Malcolm Musgrove
Encyclopedia
Malcolm Musgrove was an English
football player and manager.
Musgrove played for his local side, Lynemouth Colliery, before being called up for national service, which he served in the Royal Air Force
. He played for a Forces team and also for Scottish
junior side Sunnybank while in the RAF and joined West Ham United
in December 1953.
At West Ham, he soon established himself as a left-winger, making his league debut in 1954 against Brentford
. He went on to make 301 league and cup appearances for the Hammers before joining Leyton Orient
as player-coach in December 1962. He became chairman of the Professional Footballers Association in 1962 and remained in the post until his retirement as a player in 1966.
He left Orient in 1965 to coach Charlton Atletic under Bob Stokoe, from where he moved to Aston Villa in 1967. In late 1968, he joined Leicester City
as assistant manager under former West Ham team-mate Frank O'Farrell
, taking them back to the top flight when they won the Division 2 Championship in 1970–71. When O'Farrell moved to Manchester United
in June 1971, Musgrove followed, again taking an assistant manager's position. O'Farrell and Musgrove were both sacked by Manchester United in December 1972, after a disastrous 5-0 loss at Crystal Palace
. In January 1973, Musgrove took the manager's job at Torquay United
, a post that O'Farrell had held himself five years earlier.
He had little success at Torquay, with a highest league finish of 9th place in 1975–76 in his time at Plainmoor
. He left Torquay in November 1976, to be replaced by O'Farrell, and the following year coached NASL
side Connecticut Bicentennials
. In 1978, he coached another NASL side, Chicago Sting
and on his return to England
sold insurance for a while before joining Exeter City as coach/physio. He was made redundant in 1984 and then took the post of physio for the Qatar FA in the Middle East.
On his return, two years later, he became coach/physio at Plymouth Argyle, where he stayed until joining former Hammer John Bond
at Shrewsbury Town. There, he was part of the backroom staff when they won the Third Division title in 1993, before retiring in 1998.
On retiring, he moved back to Torquay with his wife, Jean, to be nearer their children, David, Martin & Allison, and grand-children. Unfortunately, Musgrove was already suffering the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, which was to eventually take his life on 14 September 2007.
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.
Musgrove played for his local side, Lynemouth Colliery, before being called up for national service, which he served in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. He played for a Forces team and also for Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
junior side Sunnybank while in the RAF and joined 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...
in December 1953.
At West Ham, he soon established himself as a left-winger, making his league debut in 1954 against Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
. He went on to make 301 league and cup appearances for the Hammers before joining Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
as player-coach in December 1962. He became chairman of the Professional Footballers Association in 1962 and remained in the post until his retirement as a player in 1966.
He left Orient in 1965 to coach Charlton Atletic under Bob Stokoe, from where he moved to Aston Villa in 1967. In late 1968, he joined Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
as assistant manager under former West Ham team-mate 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,...
, taking them back to the top flight when they won the Division 2 Championship in 1970–71. When O'Farrell moved 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...
in June 1971, Musgrove followed, again taking an assistant manager's position. O'Farrell and Musgrove were both sacked by Manchester United in December 1972, after a disastrous 5-0 loss at 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...
. In January 1973, Musgrove took the manager's job at Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
, a post that O'Farrell had held himself five years earlier.
He had little success at Torquay, with a highest league finish of 9th place in 1975–76 in his time at Plainmoor
Plainmoor
Plainmoor is a suburb of Torquay, Devon, but is best known as the name of the stadium in which Torquay United Football Club currently play.-History:...
. He left Torquay in November 1976, to be replaced by O'Farrell, and the following year coached 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:...
side Connecticut Bicentennials
Connecticut Bicentennials
The Hartford Bicentennials was a soccer team based out of Hartford, Connecticut that played in the North American Soccer League. The team played at Dillon Stadium....
. In 1978, he coached another NASL side, Chicago Sting
Chicago Sting
The Chicago Sting was an American professional soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from in the 1982-83 season and again from 1984 to 1988...
and on his return to 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...
sold insurance for a while before joining Exeter City as coach/physio. He was made redundant in 1984 and then took the post of physio for the Qatar FA in the Middle East.
On his return, two years later, he became coach/physio at Plymouth Argyle, where he stayed until joining former Hammer John Bond
John Bond (footballer)
John Frederick Bond is an English former professional football player and manager. His son Kevin Bond is also a former footballer.-Playing career:...
at Shrewsbury Town. There, he was part of the backroom staff when they won the Third Division title in 1993, before retiring in 1998.
On retiring, he moved back to Torquay with his wife, Jean, to be nearer their children, David, Martin & Allison, and grand-children. Unfortunately, Musgrove was already suffering the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, which was to eventually take his life on 14 September 2007.