Ron Suart
Encyclopedia
Ronald Suart is an English
former football
player and manager.
, playing alongside fellow defenders George Farrow
and Harry Johnston
in a team which also included Stanley Matthews
and Stan Mortensen
. Blackpool reached the 1948 FA Cup Final
, but Suart missed it through injury. He transferred to Blackburn Rovers
in 1949, before retiring in 1955. An August 29 1953 issue of 'Soccer Star' magazine described Suart as "capable at right and left-back as he is when taking over the centre-half position. A fine man to have in any defence."
in 1956. After leading the club to promotion as Division Three North champions in 1957-58
he returned to Blackpool, the first ex-Seasider to return to the club as manager, who were then in the First Division
. "I intend to work really hard at Blackpool," he said. "I have my own plans and, with the co-operation of the directors, players, staff and public, I am sure they will work out to the good. Following a man like Joe Smith, with his wonderful record, will not be easy, but I feel confident, and the thought of managing the club I once played for gives me a great thrill."
Suart managed to retain Blackpool's place in the top tier for the next eight seasons and reached the League Cup
semi-finals in 1962, losing to eventual winners Norwich City
. While at Blackpool, he also helped to unearth future England internationals
Alan Ball
, Ray Charnley
, and Emlyn Hughes
, though with the abolition of the maximum wage and the new freedom which players had, he was unable to prevent many of his star players moving on. He resigned in January 1967, four months before Blackpool were relegated to Division Two
, and was succeeded by Stan Mortensen. He remains Blackpool's second-longest-serving manager behind Joe Smith.
Suart became assistant manager to Tommy Docherty
at Chelsea
, where he spent seven years. Docherty left the club in October, and Suart briefly became caretaker manager. His services were retained by new manager Dave Sexton
. He was with the club as they won the FA Cup in 1970
and the in Cup Winners' Cup in 1971
, but declined thereafter. When Sexton was sacked in October 1974 after a poor start to the season, Suart took charge of the first team. However, he was unable to prevent the club's slide towards relegation and was replaced by Eddie McCreadie
the following April. He later became a scout at Wimbledon
but, with the club in heavy financial trouble, 82-year-old Suart was released in February 2002.
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...
former football
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...
player and manager.
Playing days
Suart was a full-back at BlackpoolBlackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, playing alongside fellow defenders George Farrow
George Farrow
George Henry Farrow was an English professional footballer. He played for six clubs in a seventeen-year professional career....
and Harry Johnston
Harry Johnston (footballer)
Henry "Harry" Johnston was an English footballer. He was the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year in 1951. He spent his entire professional playing career with Blackpool, with whom he appeared in three FA Cup Finals...
in a team which also included 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 Stan Mortensen
Stan Mortensen
Stanley Harding "Stan" Mortensen was an English professional footballer, most famous for his part in the 1953 FA Cup Final , in which he became the only player ever to score a hat-trick in a Wembley FA Cup Final...
. Blackpool reached the 1948 FA Cup Final
1948 FA Cup Final
The 1948 FA Cup Final was contested by Manchester United and Blackpool at Wembley Stadium on 24 April 1948. United, who had not appeared in an FA Cup Final for 39 years, won 4–2, with two goals from Jack Rowley and one apiece from Stan Pearson and John Anderson. Eddie Shimwell and Stan Mortensen...
, but Suart missed it through injury. He transferred to 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....
in 1949, before retiring in 1955. An August 29 1953 issue of 'Soccer Star' magazine described Suart as "capable at right and left-back as he is when taking over the centre-half position. A fine man to have in any defence."
Management career
He took over at Wigan Athletic as player-manager and then went to Scunthorpe & Lindsey UnitedScunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
in 1956. After leading the club to promotion as Division Three North champions in 1957-58
1957-58 in English football
The 1957–58 season was the 78th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:In this season, Sunderland was relegated for the first time in their history.This was the last season in which Division 3 was split, North and South...
he returned to Blackpool, the first ex-Seasider to return to the club as manager, who were then 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....
. "I intend to work really hard at Blackpool," he said. "I have my own plans and, with the co-operation of the directors, players, staff and public, I am sure they will work out to the good. Following a man like Joe Smith, with his wonderful record, will not be easy, but I feel confident, and the thought of managing the club I once played for gives me a great thrill."
Suart managed to retain Blackpool's place in the top tier for the next eight seasons and reached 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...
semi-finals in 1962, losing to eventual winners 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...
. While at Blackpool, he also helped to unearth future England internationals
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...
Alan Ball
Alan Ball (footballer)
Alan James Ball, Jr., MBE was a professional English footballer and football club manager.He was the youngest member of England's 1966 World Cup winning team and played for various clubs, scoring more than 180 league goals in a career spanning 22 years...
, Ray Charnley
Ray Charnley
Raymond Ogden "Ray" Charnley was an English professional footballer. He was a centre forward and was one of the most prolific scorers for Blackpool, with whom he spent ten years, including all but one season in the top flight of English football.With 193 goals in 363 league games, Charnley is the...
, and Emlyn Hughes
Emlyn Hughes
Emlyn Walter Hughes, OBE was an English footballer who captained both the England national team and the much-decorated Liverpool F.C. team of the 1970s.- From Blackpool to Liverpool :...
, though with the abolition of the maximum wage and the new freedom which players had, he was unable to prevent many of his star players moving on. He resigned in January 1967, four months before Blackpool were relegated to Division Two
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...
, and was succeeded by Stan Mortensen. He remains Blackpool's second-longest-serving manager behind Joe Smith.
Suart became assistant manager to Tommy Docherty
Tommy Docherty
Thomas Henderson "Tommy" Docherty , commonly known as "The Doc", is a Scottish former footballer and football manager.-Playing career:...
at Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, where he spent seven years. Docherty left the club in October, and Suart briefly became caretaker manager. His services were retained by new manager Dave Sexton
Dave Sexton
David "Dave" Sexton OBE is an English former football manager and player.-Playing career:Son of former professional boxer Archie Sexton, he started his playing career with West Ham United in 1948. Playing mainly at inside-forward, he would finish his career with time at Luton Town, Leyton Orient,...
. He was with the club as they won the FA Cup in 1970
FA Cup Final 1970
The 1970 FA Cup Final was contested by Chelsea and Leeds United. The match took place on 11 April 1970 at Wembley Stadium and ended 2–2, making it the first FA Cup final to require a replay since 1912...
and the in Cup Winners' Cup in 1971
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1970-71
The season 1970-71 of the European Cup Winners' Cup football club tournament was won by Chelsea in a replay against Real Madrid. Defending champions Manchester City were eliminated by Chelsea in the semi-finals, only the second ever tie in the competition between two clubs from the same country.-...
, but declined thereafter. When Sexton was sacked in October 1974 after a poor start to the season, Suart took charge of the first team. However, he was unable to prevent the club's slide towards relegation and was replaced by Eddie McCreadie
Eddie McCreadie
Edward Graham "Eddie" McCreadie is a former Scottish footballer who played at left-back, mainly for Chelsea. He later became a manager....
the following April. He later became a scout at Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
but, with the club in heavy financial trouble, 82-year-old Suart was released in February 2002.
Honours
Scunthorpe & Lindsey United- Division Three NorthFootball League Third Division NorthThe Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
championship: 1957/581957-58 in English footballThe 1957–58 season was the 78th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:In this season, Sunderland was relegated for the first time in their history.This was the last season in which Division 3 was split, North and South...