Tommy Docherty, Manchester United manager

Under Tommy Docherty, Manchester United finally made a break with the 1960s. The process involved relegation and a season in the second division, but it did culminate in an FA Cup win - the first major trophy in nine years.

Docherty was born in Glasgow. As a player, he appeared for Celtic, Preston North End and Arsenal, as well as winning twenty-five caps for Scotland. He began in management at Chelsea in 1961, where he remained for six years. It was a longer stay than he achieved anywhere else. Altogether he managed fourteen different clubs in twenty-seven years. As he often joked, “I’ve had more clubs than Jack Nicklaus.” He was at Old Trafford for four and a half seasons.

After the first half of the 1972-1973 season, Manchester United were at the bottom of the League. In December, Frank O’Farrell was sacked and Docherty, who was then managing Scotland, was appointed in his place. The club was in a bad way. A number of notable players were coming to the ends of their careers, the star player - George Best - was gradually succumbing to his off-the-field addictions, team morale was low and team performances were poor. The situation demanded a confident character ready to take radical action.

Docherty began signing players as soon as he arrived. In his four and a half seasons, he brought in thirty-four new players. No other Manchester United manager has been as active in the transfer market as Docherty. As new players arrived, old ones left. Bobby Charlton retired, Denis Law moved to Manchester City and George Best finally played his last game. From the European Cup winning side of 1967-1968, Tony Dunne, David Sadler, and Brian Kidd also left under Docherty. Among his signings were Lou Marari, Steve Coppell, Arthur Albiston, Gordon Hill, Stuart Pearson and Jimmy Greenhoff. The changes Docherty made didn’t have an instant effect. The team escaped relegation in his first season, but not in his second. In both seasons, the club’s top scorer only managed six goals. In 1974-1975 Manchester United played in the second division for the first time in nearly forty years. To the great relief of their supporters, it was only to be for one season. Docherty won promotion and the second division championship with a young vibrant team, that played attractive, flowing football. It was Docherty’s team, not Busby’s. A break had finally been made with the past. In the next two seasons, Manchester United came third and sixth in the League and reached two successive FA Cup finals. They unexpectedly lost the first, to lower division Southampton, and unexpectedly won the second against treble-chasing Liverpool. Just as Docherty’s future looked secure, he announced that he had left his wife for the wife of the club’s physiotherapist. A few days later he was sacked.

Manchester United undoubtedly moved on under Tommy Docherty. He finished off an old team and created a new one. Docherty was confident and energetic and brought optimism back to Old Trafford. His jokes lightened the atmosphere and his oratory inspired his players. But not everyone felt they could trust him. He could also be aggressive, with an abrasive side to his character. Many fell-out with him during his time in charge, leaving surprisingly few to speak well of him when he left. When the club appointed a successor to Tommy Docherty, they appointed a very different character.