HAMMERS MANAGERS
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| LEGACY OF RON, JOHN AND THE ACADEMY LIVES ON! IS there another club in Britain that has produced more league managers than West Ham United? The fact that so many ex-Hammers players went on to manage after their playing days had finished is due largely to the visionary Ron Greenwood. For Greenwood, though not a former West Ham player himself, was an inspirational coach who encouraged his players to gain their own coaching qualifications as soon as possible. And no one was more receptive to Greenwood's ideas and philosophies on the game than his head pupil, John Lyall. In the 60s, players like Lyall would routinely finish training and go off to work in local schools in the afternoons, coaching youngsters and imparting their knowledge learned from the master Ron and Academy founders and old pals Malcolm Allison and Noel Cantwell. Although Manchester City manager Joe Mercer provided the perfect foil for the flamboyant coach Allison during their 60s hey-day at Maine Road, it is probably fair to say that Malcolm achieved the most success of any ex-West Ham player who went into management after leaving Upton Park. No former Hammer has ever won the League championship as a manager but Allison's role, as first team coach, proved crucial in City winning the title in 1967-68, FA Cup (1969) and European Cup Winners' Cup (1970). The only other ex-Hammer to win the FA Cup (1970) and European Cup Winners' Cup (1971) was Dave Sexton whose Chelsea team of the early 70s played with a certain style and a swagger that not even the current all-conquering Premiership champions can equal. Managing the Leicester City side that Man City beat at Wembley in 1969 was another ex-Hammer, Frank O'Farrell. John Bond also managed a losing FA Cup Final team when his Man City team lost to Tottenham in the replay of 1981. Big Mal, however, was just one of a very long list of former Hammers who went on to enjoy a successful career as a manager or coach in their own right. John Cartwright was another very talented coach with a good reputation and bright ideas. For the purposes of this feature we have compiled a list that includes all former West Ham first team players who have gone on to manage a Football League or Premier League club, either in England or Scotland (we shouldn't forget the difficult job Kenny Brown junior had to do at cash-strapped League of Wales club, Barry Town, the other year). Numerous others, not listed here, have had spells as managers/coaches at reserve and youth team level, while we have also not included those who have managed or coached overseas. Johnny Byrne, for example, distinguished himself at Durban City and Hellenic in South Africa, while Phil Woosnam, Frank O'Farrell, Clyde Best, Bobby Howe, Graham Paddon, Trevor Morley and Jack Burkett are also among a line of ex-Hammers who have made their mark in management and coaching outside the UK. Many more column inches could be filled listing those who have managed at non-league level, notably headed today by Alan Devonshire whose Hampton and Richmond team were Ryman Premier League champions in 2007. Julian Dicks became the latest to join the non-league ranks when he was appointed manager of Grays Athletic, of the Blue Square Conference, in September 2009. Eddie Presland managed a succession of clubs outside the Football League. We must also acknowledge the excellent work that Sir Trevor Brooking did, and on occasions Ronnie Boyce, in their roles as caretaker managers at Upton Park. Although we have not included a list of assistant managers, two who should have be mentioned are David Cross, who did a fine job with Iain Dowie when they were together at Oldham Athletic, and Steve Walford, who carved an impressive reputation for himself as Martin O'Neill's No.2 at Leicester City, Celtic and now Aston Villa. Talk to most ex-Hammers who are in management today and they will readily admit that many of the coaching sessions they put on for their players now were originally learned from their previous West Ham managers, Greenwood and Lyall. Their legacy lives on!
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