Bert Tann

Bert Tann
Personal information
Full nameBertram James Tann[1]
Date of birth4 May 1914
Place of birthPlaistow, England
Date of death12 May 1972 (aged 58)
Place of deathBristol, England
Playing positionWing-half
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1931–1932Clapton Orient0(0)
1932–1933Romford
1933–1939Charlton Athletic19(2)
Teams managed
1947Fredrikstad
1950–1968Bristol Rovers
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Bert Tann (4 May 1914 – 12 May 1972) was a football manager and player, who managed Bristol Rovers for 18 years, from 1950 to 1968. He was the longest-serving post-war manager of Rovers, and the second longest overall behind Alfred Homer.[2]

Playing career

During his playing career in the 1930s he was primarily a wing-half, and after brief spells with Clapton Orient and Romford he joined Charlton Athletic.[1] He first played a league game for Charlton in the 1933–34 season, and went on to play in 19 league games for them until 1938–39.[1] During World War II, he guested for Southampton, making 36 appearances.[3] He also appeared as a guest player for West Ham United in World War II making just one appearance.[4]

Coaching career

In 1947 he became coach of Fredrikstad in Norway. He led them to the 1946/47 Ostfoldserien championship.[5]

In 1950 he became manager of Bristol Rovers, and with Tann in charge, Rovers were promoted to the Football League Second Division for the first time in 1952-53, and he led them to 6th-place finishes in both 1955-56 and 1958-59, as well to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in 1950-51 and 1957-58.[6]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Soccerdata. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. Bristol Rovers managers at soccerbase
  3. Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (1992). The Alphabet of the Saints. ACL & Polar Publishing. p. 396. ISBN 0-9514862-3-3.
  4. Hogg, Tony (1995). West Ham Who's Who. London: Independent UK Sports publications. p. 223. ISBN 1-899429-01-8.
  5. Martin Henriksen (23 May 2008). "1947 – bra i serien, svakt i cupen". Historik: 1940-49 – Krig, streik, fred og optimisme (in Norwegian). ffksupporter.net. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  6. http://www.188-football.co.uk/content/feedstory/league-one-profiles-bristol-rovers