Ron Greenwood

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Ron Greenwood

Ron Greenwood CBE (November 11, 1921 — February 8, 2006) was an English football player and manager, best known for being manager of the English national football team from 1977 until 1982. He had previously been a successful manager of West Ham United.

1 Playing career
2 Coaching career
3 Life after football
4 External links

[edit] Playing career

Ron Greenwood was born in the village of Worsthorne, near Burnley, Lancashire, but moved to London as a child during the 1930s Depression. He played as a centre-half, joining Chelsea as an amateur whilst training as an apprentice signwriter. During World War II he served in the Royal Air Force in Northern Ireland and guested for Belfast Celtic. In 1945 he left Chelsea for Bradford Park Avenue, and made 59 appearances over the next four seasons.

In 1949 Greenwood moved to the club he supported as a boy, Brentford, where he made 142 league appearances and scored one goal. After three years at Brentford, he returned to Chelsea, where he played 65 times and won a First Division winners' medal in 1954-55 under Ted Drake. That summer, he moved on to Fulham, where he made another 42 league appearances before retiring at the end of the 1955-1956 season. He was never capped for his country, though he did make a single 'B' team appearance.

[edit] Coaching career

After retiring Greenwood moved into coaching. He coached Eastbourne United, Oxford University (where he came to the attention of Sir Harold Thompson, a future Chairman of the F.A.), the England Youth and Under-23 teams. He combined the England Under-23 post with being the assistant manager at Arsenal under George Swindin between 1958 and 1962, when he was appointed as the manager of West Ham United.

Greenwood's reign at West Ham brought them sizeable success. He oversaw the development of players such as the 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning trio of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters, and under him the Hammers won the FA Cup in 1964 and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1965. He moved upstairs in 1974, becoming the club's general manager. After England coach Don Revie's resignation in 1977, Greenwood was appointed first as caretaker manager of the national side, then full-time manager in December 1977. Under Greenwood, England qualified for the 1980 European Championship and then the 1982 World Cup, their first World Cup in 12 years. England came through the tournament unbeaten, but did not win enough games to progress beyond the second group stage. Greenwood resigned after the World Cup and retired from the game.

[edit] Life after football

After his career in football Greenwood was a regular analyst on BBC Radio. He died in 2006 aged 84, after a long illness. The Town Council of Loughton, where Greenwood lived whilst West Ham manager, have resolved to erect a blue plaque to his memory. When West Ham played Birmingham on 13 February 2006, a one minute silence was held in Greenwood's honour. West Ham won the game 3-0. He left a widow, Lucy.

Greenwood was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2006, recognising his achievements as a manager in the English game.

The Heritage Foundation charity has erected a blue plaque in Greenwood's memory at West Ham's Upton Park ground, which was unveiled by Ron's family on Sunday 21st January 2007.

[edit] External links

Preceded by Ted Fenton	West Ham United F.C. Manager 1961-1974	Succeeded by John Lyall
Preceded by Don Revie	England national football team manager 1977–1982	Succeeded by Bobby Robson

	England squad - 1982 FIFA World Cup
1 Clemence \| 2 Anderson \| 3 Brooking \| 4 Butcher \| 5 Coppell \| 6 Foster \| 7 Keegan \| 8 Francis \| 9 Hoddle \| 10 McDermott \| 11 Mariner \| 12 Mills \| 13 Corrigan \| 14 Neal \| 15 Rix \| 16 Robson \| 17 Sansom \| 18 Thompson \| 19 Wilkins \| 20 Withe \| 21 Woodcock \| 22 Shilton \| Coach: Greenwood