Jock Wallace, Jr.

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Jock Wallace

John "Jock" Wallace, Jr. (September 6, 1935 - July 24, 1996^[1]) was a professional football (soccer) player and manager. His father, Jock Wallace, Sr., was a goalkeeper for Raith Rovers, Blackpool and Derby County.

Wallace has the unique distinction of being the only player ever to play in the English, Welsh and Scottish Cups in the same season. This was set during the 1966-67 season where he played in the FA Cup and Welsh Cup for Hereford United, and in the Scottish Cup when he moved to Berwick Rangers.

Musselburgh-born Wallace, as manager of Rangers over two spells in the 1970s and 1980s, was to become one of Scottish football's best known and successful coaches. But his career began inauspiciously. A goalkeeper, Wallace was freed by his first club, Blackpool, but rekindled his career by signing for Workington in 1952, dovetailing football with work in the local pit. National Service with the King's Own Scottish Borderers afforded Wallace the opportunity of signing for the local club, Berwick Rangers. After character-defining military service in Northern Ireland and - famously - the jungles of Malaya, Wallace's playing career extended to Airdrieonians, West Bromich Albion, non-league Bedford Town and Hereford United.

Wallace's managerial career began in 1966 as player-manager of Berwick Rangers. His rise to national prominence came in 1967, when he played for and managed the Berwick Rangers side which defeated Rangers in the Scottish Cup, providing the most famous of all cup upsets in Scotland. That achievement in turn propelled Wallace into a coaching job at Hearts in 1968.

It was in 1970 that Wallace arrived at his spiritual home, Ibrox Stadium, as coach of Rangers under manager Willie Waddell. The partnership with Waddell was one that helped Rangers win the 1972 Cup Winners' Cup. After the European triumph, Waddell left his post as manager to take a behind-the-scenes role and Wallace was appointed as manager. In his first season in charge - the club's centenary - he won the Scottish Cup. In 1974-1975, it was Wallace who presided over the Rangers team that finally ended Celtic's nine-year period of dominance and won the League championship for the first time in eleven years. In seasons 1975-1976 and 1977-1978, Wallace was to capture the treble of all three Scottish trophies on two occasions.

Wallace's managership of Rangers in the mid-1970s saw the club regain the ascendancy it had enjoyed throughout the bulk of its history. But just as the prospect of further sustained success beckoned, Wallace unexpectedly resigned as manager in 1978. The precise cause was never fully established, as Wallace maintained a characteristically dignified silence until his death in 1996. Most of the speculation centred on alleged disputes with the Rangers board (and with Waddell in particular) about transfer budgets or Wallace's own salary.

Wallace's subsequent career spanned an eclectic mix of clubs. His first post was as manager of Leicester City F.C. in England. Wallace steered the club back to the old first division (now the Premiership) and took them to the FA Cup semi-finals. He returned to Scotland in 1982, taking charge of Motherwell. In 1983 he returned to manage a Rangers side that, under John Greig, had consistently under-performed since Wallace's departure. But despite capturing two League Cups, Wallace's second spell with Rangers was a frustrating one as the club failed to dent the dominance of the New Firm of Aberdeen and Dundee United, and offered only sporadic challenge to Celtic. Wallace was sacked by Rangers in 1986. He then had short spells in Spain, with Sevilla from 1986-87, and England with Colchester United from 1988-90.

Jock Wallace died from motor neurone disease in 1996, aged 60. He is remembered as one of Rangers' greatest managers.

Preceded by ?	Berwick Rangers manager 1966-1968	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Willie Waddell	Rangers Football Club manager 1972-1978	Succeeded by John Greig
Preceded by Frank McLintock	Leicester City manager 1978-1982	Succeeded by Gordon Milne
Preceded by David Hay	Motherwell manager 1982-1983	Succeeded by Tommy McLean
Preceded by John Greig	Rangers Football Club manager 1983-1986	Succeeded by Graeme Souness
Preceded by Manolo Cardo	Sevilla Fútbol Club manager 1986-1987	Succeeded by Javier Azcargorta
Preceded by Roger Brown	Colchester United manager 1988-1990	Succeeded by Mick Mills