TorquayFans.com | Torquay United Fans Forum

Something I mentioned in a different thread was the 'disappearance' of the player-manager. They just don't seem very common any more. They were not an unusual occurrence in the lower divisions, in the 70s, 80s, 90s and by the late 80s, it became - thanks to Kenny Dalglish - fashionable for top clubs to even consider having one.

But I struggle to think of many now, other than James Beattie, perhaps.

Torquay have had the following player-managers...

Crad Evans
Percy Mackrill

(although with these two, I think teams were selected by committee)

Eric Webber
Lew Chatterley (caretaker)
Mike Green
Bruce Rioch (possibly one of my all-time heroes at TUFC - I was devastated when he left and his subsequent managerial career showed what we missed out on)
David Webb (although not officially, just the team were so short of players he had to, then scored the winner against Crewe, believed his own hype and picked himself for a few more games)
John Sims (not sure if he played as manager but was player-coach when appointed)
Wes Saunders (caretaker)
Don O'Riordan (I remember his 87th minute winning goal at St James Park)

...and that is it...no player-manager since October 1995 and a 1-8 home defeat to Scunny.

In these cash-strapped times, I would have thought it would have been an increasingly attractive option for clubs to consider, if they can find the right manager.

It used to be that top players would move down the leagues to player-manage small clubs. I remember us being linked with Emlyn Hughes around 81/82 but he went to Rotherham and I think he got them promoted. Some like Alan Ball, started badly but later got decent careers in management (somehow) and also Gerry Francis, who was terrible at Exeter but later managed Tottenham.

Edgar Davids

Something to consider if we drop into the Conference... but that's not going to happen.

Ainsworth at Wycombe was a PM last season.

The last person I can remember being signed as a PM was Ginaluca Vialli (that may well be spelt incorrectly) at Chelsea.

Matt.

ferrarilover wrote:Ainsworth at Wycombe was a PM last season.

The last person I can remember being signed as a PM was Ginaluca Vialli (that may well be spelt incorrectly) at Chelsea.

Matt.

...and they were following a template of their own, with Hoddle, Guillit, then Vialli (I think, in that order)

Forgot about Davids and Ainsworth.

Oh yeah, Ruud Guillit, I'd forgotten about him. Great player, not sure about his management though.

Matt.

hector wrote:Something I mentioned in a different thread was the 'disappearance' of the player-manager. They just don't seem very common any more. They were not an unusual occurrence in the lower divisions, in the 70s, 80s, 90s and by the late 80s, it became - thanks to Kenny Dalglish - fashionable for top clubs to even consider having one.

But I struggle to think of many now, other than James Beattie, perhaps.

Torquay have had the following player-managers...

Crad Evans
Percy Mackrill

(although with these two, I think teams were selected by committee)

Eric Webber
Lew Chatterley (caretaker)
Mike Green
Bruce Rioch (possibly one of my all-time heroes at TUFC - I was devastated when he left and his subsequent managerial career showed what we missed out on)
David Webb (although not officially, just the team were so short of players he had to, then scored the winner against Crewe, believed his own hype and picked himself for a few more games)
John Sims (not sure if he played as manager but was player-coach when appointed)
Wes Saunders (caretaker)
Don O'Riordan (I remember his 87th minute winning goal at St James Park)

...and that is it...no player-manager since October 1995 and a 1-8 home defeat to Scunny.

In these cash-strapped times, I would have thought it would have been an increasingly attractive option for clubs to consider, if they can find the right manager.

It used to be that top players would move down the leagues to player-manage small clubs. I remember us being linked with Emlyn Hughes around 81/82 but he went to Rotherham and I think he got them promoted. Some like Alan Ball, started badly but later got decent careers in management (somehow) and also Gerry Francis, who was terrible at Exeter but later managed Tottenham.

I think you will find that Gerry Francis managed Bristol Rovers and was hugely successful before being poached to manage QPR.

Chris Brass was a player-manager at York.

Was Kevin Hodges registered as a player during his first season as manager? I thought he might have been an unused sub a couple of times when we were desperate. And of course he had player-coaches with him, Garry Nelson and Steve McCall.

Glostergull wrote:I think you will find that Gerry Francis managed Bristol Rovers and was hugely successful before being poached to manage QPR.

Not as a player manager though Glos.

The players at PL/Championship level dont need to prolong their careers nowadays by dropping down the divisions into player/manager jobs to top up their earnings.

ferrarilover wrote:Ainsworth at Wycombe was a PM last season.

The last person I can remember being signed as a PM was Ginaluca Vialli (that may well be spelt incorrectly) at Chelsea.

Matt.

I've been watching your spelling teacher!

I haven't got a spelling teacher.

Matt.

Glostergull wrote: I think you will find that Gerry Francis managed Bristol Rovers and was hugely successful before being poached to manage QPR.

I think, actually, you will find Gerry Francis started his managerial career at Exeter City around 1983, some time before he was at Bristol Rovers. He lasted one season, after replacing Brian Godfrey, and Exeter were relegated, finishing rock bottom. Francis went back to playing afterwards and was a player at Bristol Rovers when he got the job there.