28 Facts About Bill McGarry

1.

William Harry McGarry was an England international association footballer and manager who spent 40 years in the professional game.

2.

Bill McGarry had a reputation for toughness, both as a player and as a manager.

3.

Bill McGarry then moved on to Huddersfield Town in 1951, where he would spend the next ten years of his career.

4.

Bill McGarry found success as a manager, moving from Bournemouth to Watford in 1963, he was appointed as Ipswich Town manager the following year.

5.

Bill McGarry spent eight years with "Wolves", leading them to the UEFA Cup final in 1972 and to League Cup glory in 1974.

6.

Bill McGarry became an international manager with Saudi Arabia in 1976, only to return to the domestic game with Newcastle United the following year.

7.

Bill McGarry failed to find success at Newcastle, and left the club in 1980, before finding work in Zambia with Power Dynamos FC.

8.

Bill McGarry spent two months as Wolves manager in 1985, before leaving his management career behind him.

9.

William Harry Bill McGarry was born on 10 June 1927 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire to Ralph and Ethel.

10.

Bill McGarry began his career at local non-league club Northwood Mission, based in Hanley, before joining David Pratt's Port Vale as an amateur in April 1945, signing professional forms in June of that year.

11.

Bill McGarry played all 44 games, in an extremely settled defence that featured himself, Kelly, Don McEvoy, Len Quested, Ron Staniforth, and goalkeeper Jack Wheeler; remarkably, the six men played every minute of the campaign, and had the best defensive record in the Football League with just 33 goals conceded in 42 league games.

12.

Bill McGarry spent two years at Dean Court, scoring twice in 78 league games, before hanging up his boots and devoting himself to management.

13.

Bill McGarry played for the Football League and went on the FA's 1956 South African tour.

14.

Magnificently fit, Bill McGarry was aggressive, busy, good in the air and a player of tremendous enthusiasm for the game.

15.

In July 1963, Bill McGarry took the reins at Watford following the dismissal of Ron Burgess.

16.

Bill McGarry left Watford to take charge at recently relegated Ipswich Town in October 1964, following Jackie Milburn's brief and unsuccessful tenure.

17.

One of Bill McGarry's signings was Charlie Woods who later became coach at Ipswich Town.

18.

Bill McGarry appointed Sammy Chung as his assistant, who he had previously taken on at Ipswich.

19.

Bill McGarry built a team around speedy winger Dave Wagstaffe, central midfield duo Mike Bailey and Kenny Hibbitt, and strike partners Derek Dougan and John Richards.

20.

Bill McGarry later admitted that he would have resigned had Wolves lost in the final.

21.

Bill McGarry tried to make Steve Kindon into a centre-forward but he wasn't a Dougan type of centre-forward.

22.

Bill McGarry brought in John Farley to be a Waggy and he wasn't that, and he never replaced Mike.

23.

Bill McGarry headed abroad and replaced Ferenc Puskas as coach of the Saudi Arabia national team, but soon returned to England.

24.

Bill McGarry was appointed as manager of Newcastle United the following month, after Richard Dinnis's brief and unsuccessful reign at St James' Park.

25.

Bill McGarry gave Kenny Wharton his first professional contract, who would go on to play for the club for eleven years.

26.

Bill McGarry signed Peter Withe, Alan Shoulder, and Bobby Shinton.

27.

Bill McGarry returned to former club Wolves in September 1985, but walked out after just 61 days after a fall-out with the Bhatti Brothers.

28.

Journalist Pat Murphy described Bill McGarry as a "fearsome character when crossed" who was a "hard taskmaster".