Bill McGarry
Encyclopedia
William Harry "Bill" McGarry (10 June 1927 – 15 March 2005) was an English
international football player and manager.
A right-half
as a player, he joined Port Vale
following the end of World War II
, and spent the next six years with the club. He then moved on to Huddersfield Town
in 1951, where he would spend the next ten years of his career. He hung up his boots in 1963, after spending two years as Bournemouth
's player-manager. In all he played 587 league games in an eighteen year career in the Football League
.
He also found success as a manager, moving from Bournemouth to Watford
in 1963, he was appointed as Ipswich Town
manager the following year. There he led the club to the Second Division
championship in 1967–68, before moving on to the vacant position at Wolverhampton Wanderers
later in 1968. He spent eight years with Wolves, leading them to the UEFA Cup
Final in 1972
and to League Cup
glory in 1974
. He became an international manager with Saudi Arabia
in 1976, only to return to the domestic game with Newcastle United
the following year. He failed to find success at Newcastle, and left the club in 1980, find work in Zambia with Power Dynamos FC. He spent two months as Wolves manager in 1985, before leaving his management career behind him.
said that: "he was everything that a manager could want in a player. Magnificently fit, Bill was aggressive, busy, good in the air and a player of tremendous enthusiasm for the game. He gave 100 per cent effort for all of 90 minutes" and that he also used to "underrate himself".
Freddie Steele
stated that "McGarry is a tough bugger. He wasn't born, you know – he was cast at Shelton Bar
!".
as an amateur in April 1945, signing professional forms in June of that year. He made his debut on a 1945 Boxing day
1-0 home defeat to Walsall
and by November 1947 he was playing regular first team football. He was an ever-present throughout the 1949–50 season
, but was sold to First Division
Huddersfield Town
for £12,000 in March 1951.
At Huddersfield, where he was again ever-present for four years after his debut, he built a reputation as a tough-tackling, sturdy wing-half.
After a decade of service at Huddersfield Town, he headed south to become Bournemouth
's first player-manager. He spent two years at Dean Court before hanging up his boots and devoting himself to management.
appearance place and then a place in the England
squad for the 1954 World Cup
. Despite having never featured for the national team before, he played two of England's three games in the tournament (against hosts Switzerland
and Uruguay
). He won two further caps the following year in a 5–1 victory over Denmark
and in a Home International
2–1 defeat by Wales
. He also played for the Football League
and went on the FA
's 1956 South African tour.
(then Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic) in 1961 was the start of a long career in management for McGarry. In July 1963, he took the reins at Watford
, taking them to the verge of promotion to the Second Division
in his only full season, before moving to Ipswich Town
in September 1964. He had built up a reputation as a tough, no nonsense manager. He also instigated rules on players diet, long before the trend became standard practice within the footballing world.
He took Ipswich back into the top flight, winning the Second Division title in 1967–68. Just months into the new campaign though, he walked out to take charge at fellow First Division club Wolverhampton Wanderers
in November 1968.
After a lean spell since their 1960 FA Cup
triumph, the club were revived under McGarry as he took the team all the way to the UEFA Cup
Final in 1972
and success in the 1974 League Cup final
, as well as two top-five league finishes. The club suffered relegation
at the end of the 1975–76 season, after nine successive seasons in the First Division,and he was promptly fired after nearly eight years at the helm.
He headed abroad to coach the Saudi Arabian national team
but soon returned to England to manage Newcastle United
in November 1977. He could not stop the Magpies suffering relegation that season, and he could only take the team to two mid-table finishes in the Second Division before being fired just weeks into the 1980–81 season after his team were knocked out of the League Cup
by Third Division
Bury
.
McGarry then served in a variety of posts, with spells as a scout at Brighton
, Zambia
n Power Dynamos FC as a coach, the Zambian national team
as manager and a period as coach in South Africa
. He returned to former club Wolves in September 1985, but walked out after just 61 days after a fall-out with the Bhatti Brothers. After a spell outside the game, he moved back to South Africa as coach in Bophuthatswana
.
After a long battle against illness, he died on 15 March 2005, aged 77. He had one son and one daughter.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
international football player and manager.
A right-half
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
as a player, he joined Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
following the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and spent the next six years with the club. He then moved on to Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
in 1951, where he would spend the next ten years of his career. He hung up his boots in 1963, after spending two years as Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
's player-manager. In all he played 587 league games in an eighteen year career in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
.
He also found success as a manager, moving from Bournemouth to Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
in 1963, he was appointed as Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
manager the following year. There he led the club to the Second Division
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...
championship in 1967–68, before moving on to the vacant position at 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...
later in 1968. He spent eight years with Wolves, leading them 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 in 1972
1972 UEFA Cup Final
The 1972 UEFA Cup Final was the final of the first ever UEFA Cup football tournament. It was a two-legged contest played on 3 May and 17 May 1972 between two English clubs, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur....
and to 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...
glory in 1974
1974 Football League Cup Final
The 1974 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 1973–74 Football League Cup, the 14th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in The Football League...
. He became an international manager with Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia national football team
Saudi Arabia national football team is the national team of Saudi Arabia and is controlled by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation...
in 1976, only to return to the domestic game with Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
the following year. He failed to find success at Newcastle, and left the club in 1980, find work in Zambia with Power Dynamos FC. He spent two months as Wolves manager in 1985, before leaving his management career behind him.
Playing style
Former teammate Roy SprosonRoy Sproson
Roy Sproson was an English footballer and football manager for Port Vale. A one-club man, he holds the all-time appearance record for Vale, making 837 starts for Vale between 1950 and 1972. This includes a run of 128 consecutive appearances between April 1954 and March 1957...
said that: "he was everything that a manager could want in a player. Magnificently fit, Bill was aggressive, busy, good in the air and a player of tremendous enthusiasm for the game. He gave 100 per cent effort for all of 90 minutes" and that he also used to "underrate himself".
Freddie Steele
Freddie Steele (footballer)
Frederick Charles Steele was a footballer who played as a forward for Stoke City and was a former England international. He also had spells at Mansfield Town and Port Vale as a player-manager, leading Vale to a league title...
stated that "McGarry is a tough bugger. He wasn't born, you know – he was cast at Shelton Bar
Shelton Bar
Shelton Bar was a major steelworks in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, England. In its heyday, Shelton Bar employed 10,000 in the steelworks, had five coal mines, a complete railway system, and a by-products processing factory.-The main site:...
!".
Club career
McGarry began his career at local non-league club Northwood Mission, based in Hanley, before joining Port ValePort Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
as an amateur in April 1945, signing professional forms in June of that year. He made his debut on a 1945 Boxing day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
1-0 home defeat to Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
and by November 1947 he was playing regular first team football. He was an ever-present throughout the 1949–50 season
1949–50 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1949–50 season was Port Vale's thirty-eighth season of football in the Football League, and their fifth full season in the Third Division South. It was the last season to be played at The Old Recreation Ground – despite numerous clashes with the authorities over the construction of the new...
, but was sold to 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....
Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
for £12,000 in March 1951.
At Huddersfield, where he was again ever-present for four years after his debut, he built a reputation as a tough-tackling, sturdy wing-half.
After a decade of service at Huddersfield Town, he headed south to become Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
's first player-manager. He spent two years at Dean Court before hanging up his boots and devoting himself to management.
International career
McGarry's performances at Huddersfield won him first an England "B"England B national football team
England B is a secondary football team run occasionally as support for the England national football team. At times they have played other nations' full teams; they have also played matches against 'B' teams from other football associations...
appearance place and then a place in the 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...
squad for the 1954 World Cup
1954 FIFA World Cup
The 1954 FIFA World Cup, the fifth staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Switzerland was chosen as hosts in July 1946. The tournament set a number of all-time records for goal-scoring, including the highest average goals scored per game...
. Despite having never featured for the national team before, he played two of England's three games in the tournament (against hosts Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
and Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
). He won two further caps the following year in a 5–1 victory over Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
and in a Home International
British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
2–1 defeat by Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
. He also played for the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
and went on the FA
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
's 1956 South African tour.
Management career
His post as player-manager at BournemouthA.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
(then Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic) in 1961 was the start of a long career in management for McGarry. In July 1963, he took the reins at Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, taking them to the verge of promotion to the Second Division
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...
in his only full season, before moving to Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
in September 1964. He had built up a reputation as a tough, no nonsense manager. He also instigated rules on players diet, long before the trend became standard practice within the footballing world.
He took Ipswich back into the top flight, winning the Second Division title in 1967–68. Just months into the new campaign though, he walked out to take charge at fellow First Division club 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...
in November 1968.
After a lean spell since their 1960 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...
triumph, the club were revived under McGarry as he took the team all the way 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 in 1972
1972 UEFA Cup Final
The 1972 UEFA Cup Final was the final of the first ever UEFA Cup football tournament. It was a two-legged contest played on 3 May and 17 May 1972 between two English clubs, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur....
and success in the 1974 League Cup final
1974 Football League Cup Final
The 1974 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 1973–74 Football League Cup, the 14th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in The Football League...
, as well as two top-five league finishes. The club suffered relegation
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
at the end of the 1975–76 season, after nine successive seasons in the First Division,and he was promptly fired after nearly eight years at the helm.
He headed abroad to coach the Saudi Arabian national team
Saudi Arabia national football team
Saudi Arabia national football team is the national team of Saudi Arabia and is controlled by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation...
but soon returned to England to manage 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 November 1977. He could not stop the Magpies suffering relegation that season, and he could only take the team to two mid-table finishes in the Second Division before being fired just weeks into the 1980–81 season after his team were knocked out of 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...
by Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
Bury
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...
.
McGarry then served in a variety of posts, with spells as a scout at Brighton
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
, Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
n Power Dynamos FC as a coach, the Zambian national team
Zambia national football team
The Zambia national football team represents the country of Zambia in the sport of association football and is governed by the Football Association of Zambia. Before independence they were known as the Northern Rhodesia national football team. The side is nicknamed Chipolopolo as copper is one of...
as manager and a period as coach in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. He returned to former club Wolves in September 1985, but walked out after just 61 days after a fall-out with the Bhatti Brothers. After a spell outside the game, he moved back to South Africa as coach in Bophuthatswana
Bophuthatswana
Bophuthatswana , officially the Republic of Bophuthatswana was a Bantustan – an area set aside for members of a specific ethnicity – and nominal parliamentary democracy in the northwestern region of South Africa...
.
After a long battle against illness, he died on 15 March 2005, aged 77. He had one son and one daughter.
As a Manager
Ipswich TownIpswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
- Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
champions: 1967–68
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...
- UEFA CupUEFA CupThe 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...
runners-up: 19721972 UEFA Cup FinalThe 1972 UEFA Cup Final was the final of the first ever UEFA Cup football tournament. It was a two-legged contest played on 3 May and 17 May 1972 between two English clubs, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur.... - Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
winners: 19741974 Football League Cup FinalThe 1974 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 1973–74 Football League Cup, the 14th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in The Football League...
External links
- Profile at London Wolves