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ALS
players turned managers XI
Football in their blood
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It’s well known that players have a very short shelf life and once retired, they tend to let themselves go a little, George Best and Maradona showing perfectly the scenario of football retirement gone wrong. But here at Sunderland we seem to have a knack for turning our players into successful mangers. So in the offices of ALS, we have compiled yet another All Time XI for you, the lovely reader, to enjoy…
Goalkeeper: Chris Turner
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After 115 appearances for the Owls, Ken Knighton brought him to Roker Park for £100,000. Here he played 195 games before moving to the much loved Manchester United. He began his managerial career at Hartlepool United and after transforming our ‘friends’ into promotion hopefuls, Turner moved back to Sheffield Wednesday.
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Left Back: Len Ashurst
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One of only two Sunderland players to play over 400 games for the club. Ashurst’s managerial merry-go-ground took him from Hartlepool in 1963 to Weymouth in 1993, stopping at no less than nine clubs in between. His strange selections in the 1985 League Cup final while manger of Sunderland cost him the job and he moved to Kuwait to try his hand at an international job.
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Centre Back: Bobby Moncur
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Bob Stokoe showed Moncur the light in 1974 with a £30,000 switch from Sid James Park. In his first season at Hearts as manager, he won the Scottish Division One Championship. Moncur also managed at Plymouth Argyle and Hartlepool United before retirement.
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Centre Back: Colin Todd
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Chester-le-Street born Colin Todd made 173 appearances before his ‘shouldn’t never have happened’ transfer to Derby County when he was 22. As manager, Todd’s first job came at the Smoggies, then he meddled around as a coach for a while before managerial spells at Bolton and Derby.
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Right Back: Bill Murray
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Bill Murray played 304 games for Sunderland and was part of the 1936 championship winning team. One of Sunderland’s most loyal players he became the manager in 1939 to remain there for 18 years (inc. a seven year war break.)
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Left Midfield: Ian Porterfield
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Will always be remembered at the SoL for the winning goal in the 73 Cup final. His managerial career began at Rotherham United taking them to the Division Three title after 18 months. Porterfield was hot property among the lower clubs, he managed at Sheffield United, Aberdeen and Reading. Chelski snapped him up and after 20 months was sacked following 12 games without a win.
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Centre Midfield: Ian Atkins
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£30,000 and Alan Brown was the deal made to bring Atkins to Roker Park, 77 appearances and 6 goals later, Atkins moved to the blue side of the Mersey. Atkins has had spells with Carlisle United, Northampton Town, Doncaster, Cambridge United and Colchester United. After being suspended from Oxford he finally found a home at Bristol Rovers.
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Centre Midfield: Paul Bracewell
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Once of the most recent players in our team, Bracewell began his managerial career at Fulham. The pressure was on to get them into the Premiership and Fayed never gave Bracewell enough time to succeed. At Halifax he lasted one season successfully saving the club from relegation in 2000/2001.
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Right Midfield: Billy Bingham
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Bingham played 206 times between 1950 and 1958 for the lads. As a manager he had a successful eleven-year career, which included the Greek national job. Domestically Bingham managed Southport, Plymouth and Everton, to name a few.
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Striker: Brain Clough
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Does this man really need an explanation? Sunderland was his last playing club in 1961 before injury ended his career. If you need any reminding of his achievements as manager with his guidance his clubs have won 12 cups and reached the final in five others. He is the greatest English manager never to be given the national job.
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Striker: Don Revie
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Revie’s career can be compared to Clough’s. As a player Revie was good but then as a manger his achievements outweighed the playing days. His skills were worked on Leeds United where he changed them from a struggling Div Two side into a dominant First Division side. England noticed and appointed him manager; Revie wasn’t comfortable in this position and stepped down to coach in Egypt.
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John Pope
(First appeared in issue 127 of ALS 04/05 season)
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