Mick Docherty
Encyclopedia
Michael "Mick" Docherty (born October 29, 1950 in Preston, Lancashire) is a former footballer and coach
. He is the elder son of famous manager Tommy Docherty
.
As a player, Docherty was a full-back for Burnley
, Manchester City
and Sunderland
, before an injury brought an early end to his playing career. He subsequently joined Sunderland's coaching staff.
In the 1980-81 season
, Docherty took over as caretaker manager
of Sunderland
with four games of the season to go. He managed to save the club from relegation with a 1-0 victory over Liverpool
at Anfield
on the last day of the season. They finished 17th, two points clear of relegation.
Since then he has consistently managed to find work in the game, although rarely as a manager. He was briefly manager of Hartlepool United
between June and December 1983, a spell chiefly noted for the signing of the ailing Ray Kennedy
from Swansea City
.
He later assisted Dave Sutton
and succeeded him in 1994 as manager at Rochdale
, accepting the job after three preferred candidates declined it. In 1994/95
, he led Dale to the Northern Final of the Auto Windscreens Trophy
. In his only full season in charge, 1995/96
, a bright start led to an FA Cup
third round match at Liverpool
. Thereafter the team went into a steep decline and shortly after the end of the season, Docherty was dismissed, apparently due to alarm at some of his decisions on the retained list, and replaced by Graham Barrow
. This season is well documented in the fly on the wall book Kicking In The Wind.
Docherty was coach at Burnley
where he worked alongside Ronnie Jepson
and Stan Ternent
. He was released alongside them at the end of the 2003-04 season
, but rejoined Jepson, now manager of Gillingham, as his assistant in January 2006. When Jepson resigned in September 2007, he was named as joint caretaker manager with Iffy Onuora
, but Docherty left Gillingham on 8 October 2007.
On May 14, 2008, he again teamed up with Stan Ternent and Ronnie Jepson in a coaching role
at Huddersfield Town
. He left the club on November 4, following Ternent's departure as manager.
He now coaches at Burnley College football academy alongside Brian Taylor and John Dawson (physio).
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:...
. He is the elder son of famous manager Tommy Docherty
Tommy Docherty
Thomas Henderson "Tommy" Docherty , commonly known as "The Doc", is a Scottish former footballer and football manager.-Playing career:...
.
As a player, Docherty was a full-back for Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
, Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
and 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...
, before an injury brought an early end to his playing career. He subsequently joined Sunderland's coaching staff.
In 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...
, Docherty took over as caretaker manager
Caretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
of 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...
with four games of the season to go. He managed to save the club from relegation with a 1-0 victory over Liverpool
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...
at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
on the last day of the season. They finished 17th, two points clear of relegation.
Since then he has consistently managed to find work in the game, although rarely as a manager. He was briefly manager of Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
between June and December 1983, a spell chiefly noted for the signing of the ailing Ray Kennedy
Ray Kennedy
Raymond Kennedy is an English former football player who won every domestic honour in the game with Arsenal and Liverpool in the 1970s...
from Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
.
He later assisted Dave Sutton
Dave Sutton
David William "Dave" Sutton is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Plymouth Argyle, Reading, Huddersfield Town, Bolton Wanderers and Rochdale. He later became a manager....
and succeeded him in 1994 as 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...
, accepting the job after three preferred candidates declined it. In 1994/95
1994-95 in English football
-Premiership:Blackburn Rovers ended their 81-year wait for the league title thanks to the strike partnership of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton which scored a total of more than 50 league goals. Manchester United would have made it three league titles in a row if they had been able to turn a 1-1 draw...
, he led Dale to the Northern Final of the Auto Windscreens Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
. In his only full season in charge, 1995/96
1995-96 in English football
- Premiership :Newcastle United were 12 points clear at the top of Manchester United, but Alex Ferguson's relatively young and inexperienced side overhauled them during the second half of the season to win the title....
, a bright start led to an 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...
third round match at Liverpool
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...
. Thereafter the team went into a steep decline and shortly after the end of the season, Docherty was dismissed, apparently due to alarm at some of his decisions on the retained list, and replaced by Graham Barrow
Graham Barrow
Graham Barrow is an English former footballer who has since become a lower division manager. He is currently part of the coaching staff at Premier League side Wigan Athletic, where he has previously been both a player and manager.-Barrow the Player:Barrow first entered the Football League at the...
. This season is well documented in the fly on the wall book Kicking In The Wind.
Docherty was coach at Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
where he worked alongside Ronnie Jepson
Ronnie Jepson
Ronald Francis "Ronnie" Jepson is an English former footballer and manager, now working as development coach at Queens Park Rangers....
and Stan Ternent
Stan Ternent
Francis Stanley "Stan" Ternent is an English former footballer and manager. He managed Blackpool, Hull City, Bury, Burnley, Gillingham and Huddersfield Town. He is currently a scout for Sunderland.-Career:...
. He was released alongside them at the end of the 2003-04 season
2003-04 in English football
The 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game....
, but rejoined Jepson, now manager of Gillingham, as his assistant in January 2006. When Jepson resigned in September 2007, he was named as joint caretaker manager with Iffy Onuora
Iffy Onuora
Ifem "Iffy" Onuora is a coach a former professional footballer born in Scotland of Nigerian descent.He was recently the head coach of the Ethiopia national team...
, but Docherty left Gillingham on 8 October 2007.
On May 14, 2008, he again teamed up with Stan Ternent and Ronnie Jepson in a coaching role
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:...
at Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
. He left the club on November 4, following Ternent's departure as manager.
He now coaches at Burnley College football academy alongside Brian Taylor and John Dawson (physio).