Wilf McGuinness
Encyclopedia
Wilfred "Wilf" McGuinness (born 25 October 1937 in Manchester
, England
) is a former English
football player and manager, who played twice for England
. He is best known for taking over from Matt Busby
as manager of Manchester United
. His son, Paul
, is currently Manchester United's U-18 team manager and assistant director of their youth academy for 17- to 21-year-olds.
on 8 October 1955, 17 days before his 18th birthday. Competition for places was fierce but he played in enough matches to qualify for a medal when United won the league in 1956.
He was still a United player at the time of the Munich air disaster
in 1958, but an injury had prevented him from playing so he was not on the plane that crashed. A broken leg finished his playing career when he was only 22.
and two in the League Cup
.
McGuinness was sacked in December 1970, after a dramatic comeback which saw United draw 4–4 with Derby County
in a league fixture http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsrWWfDy-ig&feature=related at the Baseball Ground
. He returned to his old job as reserve team coach before leaving the club at the end of the season. Meanwhile, Busby was re-appointed as team manager until the end of the season until Frank O'Farrell
was named as United's new manager in June 1971.
McGuinness later managed Aris Salonika
and York City
. On arriving at York, he took over a side which had just recorded its highest-ever league finish, only to take them through two successive relegations before leaving midway though a season which ended with York having to apply for re-election to the Football League. Later he worked as assistant manager at Hull City
and was on the coaching staff at Bury F.C.
, taking over as interim manager prior to the appointment of Sam Ellis
in 1989.
Recently he took to the pitch before Manchester United's 2008 Champions League
semi-final against F.C. Barcelona with an emotional battle cry to United fans urging them to get behind the team cheer every pass and every corner. The Red Army duly obliged as Paul Scholes
scored a winner to send United to Moscow.
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
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...
) is a former 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 player and manager, who played twice for England
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...
. He is best known for taking over from Matt Busby
Matt Busby
Sir Alexander Matthew "Matt" Busby, CBE, KCSG was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Manchester United between 1945 and 1969 and again for the second half of the 1970–1971 season...
as manager of 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...
. His son, Paul
Paul McGuinness (footballer)
Paul McGuinness is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Crewe Alexandra and Chester City. Since 2005 he has been manager of Manchester United's under-18 team....
, is currently Manchester United's U-18 team manager and assistant director of their youth academy for 17- to 21-year-olds.
Playing career
As a player he captained Manchester, Lancashire and England at schoolboy level, and signed for Manchester United in January 1953. He played his first first-team match against 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...
on 8 October 1955, 17 days before his 18th birthday. Competition for places was fierce but he played in enough matches to qualify for a medal when United won the league in 1956.
He was still a United player at the time of the Munich air disaster
Munich air disaster
The Munich air disaster occurred on 6 February 1958, when British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport in Munich, West Germany. On board the plane was the Manchester United football team, nicknamed the "Busby Babes",...
in 1958, but an injury had prevented him from playing so he was not on the plane that crashed. A broken leg finished his playing career when he was only 22.
Managerial career
He continued to be involved at United and was promoted from reserve team coach to first team coach when Matt Busby retired at the end of the 1968–69 season. Appointed as Busby's successor in June 1969 at the age of 31, at a time when the Manchester United side was in transition and Busby had moved upstairs to become General Manager, McGuinness's reign as Manchester United manager was not as successful as United had hoped. But McGuinness did lead United to 3 cup semi finals during his reign, one in the FA CupFA 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...
and two 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...
.
McGuinness was sacked in December 1970, after a dramatic comeback which saw United draw 4–4 with 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...
in a league fixture http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsrWWfDy-ig&feature=related at the Baseball Ground
Baseball Ground
The Baseball Ground was a stadium in Derby, England. It was first used for baseball as the home of Derby County Baseball Club from 1890 until 1898 and then for football as the home of Derby County from 1895 until 1997. It was commonly referred to as the "BBG".As the name suggests, the stadium was...
. He returned to his old job as reserve team coach before leaving the club at the end of the season. Meanwhile, Busby was re-appointed as team manager until the end of the season until Frank O'Farrell
Frank O'Farrell
Francis 'Frank' O'Farrell is an Irish former football player and manager.-Early:Frank O'Farrell started his playing career with Cork United, but followed his former Cork teammate, Tommy Moroney to West Ham United in January 1948. A quietly spoken, but nonetheless determined and talented wing-half,...
was named as United's new manager in June 1971.
McGuinness later managed Aris Salonika
Aris Thessaloniki F.C.
Aris Football Club , also known as God of war and the Yellows, is a Greek football club based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia. Formed in 1914, the club was a founding member of Macedonian Football Clubs Association as well as the Hellenic Football Federation, they currently compete in...
and York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
. On arriving at York, he took over a side which had just recorded its highest-ever league finish, only to take them through two successive relegations before leaving midway though a season which ended with York having to apply for re-election to the Football League. Later he worked as assistant manager at Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
and was on the coaching staff at Bury F.C.
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
, taking over as interim manager prior to the appointment of Sam Ellis
Sam Ellis
Samuel "Sam" Ellis is an English football coach and former player. He left his post as assistant manager of on December 30, 2010.-Career:...
in 1989.
Recently he took to the pitch before Manchester United's 2008 Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
semi-final against F.C. Barcelona with an emotional battle cry to United fans urging them to get behind the team cheer every pass and every corner. The Red Army duly obliged as Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes
Paul Scholes is a retired English footballer, a one-club man who played his entire professional career for Manchester United.Born in Salford, but later moving to Langley, Scholes excelled in both cricket and football in school. He first trained with Manchester United at the age of 14 after being...
scored a winner to send United to Moscow.
Club
Manchester United- First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
(2): 1955–56, 1956–57 - 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...
(2): 19561956 FA Charity ShieldThe 1956 FA Charity Shield was the 34th FA Charity Shield, an annual football match held between the winners of the previous season's Football League and FA Cup competitions. The match was contested by Manchester United, who had won the 1955–56 Football League, and Manchester City, who had won the...
, 19571957 FA Charity ShieldThe 1957 FA Charity Shield was the 35th FA Charity Shield, an annual football match held between the winners of the previous season's Football League and FA Cup competitions. The match was contested by Manchester United, who had won the 1956–57 Football League, and Aston Villa, who had won the...
Managerial stats
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| 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... |
 |
4 June 1969 | 29 December 1970 | 250| |272| | ||||
| Aris Salonika Aris Thessaloniki F.C. Aris Football Club , also known as God of war and the Yellows, is a Greek football club based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia. Formed in 1914, the club was a founding member of Macedonian Football Clubs Association as well as the Hellenic Football Federation, they currently compete in... |
 |
1971 | 1974 | |||||
| Panachaiki | |
1974 | 1975 | |||||
| York City York City F.C. York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions... |
|
February 1975 | October 1977 | |||||