15 Facts About Roy McFarland

1.

Roy Leslie McFarland was born on 5 April 1948 and is an English former football manager and former player.

2.

Roy McFarland was famous during the late 1960s and 1970s as a central defender in the Derby side which won promotion to the First Division in 1969 and followed this success with two league titles; the first under Clough in 1972 and the second under Dave Mackay in 1975, though injury meant he was only able to make four appearances during the latter campaign.

3.

Roy McFarland is noted for having the earliest known booking for time wasting when he humorously kicked the ball out of play after Derby had taken the lead against Liverpool in a game Derby were very unlikely to win.

4.

Roy McFarland came on for a short substitute appearance in a benefit match for Ted McMinn at Pride Park on 1 May 2006 against Rangers.

5.

Roy McFarland started his managerial career at Bradford City as player manager when he took over from George Mulhall in May 1981.

6.

Roy McFarland's reign was a launchpad for the club during the 1980s but he left in controversial circumstances with allegations former club Derby County had tapped up him and assistant Mick Jones.

7.

Roy McFarland became assistant manager at the club during Arthur Cox's reign as manager, and was promoted to the manager's seat when Cox quit in October 1993.

8.

Roy McFarland lasted two seasons as Derby manager, with significant amounts of money having been spent on the team.

9.

Bolton had just been promoted to the Premier League under previous manager Bruce Rioch, and Roy McFarland was unable to establish them at this level despite making several new signings.

10.

Roy McFarland was dismissed in January 1996 after just six months in charge, with Bolton bottom of the Premiership and heading for relegation.

11.

Roy McFarland remained in charge for two years before being replaced by John Beck in February 2001.

12.

Roy McFarland took over as manager of Torquay United in July 2001, but resigned in April 2002 after Torquay chairman Mike Bateson decided that if McFarland was to have an assistant he had to have a playing one, meaning McFarland's assistant David Preece had to leave as he had just retired as a player.

13.

From June 2003 to March 2007, Roy McFarland was manager of Chesterfield and did well to keep the club in the third tier of the league, with Chesterfield's severe lack of resources, when most pundits have tipped them for relegation.

14.

Roy McFarland left the club after the poor set of results on 12 March 2007, leaving caretaker boss Lee Richardson to try and save the struggling Chesterfield.

15.

Roy McFarland was appointed to the Derby County board of directors in May 2017.