Bill Ridding

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Bill Ridding
Personal information
Full name William Ridding
Date of birth April 4, 1911(1911-04-04)
Place of birth    Heswall, England
Date of death    1981
Playing position Centre-forward
Youth clubs
Heswall PSA
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1928-1930
1930-1931
1931-1934
1934
1935
1935-1936		 Tranmere Rovers
Manchester City
Manchester United
Northampton Town
Tranmere Rovers
Oldham Athletic		 17 (13)
09 0(4)
42 (14)
00 0(0)
01 0(0)
01 0(0)   
Teams managed
1939-1945
1950-1968		 Tranmere Rovers
Bolton Wanderers

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only.
* Appearances (Goals)

William "Bill" Ridding (born 4 April 1911 in Heswall; died 1981) was an English football player and manager, most notably in a 17 year period managing Bolton Wanderers between 1951 and 1968, in which the club won the 1958 FA Cup.

Contents

[edit] Playing career

Ridding, known as "Nibbler", started his playing career at Tranmere Rovers in 1928, where he had his most successful run, scoring 12 goals in 13 games, before being transferred to Manchester City in early 1930, for £3,500. He only made a handful of appearances for City before, in 1931, he was transferred to cross-town rivals Manchester United, then playing in the Second Division.

In the 1932-33 season he was United's top scorer with eleven goals. He would go on to score league 14 goals for United in 42 matches before retiring due to injury in 1934 (aged 23), although he subsequently had brief spells at Northampton Town in 1934, Tranmere Rovers and Oldham Athletic in 1935.

[edit] Management career

[edit] Tranmere Rovers

In 1939, Ridding took the manager's job at Tranmere, but only took charge of 20 matches as his six year spell as manager from 1939 to 1945 was interrupted by World War II.

[edit] Bolton Wanderers

In October 1950, he was appointed manager at Bolton Wanderers replacing Walter Rowley. The 1950–51 season witnessed a significant improvement in Bolton’s league performances as they were strong in the league finishing the season in eighth place. Bolton Wanderers made an appearance in the 1953 FA Cup final; however they lost a thrilling encounter against a Stanley Matthews inspired Blackpool team in the final, an encounter that Bolton lost 4-3.

The Trotters had an outstanding league campaign during the 1953-54 league season as they were in emphatic form in the top flight, finishing the season in fifth position. They also enjoyed a fine run in the FA Cup, reaching the quarter finals. The 1954-55 season saw Bolton struggle for form in the league, narrowly escaping relegation, finishing the season in 18th place.

Bill Ridding’s men bounced back during the 1955-56 season as they finished the season in a respectful 8th position, following that up the next season by reaching ninth place. The 1957-58 campaign was a mighty success for Wanderers as they enjoyed a delightful run in the FA Cup that saw the club reach the final, defeating the post-Munich Manchester United side in a 2-0 victory, with both goals coming from Nat Lofthouse. The team that won the cup had cost just £110 in signing-on fees.[1]

Ridding liked his teams to mix beef with their skill and the take-no-prisoners Bolton defence of the 1950s was one of the most feared in football.

The FA Cup victory inspired Bolton in the league as they embarked on their finest league performance in 33 years, finishing the 1958-1959 season in fourth position. The 1959-60 campaign was another successful one for Bolton as they reached an impressive sixth place.

In 1961, Alan Ball joined Bolton Wanderers on a trial. Ridding rejected Ball on the grounds that, at 5 ft 6 ins, he was too small to make the grade as a footballer, advising him that "You'll make a good little jockey!"[2]

The 1963-1964 season proved to be tough times for Bill Ridding as Bolton finished the campaign off in 21st position, condemning the side to relegation to the Second Division for the first time in 30 years. In the 1964-1965 season Bolton narrowly missed out on promotion back to the top flight, finishing the season in third position.

By the start of the 1965-1966 season Bill Ridding had been in charge of Bolton Wanderers for 15 years and knew the game inside out. Unfortunately he was unable to inspire Bolton to a return to Division 1, and the season ended with a ninth place finish. The 1967-68 campaign ended with a 12th place finish in the Second Division, which was Bolton's then lowest league finish. Bill Ridding left the managerial post at Bolton and former player, Nat Lofthouse took charge at the club.[3]

[edit] Honours

[edit] As manager

Bolton Wanderers

[edit] References

  1. ^ FOOTBALLING FIFTIES, THE GREAT POLL: MANAGERS (Bill Ridding). footballingfifties. Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
  2. ^ Dynamo who terrorised world's best defences (Alan Ball obituary). football.guardian.co.uk (April 25, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
  3. ^ Bolton Wanderers FC Football Years 1966-1970 Overview. Retrieved on 2007-09-12.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Tranmere Rovers F.C. – Managers

Cooke (1912–35) • Carr (1935–36) • Knowles (1936–39) • Ridding (1939–45) • Blackburn (1946–55) • Kelly (1955–57) • Farrell (1957–60) • Galbraith (1961–61) • Russell (1961–69) • Wright (1969–72) • Yeats (1972–75) • King (1975–80) • Hamilton (1980–85) • Worthington (1985–87) • Moore (1987) • King (1987–96) • Aldridge (1996–2001) • Sheedy (2001) • Mathias (2001) • Watson (2001–02) • Mathias (2002–03) • McMahon (2003) • Little (2003–06) • Moore (2006–)
v • d • e
Bolton Wanderers F.C. – Managers

Mather (1915–19) • Foweraker (1919–44) • Rowley (1944–50) • Ridding (1950–68) • Lofthouse (1968–70) • McIlroy (1970) • Meadows (1970) • Lofthouse (1971) • Armfield (1971–74) • Greaves (1974–80) • Anderson (1980–81) • Mulhall (1981–82) • McGovern (1982–85) • Wright (1985) • Neal (1985–92) • Rioch (1992–95) • McFarland (1995–96) • Todd (1996–99) • Allardyce (1999–2007) • Lee (2007) • Megson (2007–)