Gerry Daly, Manchester United player

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Gerry Daly played in midfield for Manchester United for four seasons in the mid-1970s. Tommy Docherty signed him and Tommy Docherty sold him.

Daly was born in Dublin in 1954. He played as a schoolboy at Drumcondra and then, at senior level, for Bohemians. In 1973, aged nineteen, he signed for Manchester United. His first season, 1973-1974, was the season the club was relegated. He began to play regularly for the first team in February and then hardly missed a game for the rest of the season. In 1974-1975 he was an integral part of the side that immediately won promotion and, in 1975-1976, he only missed one game in the first season back in the First Division. At the end of that season, Daly played at Wembley in the FA Cup Final, which Manchester United lost 1-0 to Southampton. In the autumn of the following season, 1976-1977, the club bought Jimmy Greenhoff. This allowed Sammy McIlroy to move into midfield and it was Gerry Daly who lost his place in the re-shuffle. Most observers still thought there would be a place for Daly at Old Trafford but, the following spring, to much surprise, Tommy Docherty accepted a large offer from Derby County and Daly was sold. (Later in the year Docherty and Daly were re-united when, after being sacked by Manchester United, Docherty was appointed manager of Derby County!)

Gerry Daly was a talented footballer. He could beat an opponent, pass well and he had a powerful shot. He had pace and energy and more strength than his slender frame suggested. He was an attacking midfield player and, as such, was far better going forward than marking or tackling. He also proved a very reliable penalty-taker, scoring sixteen times in seventeen attempts.

Over four seasons, Gerry Daly made 142 appearances for Manchester United and scored 32 goals. After leaving, he played for a number of other clubs before retiring from playing in 1990. He played forty-six times for the Republic of Ireland.

profile last updated December 2010