as TV appearances on "This is you life" and "Parkinson".
McMenemy is also the Chairman of the Special Olympics UK.
Personal life
Married to Anne, eldest son Chris McMenemy former Newcastle United coach, son Sean McMenemy and daughter Alison.He is related to Harry McMenemy
Harry McMenemy
Harry McMenemy was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an inside forward.-Career:Born in Glasgow, McMenemy played for Newcastle United, making nearly 150 appearances in the Football League.-References:...
.
Honours
- The restaurant housed within Grimsby Town FCGrimsby 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...
's stadium Blundell ParkBlundell ParkBlundell Park is a football ground in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England and home to Grimsby Town Football Club. The stadium was built in 1898, but only one of the original stands remain. The current capacity of the ground is 9546, though with the introduction of all seating in the late...
is named McMenemy's in honour of him.
- Awarded the MBE in 2006
- Received an honorary MBA from Southampton Solent University
- Freedom of the City of Southampton
As a manager
Bishop AucklandBishop Auckland F.C.
Bishop Auckland Football Club are an English football team based in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. They are one of the most successful amateur sides, having won the old FA Amateur Cup on 10 occasions , and losing finalists on a further 8. They currently play in the Northern League Division One. ...
- Northern League Champions & County Cup Winners 1965
Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
- Football League Fourth DivisionFootball League Fourth DivisionThe Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
champions: 1968–691968-69 in English footballThe 1968–69 season was the 89th season of competitive football in England.-First Division:Leeds United won the League for the first time in their history, finishing six points ahead of Liverpool...
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...
- Football League Fourth DivisionFootball League Fourth DivisionThe Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
champions: 1971–721971-72 in English footballThe 1971–72 season was the 92nd season of competitive football in England.-FA Cup:Leeds United overcame holders Arsenal to win the 1972 FA Cup Final...
Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
- 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...
winners: 1976
- 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...
runners-up: 1977–781977-78 in English footballThe 1977–1978 season was the 98th season of competitive football in England, from August 1977 to May 1978:-First Division:Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest side took on the First Division by storm, by winning the League Cup on 22 March and confirming themselves as league champions the following month...
- Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
finalists: 19791979 Football League Cup FinalThe 1979 Football League Cup Final took place on 17 March 1979 at Wembley Stadium. It was the nineteenth Football League Cup final and the thirteenth to be played at Wembley. It was contested between Nottingham Forest and Southampton. Forest were the hot favourites to win being the holders of the...
- Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
runners-up: 1983–841983-84 in English footballThe 1983–84 season was the 104th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool had a great first season under the management of Joe Fagan as they wrapped up their third successive league title and the 15th in their history...