18 Facts About Lawrie McMenemy

1.

Lawrence McMenemy MBE was born on 26 July 1936 and is an English retired football coach, best known for his spell as manager of Southampton.

2.

Lawrie McMenemy is rated in the Guinness Book of Records as one of the twenty most successful managers in post-war English football.

3.

Lawrie McMenemy moved to Gateshead in the late 1950s, joining the club after they had left the Football League.

4.

Lawrie McMenemy then became manager of Grimsby Town, where he won a Fourth Division championship.

5.

Lawrie McMenemy was unable to keep them in the First Division that season, but the board kept faith in him to lift the club back out of the Second Division.

6.

In 1976, Lawrie McMenemy guided Southampton, then in the Second Division, to an FA Cup Final victory over Manchester United.

7.

Lawrie McMenemy had signed veteran World Cup winner Alan Ball to aid his side, later adding serving England captain Kevin Keegan when he returned from Germany in 1980.

8.

Keegan was sold to Newcastle United that summer, but Lawrie McMenemy made another big name signing when he captured England goalkeeper Peter Shilton.

9.

Lawrie McMenemy left Southampton on 1 June 1985, but returned to football five days later when he was named manager of Sunderland, who had just been relegated to the Second Division.

10.

Lawrie McMenemy soon bounced back and was offered the new position of Director of Football by Southampton within weeks of leaving his role with the England team.

11.

Since 2000, Lawrie McMenemy has concentrated on his role as FA special ambassador, travelling to Afghanistan in 2002 to help set up a national league and liaising with the English team in the Special Olympics.

12.

Lawrie McMenemy has made frequent appearances on TV football panels since 1972 as well as BBC TV's "Superkids" and TVS's "Children's Challenge".

13.

Lawrie McMenemy regularly appeared on TV-am prior to 1990 as their football analyst.

14.

Lawrie McMenemy currently is in demand as an after-dinner speaker.

15.

Lawrie McMenemy writes a regular column in the Southern Daily Echo.

16.

Lawrie McMenemy has appeared on the documentary Dream Fans the Spirit of Southampton in 2005.

17.

Lawrie McMenemy is the author of a testimonial in The Future of the NHS.

18.

Lawrie McMenemy is married to Anne and they have three children: eldest son Chris McMenemy, son Sean McMenemy and daughter Alison.