Manchester United Managers

Frank O'Farrell (1971-1972)

When Frank O'Farrell took over as manager of Manchester United in June 1971, he left a Leicester side that he had guided to the Second Division title and which played attractive football. He was also one of the nicest men in the game but neither that, nor his achievements at Filbert Street, which included taking Leicester to Wembley in 1969, were good enough credentials to help him succeed at Old Trafford. United finished eighth in O'Farrell's first season in charge, after being five points clear at teh top of the table at Christmas. As a decline wasevident the following season, O'Farrell and his coach, Malcolm Musgrove, were sacked in December 1972. He spent a considerable amount of money in his brief spell at Old Trafford. Ian Storey-Moore and Ted MacDougall each cost around £200,000, and Martin Buchan £125,000, but the chequebook failed to halt the slide and O'Farrell, a former West Ham and Preston player, and Torquay manager, paid the price. He was unfortunate to manager United at a time when the wayward genius of George Best was providing a particular headache. O'Farrell later managed Torquay again, for two spells, and coached in the United Arab Emirates.