Wikipedia

Frank O'Farrell

Francis O'Farrell(9 October 1927 – 6 March 2022) was an Irishfootballplayer and manager. He played as awing halfforCork United,West Ham UnitedandPreston North End.He made over 300 appearances in theFootball Leaguebefore joiningWeymouthas player-manager. He went on to manageTorquay United(three stints),Leicester City,Manchester United,Cardiff City,IranandAl-Shaab.He played for theRepublic of Ireland national team,making nine appearances between 1952 and 1959.

Frank O'Farrell
Personal information
Full name Francis O'Farrell
Date of birth (1927-10-09)9 October 1927
Place of birth Blackpool, Cork,Ireland
Date of death 6 March 2022(2022-03-06)(aged 94)
Position(s) Wing half
Youth career
Nicholas Rovers
Clapton Celtic
Western Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1947–1948 Cork United ? (?)
1948–1956 West Ham United 197 (6)
1956–1961 Preston North End 118 (3)
1961 Weymouth ? (?)
International career
1952–1959 Republic of Ireland 9 (2)
Managerial career
1961–1965 Weymouth
1965–1968 Torquay United
1968–1971 Leicester City
1971–1972 Manchester United
1973–1974 Cardiff City
1974–1976 Iran
1976–1977 Torquay United
1980 Al-Shaab
1981–1982 Torquay United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

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Born in Lower Dublin Hill inBlackpool,a suburb ofCork,O'Farrell lived on Friars Road, in theTurners Crossarea of the city. His grand-uncle was renownedroad bowlingplayer John "Buck" McGrath.[1]He was raised aCatholicand attendedChrist the King.[2][3]He playedGaelic footballand captained the school team to its first trophy win in 1941.[4]He also played the association code for local teams Nicholas Rovers, Clapton Celtic and at Western Rovers alongside the brother ofNoel Cantwell,with whom he would later reunite as a teammate atWest Ham United.[1][5]At the age of 16, he started working on the railways and wanted to be a train driver, like his father.[6]He worked as afiremanon theDublin–Cork railway line.[7]

Club career

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Aleft half,[8]O'Farrell started his playing career withLeague of IrelandclubCork United,replacingTommy Moroneyin the first team after his departure to West Ham United in 1947.[9]Playing as a semi-professional, he supplemented his earnings with his work on the railways, earning £3 a week for each. In January 1948, after being spotted by West Ham scout Ben Ives, O'Farrell followed Moroney to theUpton Parkclub for a fee of £3,000. O'Farrell himself received a £1,000 fee for the transfer.[10]He made over 50 appearances for thereservesbefore breaking into the first team.[7][11]His debut came on 28 September 1950 in a 2–0 defeat ofColchester Unitedin the Essex Professional Cup.[12]HisFootball Leaguedebut followed in November 1950 in a 4–1 defeat away toNotts County.He made 18 league appearances in his first season but became a regular in the1951–52and1952–53seasons.[6]He was one of a number of West Ham players that would meet at Cassettari's Café to discuss tactics.[13][14]He played for West Ham in seven seasons and made 213 appearances, scoring eight goals.[12]

In November 1956, O'Farrell left forPreston North Endin a straight swap deal involvingEddie Lewis.ReplacingRay Evansin the team, he scored on his home debut, a 20-yard strike againstManchester City.Playing alongsideTom Finney,he played 17 league matches before his first loss with the club. He would then miss over a month of football after treatment for a nosebleed which caused him to lose around four pints of blood (he experienced a recurrence of the problem in the following season).[15][16]His first season with Preston brought a third-place finish and he was still with theLancashireclub when they finished runners-up toWolverhampton Wanderersin Division One at the end of the1957–58season.[17][18]In the same season O'Farrell's former teammates at West Ham finished as Second Division champions, securing their promotion to theFirst Division,which he had strived to help achieve.[19]In all, O'Farrell made 129 appearances for Preston, scoring four goals.[15]

He retired from professional football in 1961, close to 34 years of age, after a second operation to removecartilage.[20][21]

International career

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O'Farrell won the first of nine full international caps forIrelandagainstAustriain Vienna on 7 May 1952, in a 6–0 defeat.[15]In his next international game, also against Austria, O'Farrell scored the first of his two international goals as Ireland won 4–0 atDalymount Park,Dublin.[22][23]His next game saw his second and last international goal, as Ireland lost 5–3 toFrancein a qualifying game for the1954 World Cup.[24]He played infrequently over the next six years before making his ninth and last international appearance on 10 May 1959 in a 4–0 defeat byCzechoslovakiaatTehelne Pole StadioninBratislava.[25]

Managerial career

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Weymouth and Torquay United

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On 20 June 1961, O'Farrell becameplayer-manageratSouthern LeagueteamWeymouth.He was paid £25 a week for the role, which was £5 more than he had been earning as a Football League player at Preston.[17]In1961–62,he oversaw Weymouth's passage to the fourth round of theFA Cup,where they were beaten by his old club Preston North End. After a runners-up spot in1963–64,he led the club to their first Southern League championship in1964–65,also reaching the final of theSouthern League Cupthat season.[26][27]

In May 1965, he became manager ofTorquay United,replacingEric Webber.He took the Gulls to promotion in his first season in charge and followed this with seventh- and fourth-place finishes in theThird Divisionin the following two seasons.[28]While Torquay manager he returned to West Ham to sign a number of players, includingJohn Bond,Ken BrownandBill Kitchener.[29]

Leicester City

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In December 1968, O'Farrell took overLeicester City.He appointed former West Ham teammateMalcolm Musgroveas his assistant. Leicester were near the bottom of theFirst Divisiontable when he was appointed and were relegated at the end of the season, but O'Farrell led them to the1969 FA Cup Final,which they lost 1–0 to Manchester City.[30]The following season brought a third-place finish, and1970–71saw the club win theSecond Divisionand return to the top tier.[31]

Manchester United

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On 1 July 1971, he took over atManchester United,having been confirmed in the role on 8 June 1971.[32][33]He replacedMatt Busby,who had selected him for the role, signing a five-year contract worth £15,000 a year.[34]Musgrove was again his assistant.[31]His arrival came just three years after United had won theEuropean Cup,but the side had posted eighth-place finishes in the First Division in the previous two seasons before O'Farrell's arrival.[35][36]

O'Farrell's tenure started well, withBobby Charlton,Denis LawandGeorge Bestplaying well and the club, 10 points clear at one stage, losing just one of their first 14 league games.[37]O'Farrell was named Manager of the Month for September and the club topped the table for the first time in three years in October.[38]After being top of the league at Christmas, Best failed to attend training throughout January and United scored only three goals in their first eight games of the year, losing the first seven.[26][39]O'Farrell's impersonal approach, whereby every player had to schedule an appointment to see him, did not help morale.[40]O'Farrell signedMartin Buchanfor a club-record fee of £125,000,[41]as well asIan Storey-Moore,who scored in all of United's five league wins in the second half of the season.[39]Once again, United ended the season in eighth place.[37][42]

Further problems with Best led to a two-week suspension for the player and he continued to miss training sessions during the1972–73season.[39]ForwardsWyn DaviesandTed MacDougallwere signed in September 1972,[43][44]bringing O'Farrell's spending in the previous six months to £500,000.[45]On 6 December, it was announced that Best would be transfer listed.[46]On 16 December, United lost 5–0 toCrystal Palace,withDon Rogersscoring twice,[47][48]and three days after the match, with the club third-from-bottom in the league, O'Farrell was sacked after 18 months in the role.[49][20]He was replaced at Old Trafford byTommy Docherty.[50]O'Farrell remainsas the only Irish manager in Manchester United's history.[51]His sacking resulted in O'Farrell suing the club over unpaid wages and he was forced to sign on at the locallabour exchangewhile the dispute was settled.[34]The club ultimately settled out-of-court and O'Farrell received "about £17,000".[20]

Cardiff and Iran

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He became manager ofCardiff Cityin November 1973,[52]but in April 1974 quit to take the manager's post with theIranian national team.[53]He began his tenure with seven consecutive wins, leading them to the gold medal at the1974 Asian Gamesand qualification for theMontreal Olympics.[15][54]In January 2006, O'Farrell was invited to Iran to attend a ceremony in honour ofPersepolis' former players, along withAlan Rogers.[55]

Returns to Torquay, and Al-Shaab

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On 29 November 1976, O'Farrell returned to Torquay United as manager, replacing Malcolm Musgrove.[56]He remained with the club as consultant manager whenMike Greenwas appointed player-manager in March 1977.[28]In 1980, he joined United Arab Emirati clubAl-Shaab.[31]He became Torquay manager again when Green left the club in May 1981, but once again relinquished the position the following year, this time in July 1982 on the appointment ofBruce Rioch.[28]He worked as general manager until his retirement in 1983, aged 55.[42]

Personal life

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After his retirement, O'Farrell continued to live in Torquay. In 1993, he worked as a scout forEvertonandBolton Wanderers.[11]In later life, he ran a nursing home in Devon with his wife, Ann. He had been active in church affairs and presided over the local Conference of theSociety of Saint Vincent de Paul.[51]In 2011, his autobiographyAll Change at Old Traffordwas published.[34]In 2018 he lived in Devon, and cared for his wife.[6]

O'Farrell died on 6 March 2022, at the age of 94.[57]At the time of his death he was the oldest living former West Ham United player.[58]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[59]
National team Year Apps Goals
Republic of Ireland 1952 1 0
1953 2 2
1955 3 0
1956 1 0
1957 1 0
1959 1 0
Total 9 2
Scores and results list Republic of Ireland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each O'Farrell goal.
List of international goals scored by Frank O'Farrell
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 25 March 1953 Dalymount Park,Dublin,Ireland Austria 4–0 4–0 Friendly [23]
2 4 October 1953 Dalymount Park, Dublin, Ireland France 3–5 3–5 1954 FIFA World Cup qualification [24]

Managerial statistics

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Sources: [60][61][62]
Team From To Record
G W L D Win %
Torquay United 1 May 1965 31 December 1968 162 76 52 34 46.91
Leicester City 1 December 1968 30 June 1971 114 51 28 35 44.74
Manchester United 1 July 1971 19 December 1972 81 30 27 24 37.04
Cardiff City 13 November 1973 30 April 1974 27 8 10 9 29.63
Iran September 1974 September 1975 15 10 3 2 66.67
Torquay United 28 November 1976 1 March 1977 13 4 7 1 30.77
Al-Shaab 1980 1980 10 6 3 1 60
Torquay United 1 June 1981 30 June 1982 46 14 19 13 30.43

Honours

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Manager

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Weymouth

Torquay United

Leicester City

Cardiff City

Iran

References

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  1. ^abO'Donovan, Diarmuid (30 June 2012)."Frank O'Farrell: The interview".dodonovan.Retrieved27 November2018.
  2. ^Conlon, Tommy (17 March 2002)."A melting pot of codes, a factory for local heroes".Independent.ie.Retrieved27 November2018.
  3. ^"Coláiste Chríost Rí".corkpastandpresent.ie.Cork City Council.Retrieved27 November2018.
  4. ^"Johnny Vaughan".Sunday Independent.Ireland. 19 May 2013.Retrieved27 November2018– via PressReader.
  5. ^Keane, Trevor (2010).Gaffers: 50 Years of Irish Football Managers.Mercier Press. pp. 47–48.ISBN978-1-85635-666-4.
  6. ^abc"Oldest-living Hammer O'Farrell still steaming along".West Ham United F.C.Retrieved29 September2018.
  7. ^abCormican, Eoghan (3 July 2013)."O'Farrell recalls his days as a happy Hammer".Irish Examiner.Retrieved27 November2018.
  8. ^"Frank O'Farrell".Barry Hugman's Footballers.Retrieved27 November2018.
  9. ^"Soccer Star-tistic".Liverpool Echo.4 March 1961. p. 3.Retrieved27 November2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^Henderson, Jon (2018).When Footballers Were Skint: A Journey in Search of the Soul of Football.Biteback Publishing. p. 35.ISBN978-1-78590-385-4.
  11. ^abHogg, Tony (2005).Who's Who of West Ham United.Profile Sports Media. p. 157.ISBN1-903135-50-8.
  12. ^ab"Frank O'Farrell".westhamstats.info.Retrieved27 November2018.
  13. ^Hillier, Roger."Cassettaris Cafe".theyflysohigh.co.uk.Retrieved27 November2018.
  14. ^Green, Chris (2012).The Sack Race: The Story of Football's Gaffers.Mainstream Publishing. pp. 21–22.ISBN978-1-78057-417-2.
  15. ^abcdRigby, Ian."Frank O'Farrell".Preston North End Former Players Association. Archived fromthe originalon 29 December 2017.Retrieved27 April2014.
  16. ^"Everton Unchanged for Game Against Preston".Liverpool Echo.6 March 1958.Retrieved27 November2018– via bluecorrespondent.co.uk.
  17. ^abThomas, David (18 February 2014)."Frank O'Farrell: It was a privilege to have played with Sir Tom Finney".Torquay Herald Express.Archived fromthe originalon 27 April 2014.Retrieved27 April2014.
  18. ^"Preston North End 1957-1958".statto.Archived fromthe originalon 27 April 2014.Retrieved27 April2014.
  19. ^"DIVISION 2 1957/58".footballsite.co.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 19 May 2003.Retrieved27 April2014.
  20. ^abc"Former Man Utd. Boss Frank O'Farrell Subject of New Doc".The Irish Film & Television Network. 30 March 2011.Retrieved27 November2018.
  21. ^Henderson, Jon (9 October 2018)."Former Old Trafford Boss speaks frankly about his long footballing life".Biteback Publishing.Retrieved27 November2018.
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  23. ^ab"Republic of Ireland v Austria, 25 March 1953".11v11.Association of Football Statisticians.Retrieved27 April2014.
  24. ^ab"Republic of Ireland v France, 04 October 1953".11v11.Association of Football Statisticians.Retrieved27 April2014.
  25. ^"Czechoslovakia v Republic of Ireland, 10 May 1959".11v11.Association of Football Statisticians.Retrieved27 April2014.
  26. ^abcSummers, Adam (9 November 2011)."Frank O'Farrell's career was a fairytale".Dorset Echo.Retrieved27 November2018.
  27. ^Biddlecombe, Nigel."History - Terras' Timeline".Weymouth F.C.Retrieved27 November2018.
  28. ^abcd"The History Of Torquay United".Torquay United F.C. Archived fromthe originalon 27 December 2009.
  29. ^Hillier, Roger."Ken Brown Testimonial".theyflysohigh.co.uk.Retrieved27 November2018.Plus during his two seasons at Plainmoor [Brown] played alongside a few other ex-Hammers. The old boys included John Bond, Bob Glozier, David James, Bill Kitchener, Stuart Morgan, Tony Scott and John Smith. All signed by Torquay's manager, another Ex-Hammer, Frank O'Farrell.
  30. ^Adams, Tom (12 May 2011)."The success before the banner".ESPN.Retrieved27 November2018.
  31. ^abcd"The Managers: Frank O'Farrell, 1968-1971".Leicester City F.C. 3 July 2018.Retrieved27 November2018.
  32. ^"O'Farrell is new Boss at Manchester".Newcastle Journal.9 June 1971. p. 18.Retrieved27 November2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
  33. ^"Now Leicester Move Quickly for New Manager".Coventry Evening Telegraph.9 June 1971. p. 30.Retrieved27 November2018– via British Newspaper Archive.Last night's United statement said that O'Farrell would take up his new post on July 1, the day after his present contract with Leicester expires.
  34. ^abc"Former Reds Boss Frank O'Farrell talks about taking over from the great Sir Matt Busby".Manchester Evening News.12 October 2011.Retrieved27 November2018.
  35. ^"1969/70".StretfordEnd.co.uk.Retrieved27 November2018.
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  38. ^Lovejoy, Joe; Best, George (13 December 2012).Bestie: A Portrait Of A Legend.Pan Macmillan. p. 213.ISBN978-1-4472-3484-5.
  39. ^abcO'Callaghan, Eoin (20 October 2017)."George Best's chaos, his Cork Boss and a club in crisis: when United last faced Huddersfield".The42.Retrieved27 November2018.
  40. ^Lee, Sam (27 March 2014)."Mythbuster: Manchester United are not a sacking club".Goal.Retrieved27 November2018.
  41. ^"Man Utd History by Decade: 1970 to 1979".Manchester United F.C.Retrieved27 November2018.Although O'Farrell's tenure was short, he still left his mark by signing Martin Buchan for a record fee of £125,000. The former Aberdeen captain was to become a key player for O'Farrell's successor, Tommy Docherty...
  42. ^abO'Callaghan, Eoin (17 April 2017)."'Vindictive, punitive, nasty': Moyes, Man United and the dark shadow of Frank O'Farrell ".The42.Retrieved27 November2018.
  43. ^"Davies will add height".Belfast Telegraph.15 September 1972. p. 22.Retrieved27 November2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
  44. ^"United Splash for MacDougall".Belfast Telegraph.27 September 1972. p. 22.Retrieved27 November2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
  45. ^Vacher, Neil; MacDougall, Ted (2016).MacDou-GOAL!: The Ted MacDougall Story.Pitch Publishing. p. 77.ISBN978-1-78531-258-8.
  46. ^"George Best must go - Manchester United".The Guardian.6 December 2012 [6 December 1972].Retrieved27 November2018.
  47. ^Law, Gordon (21 February 2014)."Crystal Palace can look to 1990 for inspiration ahead of Manchester United clash".Metro.co.uk.Retrieved27 April2014.
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  49. ^Collett, Mike (22 April 2014)."Moyes sacking evokes memories of botched end to Busby era".Reuters. Archived fromthe originalon 26 February 2019.Retrieved27 April2014.
  50. ^Wilson, Richard (30 May 2014)."Tommy Docherty still regrets leaving Scotland for Man Utd".BBC Sport.Retrieved27 November2018.
  51. ^ab"Where are they now? No 19: Frank O'Farrell".The Irish Times.21 December 1998.Retrieved27 November2018.
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  54. ^"Frank O'Farrell".teammelli.Retrieved27 November2018.
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  56. ^"O'Farrell back at Torquay".Aberdeen Evening Express.29 November 1976. p. 14.Retrieved27 November2018– via British Newspaper Archive.
  57. ^Marshall, Tyrone (7 March 2022)."Former Manchester United manager Frank O'Farrell dies aged 94".Manchester Evening News.Retrieved7 March2022.
  58. ^"Frank O'Farrell – 1927-2022 | West Ham United F.C."whufc.
  59. ^"Frank O'Farrell".National Football Teams.Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann.Retrieved27 November2018.
  60. ^"Frank O'Farrell – Iran Career".Retrieved14 November2008.
  61. ^"United under Frank O'Farrell".StretfordEnd.co.uk.Retrieved4 February2009.
  62. ^Frank O'Farrell management career statisticsatSoccerbase.Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  63. ^Jones, Jordan."List of Welsh Cup winning managers - 1887 to 2019".Y Clwb Pêl-droed - Your home for Welsh football.Retrieved11 March2022.
  64. ^"Asian Games 1974",RSSSF.

Further reading

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