Dennis Viollet
Encyclopedia
Dennis Sydney Viollet was an English
footballer
best remembered for his time with Manchester United
in the 1950s
and early 1960s
.
on 1 September 1949. He came through the junior ranks at United and turned professional in 1950. His first game for the club came against arch-rivals Newcastle United
on 11 April 1953. He is generally considered as one of the most underrated strikers of all time.
He was a striker, along with Tommy Taylor
for the Busby Babes of the 1950s. He was a survivor of the Munich air disaster
. Viollet was a big part of the two championships that were won by United in 1956 and 1957. Dennis scored 178 goals in 291 games for United. He was a lightning quick player, who combined well with Taylor's height to form a terrific strike force. One of his finest games came on 26 September 1956, in United's European Cup preliminary round second leg tie against Belgian
champions Anderlecht
, in which he scored four goals in a 10-0 win at Old Trafford
.
After recovering from a gashed head and facial injuries suffered in the Munich air disaster, Viollet proved his worth by scoring 32 goals in 36 games in the 1959-60 season
, a club record. It was during this season and the one following it that he received his two caps for England
, in a defeat against Hungary
and a victory over Luxembourg
, in which he scored one goal.
In January 1962, Matt Busby
surprisingly sold 28-year-old Viollet to Stoke City
for £25,000 after scoring 179 goals in 293 appearances for United. He joined a team being re-built by Tony Waddington
, containing experienced players such as Stanley Matthews
, and Jackie Mudie
, and also emerging talent such as John Ritchie, and Eric Skeels
. Although he joined Stoke as a striker, the majority of his appearances were as a midfield player. While at Stoke, he won a Second Division
Championship medal in 1962–63 and a League Cup
runners up medal in 1964, scoring in the second leg of the Final against Leicester City. In his time at Stoke he made 207 appearances (one as a substitute), and scored 66 goals. and was awarded a testimonial just before his retirement in 1967.
Shortly after leaving the Victoria Ground
, he came out of retirement to join NASL
team Baltimore Bays
in the United States
for a season.
On returning to the UK, he played for non-league Witton Albion
, before finishing his career at Linfield
helping them to win the Irish cup in 1970.
Once his playing career finished, he had spells coaching at Preston North End, and Crewe Alexandra
briefly in 1971.
In 1978, Viollet was selected by his former United teammate, head coach Noel Cantwell
, to serve as assistant coach of the New England Tea Men
of the North American Soccer League
. After three seasons in the Boston area, the team relocated to Jacksonville, Florida in 1981 where Viollet continued as assistant coach, ultimately becoming head coach, of the Jacksonville Tea Men
of the NASL, ASL and United Soccer League
. In 1990, Viollet took the reins of the Jacksonville University
Dolphins, where he stayed until 1995. Jacksonville University and their primary riveals, the University of North Florida, compete annually for the Dennis Viollet Cup. He then took the USISL Richmond Kickers
to the 1995 American Double (USISL Premier League and US Open Cup titles). He stayed with Richmond for 2 seasons, then served as coach of the A-League Jacksonville Cyclones
before his death from cancer on 6 March 1999, aged 65, in his adopted home of Jacksonville, Florida
. He had been ill for two years.
Hall of Fame in 2002. The annual University of North Florida/Jacksonville University soccer match has been contested for the Viollet Cup since 2001.
, Manchester, in 1951.
Their daughter Rachel (born 1972) became the British number one ranked tennis player when she reached the second round of Wimbledon in 1996
, and she lost in the first round in 2002
. During her tennis career, she won one ITF singles tournament and one ITF doubles tournament.She is the youngest of their four children; the others are Stephanie (born 1951), Deborah (born 1958) and Malcolm (born 1961).
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...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
best remembered for his time 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...
in the 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
and early 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
.
Club career
Viollet joined Manchester UnitedManchester 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...
on 1 September 1949. He came through the junior ranks at United and turned professional in 1950. His first game for the club came against arch-rivals 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...
on 11 April 1953. He is generally considered as one of the most underrated strikers of all time.
He was a striker, along with Tommy Taylor
Tommy Taylor
Thomas "Tommy" Taylor was an English footballer, who was known for his aerial ability. He was one of the eight Manchester United players who lost their lives in the Munich air disaster....
for the Busby Babes of the 1950s. He was a survivor 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",...
. Viollet was a big part of the two championships that were won by United in 1956 and 1957. Dennis scored 178 goals in 291 games for United. He was a lightning quick player, who combined well with Taylor's height to form a terrific strike force. One of his finest games came on 26 September 1956, in United's European Cup preliminary round second leg tie against Belgian
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...
champions Anderlecht
Anderlecht
Anderlecht is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region.There are several historically and architecturally distinct districts within the Anderlecht municipality.-Pronunciation:* Dutch: * French:...
, in which he scored four goals in a 10-0 win 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:...
.
After recovering from a gashed head and facial injuries suffered in the Munich air disaster, Viollet proved his worth by scoring 32 goals in 36 games in the 1959-60 season
1959-60 in English football
The 1959–60 season was the 80th season of competitive football in England.-Diary of the season:17 November 1959: Phil Taylor resigns as manager of Liverpool after three years as manager, with all three of his seasons in charge ending with a narrow failure to win promotion to the First...
, a club record. It was during this season and the one following it that he received his two caps 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...
, in a defeat against Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
and a victory over Luxembourg
Luxembourg national football team
The Luxembourg national football team is the national football team of Luxembourg, and is controlled by the Luxembourg Football Federation. The team play most of their home matches at the Stade Josy Barthel, in Luxembourg.- History :...
, in which he scored one goal.
In January 1962, 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...
surprisingly sold 28-year-old Viollet to Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
for £25,000 after scoring 179 goals in 293 appearances for United. He joined a team being re-built by Tony Waddington
Tony Waddington
Anthony Waddington was an English football player and manager. He managed Stoke City F.C. from 1960 until 1977 and guided them to their only major trophy - the League Cup in 1972. He later managed his only playing club, Crewe Alexandra, from June 1979 to July 1981...
, containing experienced players such as Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews
Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
, and Jackie Mudie
Jackie Mudie
John "Jackie" Knight Mudie was a Scottish international footballer who played as a forward. He won seventeen caps for his country, helping the Scots to qualify for the 1958 FIFA World Cup....
, and also emerging talent such as John Ritchie, and Eric Skeels
Eric Skeels
Eric Thomas Skeels is an English former footballer. He played 512 games in the Football League, 507 for Stoke City. He is Stoke's record appearance holder having played in 592 matches in all competitions.-Playing career:...
. Although he joined Stoke as a striker, the majority of his appearances were as a midfield player. While at Stoke, he won a 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 medal in 1962–63 and a 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...
runners up medal in 1964, scoring in the second leg of the Final against Leicester City. In his time at Stoke he made 207 appearances (one as a substitute), and scored 66 goals. and was awarded a testimonial just before his retirement in 1967.
Shortly after leaving the Victoria Ground
Victoria Ground
Victoria Ground may refer to:*Victoria Ground, the former name of Hartlepool United’s ground Victoria Park.*Victoria Ground, Stoke City’s ground from 1878 to 1997.*Victoria Ground, current home of Bromsgrove Rovers...
, he came out of retirement to join NASL
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
team Baltimore Bays
Baltimore Bays
The first Baltimore Bays were a professional soccer team based out of Baltimore, Maryland. It was one of ten charter members of the National Professional Soccer League in 1967. The team would become a part of the North American Soccer League , which was the result of a merger between the NPSL and...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for a season.
On returning to the UK, he played for non-league Witton Albion
Witton Albion F.C.
Witton Albion F.C. are a football club based in Northwich, England. They were founded in 1887. They have won the Cheshire Senior Cup 11 times since 1902. Their most recent success in this competition was in 2006, when they defeated Stalybridge Celtic in the final. They have also reached the FA Cup...
, before finishing his career at Linfield
Linfield F.C.
Linfield F.C. , is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, whose home ground is Windsor Park in Belfast, which is also the home of the Northern Ireland international team....
helping them to win the Irish cup in 1970.
Once his playing career finished, he had spells coaching at Preston North End, and Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
briefly in 1971.
In 1978, Viollet was selected by his former United teammate, head coach Noel Cantwell
Noel Cantwell
Noel Euchuria Cornelius Cantwell was an Irish cricketer and football player born in County Cork, Irish Free State...
, to serve as assistant coach of the New England Tea Men
New England Tea Men
The New England Tea Men were a soccer team based out of Foxboro, MA that played in the NASL from 1978 to 1980. Their home field was Schaefer Stadium....
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
. After three seasons in the Boston area, the team relocated to Jacksonville, Florida in 1981 where Viollet continued as assistant coach, ultimately becoming head coach, of the Jacksonville Tea Men
Jacksonville Tea Men
The Jacksonville Tea Men were an American soccer team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. Overall, the Tea Men played a total of four seasons in Jacksonville, first in the major league-level North American Soccer League from 1980–1982, then in the lower level American Soccer League and United...
of the NASL, ASL and United Soccer League
United Soccer League
The United Soccer League was a professional soccer league in the United States in the mid-1980s.After the demise of the second incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1983, four ASL teams founded the USL...
. In 1990, Viollet took the reins of the Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University is a private university in Jacksonville, Florida, on the banks of the St. Johns River. The school was founded in 1934 as a two year college and was known as Jacksonville Junior College until 1958, when it shifted its focus to four-year university degrees and adopted its...
Dolphins, where he stayed until 1995. Jacksonville University and their primary riveals, the University of North Florida, compete annually for the Dennis Viollet Cup. He then took the USISL Richmond Kickers
Richmond Kickers
The Richmond Kickers are an American professional soccer club based in Richmond, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
to the 1995 American Double (USISL Premier League and US Open Cup titles). He stayed with Richmond for 2 seasons, then served as coach of the A-League Jacksonville Cyclones
Jacksonville Cyclones
The Jacksonville Cyclones are a now-defunct USL A-League soccer team, based in Jacksonville, Florida, that formed in 1995. The team folded in 1999 shortly after the death of their manager Dennis Viollet, the former Manchester United and England striker....
before his death from cancer on 6 March 1999, aged 65, in his adopted home of Jacksonville, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. He had been ill for two years.
Honours
Viollet was inducted into the first class of the USLUnited Soccer Leagues
The United Soccer Leagues is the organizer of several soccer leagues with teams in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. It includes men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Leagues currently organized are the USL Pro, the USL Premier Development League, the W-League, and...
Hall of Fame in 2002. The annual University of North Florida/Jacksonville University soccer match has been contested for the Viollet Cup since 2001.
Personal life
He married Barbara Mavis Southern at St Edmund's Church, Whalley RangeWhalley Range
Whalley Range is an area of Manchester, England, about 2 miles southwest of the city centre. It was one of the earliest of the city's suburbs, built by local businessman Samuel Brooks.-History:...
, Manchester, in 1951.
Their daughter Rachel (born 1972) became the British number one ranked tennis player when she reached the second round of Wimbledon in 1996
1996 Wimbledon Championships - Women's Singles
Steffi Graf defeated Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 6-3 7-5 in the final to win the Ladies' Singles title at the 1996 Wimbledon Championships.See also:-Seeds:The seeded players are listed below...
, and she lost in the first round in 2002
2002 Wimbledon Championships - Women's Singles
Serena Williams defeated Venus Williams 7-6 6-3 in the final to win the Ladies' Singles title at the 2002 Wimbledon Championships.See also:-Seeds:...
. During her tennis career, she won one ITF singles tournament and one ITF doubles tournament.She is the youngest of their four children; the others are Stephanie (born 1951), Deborah (born 1958) and Malcolm (born 1961).