Paul Ince
Encyclopedia
Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince (born 21 October 1967 in Ilford
, Greater London
) is an English
football manager and a former professional player. He has managed Blackburn Rovers
, Milton Keynes Dons
(twice) and Macclesfield Town
. He is currently out of work after his contract with Notts County
was terminated by mutual consent.
As a player he won numerous honours with Manchester United
, became the first black player to captain the England team
and was also the first black Briton to manage a team in the highest tier of English football. His career saw him play for seven English clubs, including stints at Manchester United
, Wolverhampton Wanderers
and Liverpool
, as well as Italian side Internazionale
.
supporter. He was spotted playing, aged 12, by West Ham manager John Lyall
around the time that the club was in the Second Division and achieved a surprise FA Cup final triumph over Arsenal.
He signed for the Hammers as a trainee, aged 14. Lyall helped Ince through troubled school times eventually signing him as a YTS
trainee, on leaving school, in 1984. He is a product of the West Ham youth team
and made his debut in English football on 30 November 1986 against Newcastle United
in the First Division
. He became a regular player in 1987–88
, proving himself to have all-round qualities of pace, stamina, uncompromising tackling and good passing ability. He also packed a powerful shot, and was awarded with England under-21 honours to go with the youth caps he acquired as an apprentice. He firmly established himself as the successor in West Ham's midfield for the veteran Billy Bonds
, who retired at the end of the 1987–88 season. Unfortunately for Ince, West Ham were not enjoying one of their best spells when he broke into the team. Despite having won the FA Cup in 1980 and finished third in the league in 1986, they had failed to sustain their challenge for major honours and finished 15th in 1987 and 16th in 1988, and worse was to follow.
In August 1988, an eventful season
for Ince began. In a struggling West Ham side, he shot to national recognition with two stunning goals in a shock 4–1 win over defending league champions Liverpool
in the League Cup
, and continued to score goals as the Hammers reached the semi-finals while having real trouble finding any form in the League. West Ham lost to Luton Town
in the semi-finals and, despite frequent displays of individual brilliance from Ince, were relegated at the end of the season, a disappointment which cost manager John Lyall
his job after 15 years at the helm.
Ince played just once in the Second Division
the following season before completing a highly controversial transfer to Manchester United
for £
1 million. Ince had been photographed in a Manchester United kit long before the transfer was complete, which appeared in the Daily Express
. Ince received hateful abuse from West Ham United fans for many years afterwards. The initial move was postponed after he failed a medical, but was quickly completed on 14 September 1989 after he later received the all-clear. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=41002
In a recent article in Four Four Two magazine, when answering questions about his career from readers, he got his chance to explain the story:
"I spoke to Alex Ferguson
and the deal was close to being done. I then went on holiday, and my agent
at the time, Ambrose Mendy
, said it wasn't worth me coming back to do a picture in a United shirt when the deal was completed, so I should do one before I left, and it would be released when the deal was announced. Lawrence Luster of the Daily Star took the picture and put in the library
. Soon after, their sister paper, the Daily Express, were looking for a picture of me playing for West Ham, and found the one of me in the United shirt in the pile. They published it and all hell broke loose.
"I came back from holiday to discover West Ham fans were going mad. It wasn't really my fault. I was only a kid, I did what my agent told me to do, then took all the crap for it."
Ince eventually made his Manchester United debut in a 5–1 win over Millwall
, although his next game for United came in a 5–1 Manchester derby
defeat by Manchester City
. Ince became a strong presence in the United midfield alongside long serving captain Bryan Robson
and (when he wasn't out of the team injured) fellow new midfielder Neil Webb
.
United won the FA Cup
in his first season, defeating Crystal Palace
1–0 in a replay at Wembley after initially drawing 3–3. In both of these games, Ince was selected at right-back in favour of Viv Anderson
, with his favoured central midfield position being occupied by Mike Phelan
. Ince was man of the match for the replay.
Over the next four seasons, Robson's United career gradually wound down until he finally left to manage Middlesbrough
in 1994. During this time, Ince found himself playing alongside several other different central midfielders, including Mike Phelan, Neil Webb and Darren Ferguson
. The arrival of striker Eric Cantona
in November 1992 saw Brian McClair
become Ince's regular central midfield partner until the arrival of Roy Keane
the following season.
Meanwhile, Ince became United's key midfielder, with snapping tackles, raking passes and some tremendously hit shots, though he was not too prolific a goalscorer. One of his best games came in January 1994, when he scored twice in a 2–2 away draw with former club West Ham in the Premier League.
He won his second winners' medal when United defeated Barcelona
in the final of the European Cup Winners Cup in Rotterdam
in 1991 and received his third another year later when United beat Nottingham Forest
in the 1992 League Cup
final.
The next year, Manchester United were competing in the inaugural Premiership season with Ince and his best friend at the time, Ryan Giggs
at the fore and part of a now legendary team that included Mark Hughes
, Eric Cantona
, Peter Schmeichel
, Andrei Kanchelskis
, Steve Bruce
and Denis Irwin
. Seeking a first League title for 26 years, United won it and Ince completed his domestic medal set just three years after joining the club.
Manchester United continued to dominate the domestic game in 1993–94 and Ince was the midfield general in the side which won the "double" of Premiership and FA Cup in 1994. A year later and Ince suffered more of the all too familiar chants of "Judas
" when he and Manchester United went to West Ham on the last day of the season, needing a win to retain their Premiership crown. Sadly for them, they could only draw the game and Blackburn Rovers
took the title. It went from bad to worse as Ince featured then in the United team which also lost the FA Cup final to Everton
. During that season, his central midfield partner Roy Keane had missed 17 of United's 42 league games due to injury, meaning that Ince often found himself partnered with Brian McClair
and – particularly towards the end of the season – the 20-year-old Nicky Butt
.
In the summer of 1995, Ferguson sold him to Internazionale of Milan
for £7.5 million – at the time one of the costliest transfer fees involving an English player. Ferguson had long sustained a tempestuous relationship with Ince, labelling him a "bottler" and a "fucking big-time Charlie", which many fans saw as the prime reason for Ince being sold, rather than on footballing or economic grounds. Ince's sale caused massive unrest among United supporters, and the discontent deepened when United turned to the much younger Nicky Butt
as his successor rather than buying a more experienced player. A similar uproar followed the subsequent sale of Ince's team mates Mark Hughes and Andrei Kanchelskis, although the younger players who filled their places in the team contributed greatly to United's "double double" success in the 1995–96 season
as well as the triumphs of subsequent seasons.
While at United, Ince had collected two Premier League title medals as well as two FA Cup
winner's medals and one winner's medal each in the European Cup Winners' Cup and Football League Cup
. He had also collected runners-up medal's in the League Cup twice and the FA Cup once.
. The next year, Ince had another successful season with the nerazzurri, scoring 6 times in 24 matches in the championship – in which Inter finished third – and also playing his part in Inter's run through to the UEFA Cup
Final. Ince scored in the third round second-leg match away to Boavista as Inter swept all before them before meeting Schalke in the Final. Ince didn't play in the away first-leg as Inter lost 1–0 but he returned to the line-up for the home match which the Italians won 1–0 thanks to a goal from Ivan Zamorano
. Penalties were again a heart breaker for Ince though, as Schalke won 4–1 in the resulting penalty shootout.
Despite being offered a new, improved contract by club president Massimo Moratti
, Ince decided that after two years away it was time to move home and he left Inter.
for more than £4 million – a move which surprised many because of the long history of rivalry between Manchester United and Liverpool, and few players had ever appeared for both of these clubs during their careers. Indeed, only one player (Phil Chisnall
, who was signed by Liverpool in the 1960s) has ever been transferred between the two clubs.
According to Graham Le Saux's autobiography, Ince's homophobic taunting and Le Saux's reaction during a 1997 Liverpool – Chelsea match has resulted in a long running coolness between the two players, despite the fact that Le Saux is not actually gay.
Ince won no honours in his first season with Liverpool as his new club were in the midst of a transitional period where they were cast as 'nearly men' and, rather derogatorily, 'Spice Boys
' – a term coined to describe the likes of team mates and good friends of Ince's like Steve McManaman
, Robbie Fowler
, Jason McAteer
and Jamie Redknapp
as underachieving playboys in the game; the term itself is derived from the name of the contemporary pop-group, the Spice Girls
.
Ince's second season with Liverpool was again trophyless (seventh place in the league meant they wouldn't even be competing in the UEFA Cup
the following season) but he achieved a personal high point when he scored a late equalizer against Manchester United at Anfield
and celebrated with some ferocity in front of the Spion Kop, though it wasn't enough to deprive United of the Premier League title that formed part of their treble success.
put Ince on the transfer list and the 31-year-old signed for Middlesbrough
for £1 million, who were still managed by Ince's former team-mate Bryan Robson
.
As club captain, Ince played three seasons making 106 appearances with 9 goals at Middlesbrough before he was given a free transfer in 2002.
and was playing outside a national top division for the first time since his one brief appearance there for West Ham in 1989, prior to his move to Manchester United. That said, Ince was in the Wolves team which won promotion to the Premier League as Division One playoff winners in his first season. They were relegated after just one season in the top flight (their first since 1983–84
), but Ince helped them beat his old club Manchester United 1–0 in mid January and chose to stay with Wolves despite their relegation.
Ince was expected to retire at the end of the 2004–05 season
, but he changed his mind halfway through the season following the appointment of Glenn Hoddle
as manager of a Wolves side who were struggling at the wrong end of the league. In June 2005, he signed a new one-year contract with Wolves. In April 2006, he announced that he wanted to continue playing for Wolves for a further season after speaking with his close friend Teddy Sheringham
. However, following Ince's failure to get the manager's job at Wolves in July 2006 on Hoddle's resignation, the newly appointed manager, Mick McCarthy
, decided not to offer Ince a new contract. Upon leaving, Ince declared his intention to return, at some point in the future, as manager of Wolves.
in Santander
. England lost 1–0 but Ince proved a success. He was duly awarded his second cap a month later in a disappointing 1–1 draw with Norway
in a qualifying match for the 1994 World Cup.
Success at international level was not forthcoming. Ince was booked in a crucial World Cup qualifier against Poland, which caused him to be suspended for a critical 2–0 loss to Norway. However, Ince made history during England's summer tour of the U.S.
when, in a match against the host nation, he became England's first black captain in the absence of David Platt and Tony Adams
. England lost 2–0.
Ince won his tenth England cap in a 3–0 win over Poland
which kept alive their World Cup qualification hopes, though required a victory over the Netherlands
in Rotterdam a month later. In a controversial match, Holland beat England 2–0 and qualification hopes had gone. Ince scored twice – his first and only international goals – as the qualifying campaign ended with a 7–1 thumping of San Marino
in Bologna
. England had needed to win by seven clear goals and hope the Netherlands lost to Poland. Neither occurred, and England failed to qualify.
During Euro 96 Ince was a member of Terry Venables
' England team as the midfield ball winner and got the label of "Gazza
's minder
" whose job was to create room for Paul Gascoigne to exploit with his natural ball skills. Though the first group game ended in a disappointing 1–1 draw at Wembley against Switzerland
, England went on to defeat the old enemy Scotland
2–0 and then put on a display regarded as "total football" against (ironically) the Netherlands
, the team whose performances at the 1974 World Cup had first prompted the phrase's coining. Ince was fouled for a penalty which gave England the lead and helped them towards a 4–1 win; he also picked up a yellow card which rendered him unavailable for the quarter final against Spain, which England won on penalties.
Venables put Ince back in the side for the semifinal against Germany
, replacing the suspended Gary Neville
as England switched systems to a back three, accommodating Ince in central midfield with Paul Gascoigne
and David Platt. Ince and England played superbly but could only manage a 1–1 draw and England lost the penalty shootout. Ince received criticism for not taking a penalty (the crucial missed kick from Gareth Southgate
was England's sixth) and for spending the whole
shootout sitting down in the centre circle with Steve McManaman
with their backs to goal.
Another new England coach came on the scene in Glenn Hoddle
and Ince kept his place for the next six internationals, which included five crucial qualifiers for the 1998 World Cup in France. England won four of them but lost 1–0 at home to Italy
. During the first of these qualifiers against Moldova
in Chişinău
, a famous photograph of Ince was taken as he tried to climb a wall at the stadium
, only for Gascoigne to pull his tracksuit
trousers
down, revealing Ince's bare buttocks in front of an army of camera
s.
Ince won his 30th England cap in May 1997 as England beat Poland 2–0 in Chorzow to leave them with an opportunity to get through to the World Cup provided they could beat Moldova at Wembley and then not lose to Italy in Rome
. Moldova were duly dispatched 4–0 and Ince, in an incident reminiscent of Terry Butcher
against Sweden
seven years earlier, started the Italy match with a white England shirt and ended it with a red one after his own blood soaked the shirt following a deep cut to his head. The game ended goalless and England had qualified.
Ince was selected in the England squad for the World Cup in 1998, winning his 40th cap in the opening group game against Tunisia
in Marseille
. England got through the group but succumbed in the second round to Argentina
, again after a penalty shootout. This time Ince did take a penalty but saw it saved.
Due to a red card against Sweden
in England's first qualifying match for Euro 2000 Ince was suspended for three matches by UEFA
. After initially failing to displace Tim Sherwood
and David Batty
in Kevin Keegan
's new-look side, Ince returned to the XI for the two legged play-off with Scotland as England sealed its place in the Netherlands
and Belgium
.
In a warm up match for Euro 2000 against Malta
Ince came on as a substitute and won his 50th cap. He duly played in all three of England's group games of the tournament – winning a penalty against Romania
in the last game – but England lost two of three matches and were eliminated. Ince immediately retired from the England scene.
as a player/coach. Swindon were rumoured to have beaten the likes of Birmingham City
and West Bromwich Albion for his signature. A key factor in the transfer was Ince's long standing friendship with Town manager Dennis Wise
, who had played alongside him occasionally in the England team during the 1990s. He made his full debut for Swindon in the 2–1 victory over MK Dons
on 12 September 2006.
Ince only played one other game for Swindon after the MK victory – before the club announced that Ince had felt he could not fulfil his playing duties with the club and that his contract had been terminated by mutual consent, although he continued coaching at the club to complete his coaching badges.
in succession to Brian Horton
. However, he was ineligible to play for the Silkmen until January when the transfer window opened, as Swindon Town still held his registration. He joined Macclesfield with the club bottom of League Two
, seven points off their nearest rivals. He then revived confidence and after a 3–0 win against Chester they managed to climb off the bottom of the table. They subsequently avoided relegation, albeit on the last day of the season. On 4 January 2007 Ince was named as League Two Manager of the Month for December. Ince played his last game of professional football on 5 May 2007 in Macclesfield's 1–1 home draw with Notts County
coming off the substitute bench to replace Alan Navarro
in the 85th minute of play.
manager along with his assistant Ray Mathias
and fitness coach Duncan Russell on 25 June 2007. The Dons reached the top of their Division in September 2007 and other clubs began to take a serious interest. In October and November 2007, he denied rumours that he was being linked with managerless Premiership teams Wigan
, Derby County
and Championship team Norwich City
.
Ince was named as League Two "manager of the month" in October and December 2007, and again in April 2008.
Ince's first silverware as manager came in the Football League Trophy
Final at Wembley
on 31 March 2008, with the MK Dons defeating Grimsby Town
2–0. He then secured the Dons' return to Coca-Cola League 1 in April 2008 after they beat 3–2.
On 26 April, the Dons became League Two champions after they beat 2–1.
in their search to appoint a new manager, something that Ince himself denied. However, the BBC reported that Ince would be named as Blackburn manager by the end of the week of 19 June. He was appointed on 22 June and became the first black British manager in England's top division.
On the first day of the 2008–09 FA Premier League
season, Blackburn Rovers faced Everton
at Goodison Park
– this was Ince's first premiership game with Blackburn Rovers. David Dunn
opened the scoring for Ince's side and Roque Santa Cruz
and Andre Ooijer later scored in a 3–2 win. Ince's 2008 summer signings included England international goalkeeper Paul Robinson
, Danny Simpson
(Loan), Vince Grella
, Carlos Villanueva
(Loan), Robbie Fowler
, Mark Bunn
and Keith Andrews
.
After winning just three games in 17, Ince was sacked on 16 December 2008 after just six months in charge. Ince had been with Blackburn only 177 days, one of the shortest reigns of a Premier League manager. Blackburn fans had been demanding his removal following a 5–3 loss to Manchester United
at Old Trafford
in the Carling Cup
on 3 December 2008. At the game, the crowd could be heard chanting "You don't know what you're doing" and "We want Incey out" as well as singing the name of their former manager Graeme Souness
.
Ince cited his failure at Blackburn Rovers as being due to a lack of financial backing, conditions that were known to Ince at the time of signing for the club. Ince did, however, spend over £10 million on Paul Robinson
, Vince Grella
and Keith Andrews
regardless of these restrictions.
on a two-year deal. However on 16 April 2010, he announced that he would leave the job a year early, at the end of the 2009–10 season.
On 3 April 2011 he left the club by mutual consent after losing a club record 9 games in a row, including a 2-0 defeat to relegation rivals Oldham Athletic the day before.
|-
|1992||3||0
|-
|1993||9||2
|-
|1994||3||0
|-
|1995||1||0
|-
|1996||10||0
|-
|1997||9||0
|-
|1998||9||0
|-
|1999||4||0
|-
|2000||5||0
|-
!Total||53||2
|}
Updated on 2 April 2011
1998 King Hassan II International Cup Tournament
: Runner-up
and played club football for Ince's former club Liverpool. On 1 November 2010, Ince put through a two month loan deal to bring Thomas to Notts County. On 3 August 2011, Thomas signed a two-year contract with Blackpool. He is also the uncle of The Saturdays
, Rochelle Wiseman
. His cousin is former boxer Nigel Benn
.
Ilford
Ilford is a large cosmopolitan town in East London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Redbridge. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It forms a significant commercial and retail...
, Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
) is an English
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 manager and a former professional player. He has managed Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, Milton Keynes Dons
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
(twice) and Macclesfield Town
Macclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
. He is currently out of work after his contract with Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
was terminated by mutual consent.
As a player he won numerous honours with 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...
, became the first black player to captain the England team
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and was also the first black Briton to manage a team in the highest tier of English football. His career saw him play for seven English clubs, including stints at 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...
, Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
and 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...
, as well as Italian side Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
.
West Ham United
Ince grew up as a West Ham UnitedWest Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
supporter. He was spotted playing, aged 12, by West Ham manager John Lyall
John Lyall
John Angus Lyall was an English footballer and manager of Scottish descent. His mother, Catherine, was from the Isle of Lewis, his father, James, was from Kirriemuir. He was born in Ilford, Essex.- Youth team career :...
around the time that the club was in the Second Division and achieved a surprise FA Cup final triumph over Arsenal.
He signed for the Hammers as a trainee, aged 14. Lyall helped Ince through troubled school times eventually signing him as a YTS
Youth Training Scheme
The Youth Training Scheme was the former name in the United Kingdom of an on-the-job training course for school leavers aged 16 and 17, managed by the Manpower Services Commission...
trainee, on leaving school, in 1984. He is a product of the West Ham youth team
The Academy of Football
The Academy of Football, or just The Academy, is a nickname of the English football club West Ham United.The title pays homage to the success of the club in coaching talented young players...
and made his debut in English football on 30 November 1986 against 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...
in 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....
. He became a regular player in 1987–88
1987-88 in English football
The 1987–88 season was the 120th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool won the league title with a comfortable nine-point margin and just two defeats all season....
, proving himself to have all-round qualities of pace, stamina, uncompromising tackling and good passing ability. He also packed a powerful shot, and was awarded with England under-21 honours to go with the youth caps he acquired as an apprentice. He firmly established himself as the successor in West Ham's midfield for the veteran Billy Bonds
Billy Bonds
William Arthur "Billy" Bonds MBE is a former professional footballer and manager, who is most often associated with West Ham United with whom he spent 27 years as player and manager...
, who retired at the end of the 1987–88 season. Unfortunately for Ince, West Ham were not enjoying one of their best spells when he broke into the team. Despite having won the FA Cup in 1980 and finished third in the league in 1986, they had failed to sustain their challenge for major honours and finished 15th in 1987 and 16th in 1988, and worse was to follow.
In August 1988, an eventful season
1988-89 in English football
The 1988–89 season was the 109th season of competitive football in England.-Hillsborough disaster:On 15 April, a crowd crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough killed 94 people and injured more than 300. A 95th Liverpool supporter died in hospital...
for Ince began. In a struggling West Ham side, he shot to national recognition with two stunning goals in a shock 4–1 win over defending league champions 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...
in 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...
, and continued to score goals as the Hammers reached the semi-finals while having real trouble finding any form in the League. West Ham lost to Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
in the semi-finals and, despite frequent displays of individual brilliance from Ince, were relegated at the end of the season, a disappointment which cost manager John Lyall
John Lyall
John Angus Lyall was an English footballer and manager of Scottish descent. His mother, Catherine, was from the Isle of Lewis, his father, James, was from Kirriemuir. He was born in Ilford, Essex.- Youth team career :...
his job after 15 years at the helm.
Manchester United
Football League Second Division
From 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...
the following season before completing a highly controversial transfer to 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...
for £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
1 million. Ince had been photographed in a Manchester United kit long before the transfer was complete, which appeared in the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
. Ince received hateful abuse from West Ham United fans for many years afterwards. The initial move was postponed after he failed a medical, but was quickly completed on 14 September 1989 after he later received the all-clear. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=41002
In a recent article in Four Four Two magazine, when answering questions about his career from readers, he got his chance to explain the story:
"I spoke to Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
and the deal was close to being done. I then went on holiday, and my agent
Sports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
at the time, Ambrose Mendy
Ambrose Mendy
Ambrose Mendy is a Black British boxing promoter and sports agent. One of eleven children born to a British Mother and West African Father, Mendy was raised in East London. He was a precocious football talent who was on the books at West Ham until an early marriage put paid to his ambitions....
, said it wasn't worth me coming back to do a picture in a United shirt when the deal was completed, so I should do one before I left, and it would be released when the deal was announced. Lawrence Luster of the Daily Star took the picture and put in the library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
. Soon after, their sister paper, the Daily Express, were looking for a picture of me playing for West Ham, and found the one of me in the United shirt in the pile. They published it and all hell broke loose.
"I came back from holiday to discover West Ham fans were going mad. It wasn't really my fault. I was only a kid, I did what my agent told me to do, then took all the crap for it."
Ince eventually made his Manchester United debut in a 5–1 win over Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
, although his next game for United came in a 5–1 Manchester derby
Manchester derby
The Manchester derby is the name given to football matches between Manchester City and Manchester United. The local derby centres on the City of Manchester and Greater Manchester with approximately four miles separating the clubs with City based in east Manchester at the City of Manchester Stadium...
defeat by 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...
. Ince became a strong presence in the United midfield alongside long serving captain Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson OBE is an English football manager and a former player. He is best known for playing in midfield for Manchester United, where he was the longest serving captain in club history. He was the manager of Sheffield United, being relieved of his first team duties at the club in February 2008...
and (when he wasn't out of the team injured) fellow new midfielder Neil Webb
Neil Webb
Neil John Webb is an English former footballer and television pundit. He played as a midfielder and defender between 1980 and 1997 notably for Portsmouth, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United...
.
United won 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...
in his first season, defeating Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
1–0 in a replay at Wembley after initially drawing 3–3. In both of these games, Ince was selected at right-back in favour of Viv Anderson
Viv Anderson
Vivian Alexander "Viv" Anderson MBE is an English football player and coach, who played for clubs including Nottingham Forest, Arsenal, Manchester United and Sheffield Wednesday in the 1970s and 1980s...
, with his favoured central midfield position being occupied by Mike Phelan
Mike Phelan
Michael Christopher "Mike" Phelan , also known as Mick Phelan or Micky Phelan, is an English football coach, former player, and current assistant manager of Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson....
. Ince was man of the match for the replay.
Over the next four seasons, Robson's United career gradually wound down until he finally left to manage Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
in 1994. During this time, Ince found himself playing alongside several other different central midfielders, including Mike Phelan, Neil Webb and Darren Ferguson
Darren Ferguson
Darren Ferguson is a Scottish football manager and former player, currently in his second spell as the manager of Peterborough United...
. The arrival of striker Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona
Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
in November 1992 saw Brian McClair
Brian McClair
Brian John McClair is a former Scottish international football player who played as a forward, notable for his near 11-year spell at Manchester United, as well as important tenures at Scottish clubs Celtic and Motherwell...
become Ince's regular central midfield partner until the arrival of Roy Keane
Roy Keane
Roy Maurice Keane is an Irish former footballer and manager. In his 18-year playing career, he played for Cobh Ramblers in the League of Ireland, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, before ending his career at Celtic in Scotland....
the following season.
Meanwhile, Ince became United's key midfielder, with snapping tackles, raking passes and some tremendously hit shots, though he was not too prolific a goalscorer. One of his best games came in January 1994, when he scored twice in a 2–2 away draw with former club West Ham in the Premier League.
He won his second winners' medal when United defeated Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
in the final of the European Cup Winners Cup in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
in 1991 and received his third another year later when United beat 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...
in the 1992 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.
The next year, Manchester United were competing in the inaugural Premiership season with Ince and his best friend at the time, Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs
Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
at the fore and part of a now legendary team that included Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes
Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....
, Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona
Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
, Peter Schmeichel
Peter Schmeichel
Peter Bolesław Schmeichel MBE is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the "World's Best Goalkeeper" in 1992 and 1993...
, Andrei Kanchelskis
Andrei Kanchelskis
Andrei Antanasovich Kanchelskis is a Ukrainian-born Russian football manager and former association footballer who played as a right winger. Kanchelskis is the only player in history to have scored in each of the Glasgow, Merseyside and Manchester local derbies.Currently, he is managing FC...
, Steve Bruce
Steve Bruce
Stephen Roger "Steve" Bruce is an English football manager and former player. Born in Corbridge, Northumberland, he was a promising schoolboy footballer but was rejected by a number of professional clubs. He was on the verge of quitting the game altogether when he was offered a trial with Gillingham...
and Denis Irwin
Denis Irwin
Denis Joseph Irwin is a former Irish football player who is best known for his long and successful stint at Manchester United, where he established himself as one of the most important players in the United team that won a host of domestic and European trophies in his time there between 1990 and...
. Seeking a first League title for 26 years, United won it and Ince completed his domestic medal set just three years after joining the club.
Manchester United continued to dominate the domestic game in 1993–94 and Ince was the midfield general in the side which won the "double" of Premiership and FA Cup in 1994. A year later and Ince suffered more of the all too familiar chants of "Judas
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
" when he and Manchester United went to West Ham on the last day of the season, needing a win to retain their Premiership crown. Sadly for them, they could only draw the game and Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
took the title. It went from bad to worse as Ince featured then in the United team which also lost the FA Cup final to 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...
. During that season, his central midfield partner Roy Keane had missed 17 of United's 42 league games due to injury, meaning that Ince often found himself partnered with Brian McClair
Brian McClair
Brian John McClair is a former Scottish international football player who played as a forward, notable for his near 11-year spell at Manchester United, as well as important tenures at Scottish clubs Celtic and Motherwell...
and – particularly towards the end of the season – the 20-year-old Nicky Butt
Nicky Butt
Nicholas "Nicky" Butt is an English footballer. He began his career with Manchester United and spent 12 years in their first-team before moving to Newcastle United in 2004. He spent one season on loan to Birmingham City in 2005–06...
.
In the summer of 1995, Ferguson sold him to Internazionale of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
for £7.5 million – at the time one of the costliest transfer fees involving an English player. Ferguson had long sustained a tempestuous relationship with Ince, labelling him a "bottler" and a "fucking big-time Charlie", which many fans saw as the prime reason for Ince being sold, rather than on footballing or economic grounds. Ince's sale caused massive unrest among United supporters, and the discontent deepened when United turned to the much younger Nicky Butt
Nicky Butt
Nicholas "Nicky" Butt is an English footballer. He began his career with Manchester United and spent 12 years in their first-team before moving to Newcastle United in 2004. He spent one season on loan to Birmingham City in 2005–06...
as his successor rather than buying a more experienced player. A similar uproar followed the subsequent sale of Ince's team mates Mark Hughes and Andrei Kanchelskis, although the younger players who filled their places in the team contributed greatly to United's "double double" success in the 1995–96 season
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....
as well as the triumphs of subsequent seasons.
While at United, Ince had collected two Premier League title medals as well as two 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...
winner's medals and one winner's medal each in the European Cup Winners' Cup and Football 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...
. He had also collected runners-up medal's in the League Cup twice and the FA Cup once.
Internazionale
In the 1995/1996 season Inter failed to challenge for a 14th scudetto, finishing seventh in the Serie A. Ince, though, had a successful first season, playing in all but four of Inter's league matches and performing well after a slow start which had started speculation of a November transfer window move to ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
. The next year, Ince had another successful season with the nerazzurri, scoring 6 times in 24 matches in the championship – in which Inter finished third – and also playing his part in Inter's run through to the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
Final. Ince scored in the third round second-leg match away to Boavista as Inter swept all before them before meeting Schalke in the Final. Ince didn't play in the away first-leg as Inter lost 1–0 but he returned to the line-up for the home match which the Italians won 1–0 thanks to a goal from Ivan Zamorano
Iván Zamorano
Iván Luis Zamorano Zamora is a retired Chilean football striker. Along with former world-class forward Marcelo Salas and former world player of the year Elias Figueroa he is regarded as one of Chile's most recognized footballers.He was a member of the Chilean national team and played in the 1998...
. Penalties were again a heart breaker for Ince though, as Schalke won 4–1 in the resulting penalty shootout.
Despite being offered a new, improved contract by club president Massimo Moratti
Massimo Moratti
Massimo Moratti is an Italian oil tycoon. He is the owner and President of Italian football team Football Club Internazionale Milano, and Chief Executive Officer of Saras S.p.A.-Life and career:...
, Ince decided that after two years away it was time to move home and he left Inter.
Liverpool
After two seasons in Italy, Ince returned to England in the summer of 1997 in order for his son, Thomas, approaching his fifth birthday, to attend an English school. He joined LiverpoolLiverpool 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...
for more than £4 million – a move which surprised many because of the long history of rivalry between Manchester United and Liverpool, and few players had ever appeared for both of these clubs during their careers. Indeed, only one player (Phil Chisnall
Phil Chisnall
John Philip "Phil" Chisnall is an English former footballer who played as an inside forward in the 1960s and 1970s....
, who was signed by Liverpool in the 1960s) has ever been transferred between the two clubs.
According to Graham Le Saux's autobiography, Ince's homophobic taunting and Le Saux's reaction during a 1997 Liverpool – Chelsea match has resulted in a long running coolness between the two players, despite the fact that Le Saux is not actually gay.
Ince won no honours in his first season with Liverpool as his new club were in the midst of a transitional period where they were cast as 'nearly men' and, rather derogatorily, 'Spice Boys
Spice Boys (footballers)
The Spice Boys was a media term used to describe a group of Liverpool F.C. footballers in the mid-late 1990s, seen typically as being composed of Jamie Redknapp, David James, Phil Babb, Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler, Stan Collymore and Jason McAteer...
' – a term coined to describe the likes of team mates and good friends of Ince's like 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...
, Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler
Robert Bernard Fowler is an English footballer who is currently player/manager for Thai Premier League club Muangthong United....
, Jason McAteer
Jason McAteer
Jason Wynne McAteer is a retired Irish footballer, who represented the Republic of Ireland at international level. He announced his retirement from professional football on 12 June 2007,...
and Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Redknapp
Jamie Frank Redknapp is a retired English footballer who was active from 1989 until 2005. He is now a football pundit with Sky Sports, and an editorial columnist with the Daily Mail....
as underachieving playboys in the game; the term itself is derived from the name of the contemporary pop-group, the Spice Girls
Spice Girls
The Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
.
Ince's second season with Liverpool was again trophyless (seventh place in the league meant they wouldn't even be competing in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
the following season) but he achieved a personal high point when he scored a late equalizer against Manchester United 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...
and celebrated with some ferocity in front of the Spion Kop, though it wasn't enough to deprive United of the Premier League title that formed part of their treble success.
Middlesbrough
In the summer of 1999, however, Liverpool coach Gérard HoullierGérard Houllier
Gérard Houllier, OBE , is a French football manager, who was last manager of Premier League club Aston Villa. He stepped down on 1 June 2011, following hospitalisation over heart problems towards the end of the 2010-2011 season....
put Ince on the transfer list and the 31-year-old signed for Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
for £1 million, who were still managed by Ince's former team-mate Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson OBE is an English football manager and a former player. He is best known for playing in midfield for Manchester United, where he was the longest serving captain in club history. He was the manager of Sheffield United, being relieved of his first team duties at the club in February 2008...
.
As club captain, Ince played three seasons making 106 appearances with 9 goals at Middlesbrough before he was given a free transfer in 2002.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Ince joined Wolverhampton WanderersWolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
and was playing outside a national top division for the first time since his one brief appearance there for West Ham in 1989, prior to his move to Manchester United. That said, Ince was in the Wolves team which won promotion to the Premier League as Division One playoff winners in his first season. They were relegated after just one season in the top flight (their first since 1983–84
1983-84 in English football
The 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...
), but Ince helped them beat his old club Manchester United 1–0 in mid January and chose to stay with Wolves despite their relegation.
Ince was expected to retire at the end of the 2004–05 season
2004-05 in English football
The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
, but he changed his mind halfway through the season following the appointment of Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle is an English former footballer and manager who played as an attacking midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur, AS Monaco, Chelsea and Swindon Town and at international level for England....
as manager of a Wolves side who were struggling at the wrong end of the league. In June 2005, he signed a new one-year contract with Wolves. In April 2006, he announced that he wanted to continue playing for Wolves for a further season after speaking with his close friend Teddy Sheringham
Teddy Sheringham
Edward Paul "Teddy" Sheringham MBE is a retired English footballer, and the father of footballer Charlie Sheringham. Sheringham played as a striker, and had a successful career at the club level, winning almost every domestic honour available with his clubs, most notably the Treble with Manchester...
. However, following Ince's failure to get the manager's job at Wolves in July 2006 on Hoddle's resignation, the newly appointed manager, Mick McCarthy
Mick McCarthy
Michael Joseph "Mick" McCarthy is an English-born former Irish international footballer who is currently the manager of Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he has been in charge since July 2006....
, decided not to offer Ince a new contract. Upon leaving, Ince declared his intention to return, at some point in the future, as manager of Wolves.
International career
Ince made his debut for the full England team in September 1992 in a friendly match against SpainSpain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
in Santander
Santander, Cantabria
The port city of Santander is the capital of the autonomous community and historical region of Cantabria situated on the north coast of Spain. Located east of Gijón and west of Bilbao, the city has a population of 183,446 .-History:...
. England lost 1–0 but Ince proved a success. He was duly awarded his second cap a month later in a disappointing 1–1 draw with Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
in a qualifying match for the 1994 World Cup.
Success at international level was not forthcoming. Ince was booked in a crucial World Cup qualifier against Poland, which caused him to be suspended for a critical 2–0 loss to Norway. However, Ince made history during England's summer tour of the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when, in a match against the host nation, he became England's first black captain in the absence of David Platt and Tony Adams
Tony Adams (footballer)
Tony Alexander Adams, MBE is an English football manager and former player.Adams spent his entire playing career of 22 years as a defender at Arsenal. He is considered one of the greatest Arsenal players of all time by the club's own fans and was included in the Football League 100 Legends...
. England lost 2–0.
Ince won his tenth England cap in a 3–0 win over Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
which kept alive their World Cup qualification hopes, though required a victory over the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
in Rotterdam a month later. In a controversial match, Holland beat England 2–0 and qualification hopes had gone. Ince scored twice – his first and only international goals – as the qualifying campaign ended with a 7–1 thumping of San Marino
San Marino national football team
The San Marino national football team is the national football team of San Marino, controlled by the San Marino Football Federation...
in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
. England had needed to win by seven clear goals and hope the Netherlands lost to Poland. Neither occurred, and England failed to qualify.
During Euro 96 Ince was a member of Terry Venables
Terry Venables
Terence Frederick "Terry" Venables , often referred to as "El Tel", is a former football player and manager, as well as being a media pundit. During the 1960s and 70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, and gained two caps for England...
' England team as the midfield ball winner and got the label of "Gazza
Paul Gascoigne
Paul John Gascoigne , commonly referred to as Gazza, is a retired English professional footballer.Playing in the position of midfield, Gascoigne's career included spells at Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton and Gansu Tianma, where he scored at least a goal...
's minder
Minder
A minder is a person assigned to guide or escort a visitor, or to provide protection to somebody, or to otherwise assist or take care of something, i.e...
" whose job was to create room for Paul Gascoigne to exploit with his natural ball skills. Though the first group game ended in a disappointing 1–1 draw at Wembley against Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
, England went on to defeat the old enemy Scotland
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...
2–0 and then put on a display regarded as "total football" against (ironically) the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
, the team whose performances at the 1974 World Cup had first prompted the phrase's coining. Ince was fouled for a penalty which gave England the lead and helped them towards a 4–1 win; he also picked up a yellow card which rendered him unavailable for the quarter final against Spain, which England won on penalties.
Venables put Ince back in the side for the semifinal against Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
, replacing the suspended Gary Neville
Gary Neville
Gary Alexander Neville is a former English footballer. He is England's most capped right-back and was Manchester United's club captain for five years....
as England switched systems to a back three, accommodating Ince in central midfield with Paul Gascoigne
Paul Gascoigne
Paul John Gascoigne , commonly referred to as Gazza, is a retired English professional footballer.Playing in the position of midfield, Gascoigne's career included spells at Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton and Gansu Tianma, where he scored at least a goal...
and David Platt. Ince and England played superbly but could only manage a 1–1 draw and England lost the penalty shootout. Ince received criticism for not taking a penalty (the crucial missed kick from Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate in Crawley, West Sussex is a retired English footballer and ex-manager. He is known as the "Penalty Misser of '96." He served as manager of Middlesbrough from June 2006, until he was dismissed in October 2009...
was England's sixth) and for spending the whole
shootout sitting down in the centre circle with 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...
with their backs to goal.
Another new England coach came on the scene in Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle is an English former footballer and manager who played as an attacking midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur, AS Monaco, Chelsea and Swindon Town and at international level for England....
and Ince kept his place for the next six internationals, which included five crucial qualifiers for the 1998 World Cup in France. England won four of them but lost 1–0 at home to Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
. During the first of these qualifiers against Moldova
Moldova national football team
The Moldova national football team represents Moldova in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Moldova, the governing body for football in Moldova. Moldova's home ground is Zimbru Stadium in Chişinău and their head coach is Gavril Balint...
in Chişinău
Chisinau
Chișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...
, a famous photograph of Ince was taken as he tried to climb a wall at the stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
, only for Gascoigne to pull his tracksuit
Tracksuit
A tracksuit is an article of clothing consisting of two parts: trousers and a jacket usually with front zipper. It was originally intended for use in sports, mainly as what athletes wore over competition clothing and would take off before competition. In modern times, it has become commonly worn...
trousers
Trousers
Trousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately...
down, revealing Ince's bare buttocks in front of an army of camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
s.
Ince won his 30th England cap in May 1997 as England beat Poland 2–0 in Chorzow to leave them with an opportunity to get through to the World Cup provided they could beat Moldova at Wembley and then not lose to Italy in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Moldova were duly dispatched 4–0 and Ince, in an incident reminiscent of Terry Butcher
Terry Butcher
Terence Ian "Terry" Butcher is an English football manager and former player. He was a highly successful football player and made his name as an uncompromising defender with Ipswich Town and Rangers in the 1980s. He was also a captain of England and won 77 caps in a ten-year international career...
against Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
seven years earlier, started the Italy match with a white England shirt and ended it with a red one after his own blood soaked the shirt following a deep cut to his head. The game ended goalless and England had qualified.
Ince was selected in the England squad for the World Cup in 1998, winning his 40th cap in the opening group game against Tunisia
Tunisia national football team
The Tunisia national football team , nicknamed Les Aigles de Carthage , is the national team of Tunisia and is controlled by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. They have qualified for four FIFA World Cups, the first one in 1978, but have yet to make it out of the first round...
in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
. England got through the group but succumbed in the second round to Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
, again after a penalty shootout. This time Ince did take a penalty but saw it saved.
Due to a red card against Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
in England's first qualifying match for Euro 2000 Ince was suspended for three matches by UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
. After initially failing to displace Tim Sherwood
Tim Sherwood
Timothy "Tim" Sherwood is an English former professional footballer who was captain of Blackburn Rovers' Premiership title-winning side...
and David Batty
David Batty
David Batty is an English retired professional footballer, who played as a defensive midfielder....
in 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....
's new-look side, Ince returned to the XI for the two legged play-off with Scotland as England sealed its place in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
In a warm up match for Euro 2000 against Malta
Malta national football team
The Malta national football team is the national football team of Malta and is controlled by the Malta Football Association. Malta played its first international game in February 1957, and began competing for qualification to major tournaments in 1962. The side's first competitive victory came in...
Ince came on as a substitute and won his 50th cap. He duly played in all three of England's group games of the tournament – winning a penalty against Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
in the last game – but England lost two of three matches and were eliminated. Ince immediately retired from the England scene.
Swindon Town (player-coach)
After much speculation and prolonged discussions – On 31 August 2006, Ince signed a one-year contract with Swindon TownSwindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
as a player/coach. Swindon were rumoured to have beaten the likes of Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
and West Bromwich Albion for his signature. A key factor in the transfer was Ince's long standing friendship with Town manager Dennis Wise
Dennis Wise
Dennis Frank Wise is an English former football manager and player, and former Executive Director at Newcastle United....
, who had played alongside him occasionally in the England team during the 1990s. He made his full debut for Swindon in the 2–1 victory over MK Dons
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
on 12 September 2006.
Ince only played one other game for Swindon after the MK victory – before the club announced that Ince had felt he could not fulfil his playing duties with the club and that his contract had been terminated by mutual consent, although he continued coaching at the club to complete his coaching badges.
Macclesfield Town
On 23 October 2006, Ince was confirmed as the new player-manager of Macclesfield TownMacclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
in succession to Brian Horton
Brian Horton
Brian Horton is an English former footballer and manager, who is working as Phil Brown's assistant at Preston North End.Horton played for Hednesford Town, Port Vale, Brighton & Hove Albion, Luton Town and Hull City as a midfielder...
. However, he was ineligible to play for the Silkmen until January when the transfer window opened, as Swindon Town still held his registration. He joined Macclesfield with the club bottom of League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
, seven points off their nearest rivals. He then revived confidence and after a 3–0 win against Chester they managed to climb off the bottom of the table. They subsequently avoided relegation, albeit on the last day of the season. On 4 January 2007 Ince was named as League Two Manager of the Month for December. Ince played his last game of professional football on 5 May 2007 in Macclesfield's 1–1 home draw with Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
coming off the substitute bench to replace Alan Navarro
Alan Navarro
Alan Edward Navarro is an English footballer who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion as a midfielder.-Career:Born in Liverpool, Merseyside, Navarro started his career at hometown club Liverpool, coming through the youth system before signing a professional contract with the club in the summer of 2000...
in the 85th minute of play.
Milton Keynes Dons (2007–08)
Ince was unveiled as the new Milton Keynes DonsMilton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
manager along with his assistant Ray Mathias
Ray Mathias
Raymond "Ray" Mathias is an English football coach and former player. He has spent most of his career in the lower leagues of English football. He was appointed Interim Manager of Stockport County on the 9th March 2011 until the end of the season, when County were relegated from the Football...
and fitness coach Duncan Russell on 25 June 2007. The Dons reached the top of their Division in September 2007 and other clubs began to take a serious interest. In October and November 2007, he denied rumours that he was being linked with managerless Premiership teams Wigan
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
, Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
and Championship team Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
.
Ince was named as League Two "manager of the month" in October and December 2007, and again in April 2008.
Ince's first silverware as manager came in the Football League 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...
Final at Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
on 31 March 2008, with the MK Dons defeating 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...
2–0. He then secured the Dons' return to Coca-Cola League 1 in April 2008 after they beat 3–2.
On 26 April, the Dons became League Two champions after they beat 2–1.
Blackburn Rovers
In the close-season it was speculated that Ince had been contacted by Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
in their search to appoint a new manager, something that Ince himself denied. However, the BBC reported that Ince would be named as Blackburn manager by the end of the week of 19 June. He was appointed on 22 June and became the first black British manager in England's top division.
On the first day of the 2008–09 FA Premier League
FA 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...
season, Blackburn Rovers faced 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...
at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
– this was Ince's first premiership game with Blackburn Rovers. David Dunn
David Dunn
David John Ian Dunn is an English footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Premier League club Blackburn Rovers.-Blackburn Rovers:...
opened the scoring for Ince's side and Roque Santa Cruz
Roque Santa Cruz
Roque Luis Santa Cruz Cantero is a Paraguayan footballer currently playing as a striker for La Liga club Real Betis on loan from Manchester City and the Paraguay national football team....
and Andre Ooijer later scored in a 3–2 win. Ince's 2008 summer signings included England international goalkeeper Paul Robinson
Paul Robinson (goalkeeper)
Paul William Robinson is an English footballer who plays for Blackburn Rovers as a goalkeeper in the Premier League. He had also been an England international and he earned 41 caps between 2003 and 2007 before his retirement from international football in August 2010.He joined Leeds United at 16...
, Danny Simpson
Danny Simpson
Daniel Peter "Danny" Simpson is an English footballer who plays as a right back for Premier League club Newcastle United. A product of the Manchester United academy, Simpson has also played on loan for Sunderland, Ipswich Town and Blackburn Rovers in England and Royal Antwerp in Belgium...
(Loan), Vince Grella
Vince Grella
Vincenzo "Vince" Grella is an Australian football player, who plays as a midfielder for Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League...
, Carlos Villanueva
Carlos Villanueva (footballer)
Carlos Andrés Villanueva Roland is a Chilean football player who is currently playing for Al Shabab.-Audax Italiano:In the Copa Libertadores 2007, the left-footed playmaker was the hub of Audax Italiano...
(Loan), Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler
Robert Bernard Fowler is an English footballer who is currently player/manager for Thai Premier League club Muangthong United....
, Mark Bunn
Mark Bunn (footballer)
Mark John Bunn is an English footballer who plays for Blackburn Rovers as a goalkeeper in the Premier League.-Northampton Town:...
and Keith Andrews
Keith Andrews (footballer)
Keith Joseph Andrews is an Irish association footballer who plays for Ipswich Town and the Republic of Ireland national football team. Voted best player EU by Vp rel...
.
After winning just three games in 17, Ince was sacked on 16 December 2008 after just six months in charge. Ince had been with Blackburn only 177 days, one of the shortest reigns of a Premier League manager. Blackburn fans had been demanding his removal following a 5–3 loss to 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...
at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
in the Carling 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...
on 3 December 2008. At the game, the crowd could be heard chanting "You don't know what you're doing" and "We want Incey out" as well as singing the name of their former 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,...
.
Ince cited his failure at Blackburn Rovers as being due to a lack of financial backing, conditions that were known to Ince at the time of signing for the club. Ince did, however, spend over £10 million on Paul Robinson
Paul Robinson (goalkeeper)
Paul William Robinson is an English footballer who plays for Blackburn Rovers as a goalkeeper in the Premier League. He had also been an England international and he earned 41 caps between 2003 and 2007 before his retirement from international football in August 2010.He joined Leeds United at 16...
, Vince Grella
Vince Grella
Vincenzo "Vince" Grella is an Australian football player, who plays as a midfielder for Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League...
and Keith Andrews
Keith Andrews (footballer)
Keith Joseph Andrews is an Irish association footballer who plays for Ipswich Town and the Republic of Ireland national football team. Voted best player EU by Vp rel...
regardless of these restrictions.
Milton Keynes Dons (2009–10)
On 3 July 2009, Ince signed again for Milton Keynes DonsMilton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
on a two-year deal. However on 16 April 2010, he announced that he would leave the job a year early, at the end of the 2009–10 season.
Notts County
Ince returned to management on 28 October 2010, signing a three year deal with Notts County.On 3 April 2011 he left the club by mutual consent after losing a club record 9 games in a row, including a 2-0 defeat to relegation rivals Oldham Athletic the day before.
Player
| Club | Season | League | Cup | 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... |
Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| West Ham United West Ham United F.C. West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current... |
1986–87 The Football League 1986-87 -Overview:The 1986–1987 season was the 87th completed season of the The Football League.-Innovations for this season:Playoffs to determine promotion places were introduced in 1987 so that more clubs remained eligible for promotion closer to the end of the season, and at the same time to aid in the... |
10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| 11 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 1987–88 The Football League 1987-88 The 1987–1988 season was the 88th completed season of the The Football League.-First Division:Liverpool won the league title with a comfortable nine-point margin and just two defeats all season... |
28 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| 29 | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 1988–89 The Football League 1988-89 The 1988–1989 season was the 89th completed season of the Football League.No European qualification took place due to the Heysel Stadium disaster suspension in place.... |
33 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||||
| 36 | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 1989–90 The Football League 1989-90 The 1989–1990 season was the 90th completed season of The Football League.- First Division :Liverpool overhauled a greatly improved Aston Villa side to win their 18th league championship trophy and their fifth major trophy in as many seasons under Kenny Dalglish’s management. To date, this remains... |
1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 3 | |||||||
| 14 | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Total | 72 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 91 | 11 | |
| 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... |
1989–90 The Football League 1989-90 The 1989–1990 season was the 90th completed season of The Football League.- First Division :Liverpool overhauled a greatly improved Aston Villa side to win their 18th league championship trophy and their fifth major trophy in as many seasons under Kenny Dalglish’s management. To date, this remains... |
26 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 2 |
| 1990–91 The Football League 1990-91 The 1990–1991 season was the 91st completed season of The Football League.-First Division:Arsenal took their second league title in three seasons despite a season during which it often looked as though the good points would be outnumbered by the bad points... |
31 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 3 | |
| 1991–92 The Football League 1991-92 The 1991–1992 season was the 92nd completed season of The Football League.- First Division :The last-ever league championship before the creation of the Premier League was won by Leeds United who overhauled Manchester United thanks to the efforts of players like Gordon Strachan, Lee Chapman, David... |
33 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 3 | |
| 1992–93 | 41 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 6 | |
| 1993–94 | 39 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 56 | 9 | |
| 1994–95 | 36 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 48 | 6 | |
| Total | 206 | 25 | 27 | 1 | 24 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 281 | 29 | |
| Internazionale F.C. Internazionale Milano Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always... |
1995–96 Serie A 1995-96 The 1995–96 Serie A title was won by A.C. Milan , with Juventus finishing as runners-up.-Final classification:-Results:-Top scorers:24 goals* Igor Protti... |
30 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 35 | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 1996–97 | 24 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 1 | |||||||
| 38 | 10 | ||||||||||||
| Total | 54 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 1 | - | - | 73 | 13 | |||
| 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... |
1997–98 | 31 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 8 |
| 1998–99 | 34 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 9 | |
| Total | 65 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 17 | |
| Middlesbrough Middlesbrough F.C. Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889... |
1999–2000 | 32 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 35 | 4 | ||||
| 2000–01 FA Premier League 2000-01 The FA Premier League 2000-01 season was the third season running which ended with Manchester United as champions and Arsenal as runners-up. Sir Alex Ferguson became the first manager to win three successive English league titles, although three teams had achieved that feat in the past - but with... |
30 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 2 | |||||
| 2001–02 FA Premier League 2001-02 The 2001–02 FA Premier League season was the tenth season of the competition. It began with a new sponsor, Barclaycard, and was titled the FA Barclaycard Premiership, replacing the previous sponsor, Carling... |
31 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 3 | |||||
| Total | 93 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 1 | |||||||
| Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at... |
2002–03 | 37 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||||||
| 3 | 0 | 45 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 2003–04 | 32 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||||
| 35 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| 2004–05 | 28 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| 31 | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 2005–06 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| 20 | 3 | ||||||||||||
| Total | 115 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 131 | 12 | |
| Swindon Town Swindon Town F.C. Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011... |
2006–07 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 3 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| Macclesfield Town Macclesfield Town F.C. Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium... |
2006–07 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 1 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| Total | 609 | 73 | 57 | 6 | 50 | 8 | |||||||
|-
|1992||3||0
|-
|1993||9||2
|-
|1994||3||0
|-
|1995||1||0
|-
|1996||10||0
|-
|1997||9||0
|-
|1998||9||0
|-
|1999||4||0
|-
|2000||5||0
|-
!Total||53||2
|}
Manager
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Macclesfield Town Macclesfield Town F.C. Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium... |
 |
23 October 2006 | 25 June 2007 |
|||||
| Milton Keynes Dons Milton Keynes Dons F.C. .Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire... |
|
25 June 2007 | 21 June 2008 |
|||||
| Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... |
|
22 June 2008 | 16 December 2008 |
|||||
| Milton Keynes Dons Milton Keynes Dons F.C. .Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire... |
|
3 July 2009 | 10 May 2010 |
|||||
| Notts County | |
28 October 2010 | 3 April 2011 |
|||||
| Total |
||||||||
Updated on 2 April 2011
Manchester United
- Premier League
- Champions: 1992–93, 1993–94
- Runner-up: 1991–92, 1994–95
- 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...
- Winner: 19901990 FA Cup FinalThe 1990 FA Cup Final was a football match contested by Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium, London, England. The match finished 3–3 after extra time. Bryan Robson and Mark Hughes scored for United; Gary O'Reilly and Ian Wright for Palace...
, 1994 - Runner-up: 1995
- Winner: 1990
- 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...
- Winner: 19921992 Football League Cup FinalThe 1992 Football League Cup Final took place at Wembley Stadium, and was played between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest.Manchester United won 1–0 in what was their first League cup win...
- Runner-up: 19911991 Football League Cup FinalThe 1991 Rumbelows Cup Final was a football match played on 21 April 1991 between Manchester United and Sheffield Wednesday. It was the first of two years that the competition was sponsored by Rumbelows....
, 19941994 Football League Cup FinalThe 1994 Coca-Cola Cup Final took place on 27 March 1994 at the old Wembley Stadium. It was contested between Manchester United and Aston Villa. Aston Villa won 3–1 to claim their fourth League Cup final victory...
- Winner: 1992
- 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...
- Winner: 19901990 FA Charity ShieldThe 1990 FA Charity Shield was the 68th Charity Shield, a football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Football League and FA Cup competitions. The match was played on 18 August 1990 between 1989–90 Football League champions Liverpool and 1989–90 FA Cup winners...
(shared), 19931993 FA Charity ShieldThe 1993 FA Charity Shield was the 71st FA Charity Shield, an annual football match played between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions. The match was played on 7 August 1993 at Wembley Stadium and contested by Manchester United, who had won the 1992–93...
, 19941994 FA Charity ShieldThe 1994 FA Charity Shield was the 72nd FA Charity Shield, an annual football match played between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions...
- Winner: 1990
- European Cup Winners' CupUEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
- Winner:1991
- 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...
- Winner: 1991
Wolverhampton Wanderers
- First Division play-offsFootball 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....
- Winner: 2003
England
Tournoi de France 1997: Winner1998 King Hassan II International Cup Tournament
1998 King Hassan II International Cup Tournament
The King Hassan II International Cup Tournament was a minor international football competition, which took place in the spring of 1998 in Morocco....
: Runner-up
Individual
- Premier League Player of the MonthPremier League Player of the MonthThe Player of the Month is an association football award that recognises the best Premier League player each month of the season. The recipient is chosen by a panel assembled by the League's sponsor, and announced alongside the Manager of the Month on the first or second Friday of the following month...
: October 1994 - PFA Team of the YearPFA Team of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
: 1993, 1994, 1995 - Domestic Team of the Decade – Premier League 10 Seasons AwardsPremier League 10 Seasons AwardsThe Premier League 10 Seasons Awards were a set of English football awards which marked the first 10 years of competition in the Premier League, the top-level domestic league competition of professional football in England...
(1992/3 – 2001/2)
Managerial honours
With Milton Keynes DonsMilton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
- Football League TrophyFootball League TrophyThe 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...
(1): 2008 - Football League TwoFootball League TwoFootball League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
(1): 2008
Personal life
Ince's son, Thomas, has played for the England national under-17 football teamEngland national under-17 football team
-Elite Qualifying Group 3:-Group stage:-Fifth place play-off:-FA International U17 Tournament:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round....
and played club football for Ince's former club Liverpool. On 1 November 2010, Ince put through a two month loan deal to bring Thomas to Notts County. On 3 August 2011, Thomas signed a two-year contract with Blackpool. He is also the uncle of The Saturdays
The Saturdays
The Saturdays are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London, United Kingdom. The group consists of five members Una Healy, Mollie King, Frankie Sandford, Vanessa White and Rochelle Wiseman. In 2007 the band were formed through Fascination Records which gave them an instant record deal with...
, Rochelle Wiseman
Rochelle Wiseman
Rochelle Eulah Eileen Wiseman is an English singer, actress and television presenter. She is best known for her work in pop groups S Club 8 and The Saturdays...
. His cousin is former boxer Nigel Benn
Nigel Benn
Nigel Benn , known as "The Dark Destroyer", is a British former boxer who held world titles in the middleweight and super middleweight divisions....
.