View source for Lawrie McMenemy

{{Short description|English manager (born 1936)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Lawrie McMenemy<br><small>[[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]</small>
| image =
| fullname = Lawrence McMenemy
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1936|7|26|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Gateshead]], England
| death_date =
| height =
| position =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]]
| years1 = 1959–1961
| clubs1 = [[Gateshead A.F.C.|Gateshead]]
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| manageryears1 = 1964–1967
| managerclubs1 = [[Bishop Auckland F.C.|Bishop Auckland]]
| manageryears2 = 1968–1971
| managerclubs2 = [[Doncaster Rovers F.C.|Doncaster Rovers]]
| manageryears3 = 1971–1973
| managerclubs3 = [[Grimsby Town F.C.|Grimsby Town]]
| manageryears4 = 1973–1985
| managerclubs4 = [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]]
| manageryears5 = 1985–1987
| managerclubs5 = [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]]
| manageryears6 = 1990–1993
| managerclubs6 = [[England national under-21 football team|England U21]]
| manageryears7 = 1998–1999
| managerclubs7 = [[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]]
}}
'''Lawrence McMenemy'''<ref name="nifootball.blogspot.co.uk">{{Cite web|url=https://nifootball.blogspot.com/2006/08/managers-lawrie-mcmenemy.html|title=Managers - Lawrie McMenemy}}</ref> [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] (born 26 July 1936) is an English retired [[association football|football]] coach, best known for his spell as manager of [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]]. He is rated in the ''[[Guinness Book of Records]]'' as one of the twenty most successful managers in post-war English football.<ref name=":1" />

==Playing career==
McMenemy was born in [[Gateshead]]. After serving in the [[Coldstream Guards]]<ref name="nifootball.blogspot.co.uk"/> he began his footballing career with [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] although he never appeared in their first team. He moved to [[Gateshead A.F.C.|Gateshead]] in the late 1950s, joining the club after they had left the Football League.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/gateshead/gateshead.html|title=GATESHEAD : 1946/47 – 1959/60|publisher=Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database}}</ref> An injury ended his career in 1961, but he moved into coaching instead, spending three years in that role at Gateshead.

==Managerial career==

===Bishop Auckland===
In 1964, McMenemy was appointed manager of non-league [[Bishop Auckland F.C.|Bishop Auckland]] and transformed them from a struggling side into [[Northern League (football)|Northern League]] champions and also took them to the second round of the [[FA Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 March 2004 |title=Accent's on North-East for return of the Mac |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/6997406.accents-north-east-return-mac/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=The Northern Echo}}</ref>

===Sheffield Wednesday and Doncaster Rovers===
McMenemy then moved to [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]] where he spent two years as a coach before he got his big break as manager of [[Doncaster Rovers F.C.|Doncaster Rovers]] where he remained until May 1971, winning the Fourth Division Championship in 1968–69.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Coyle |first=John |date=12 November 2020 |title=Sporting Memories: McMenemy's Men - the story of Doncaster Rovers' 1968/69 season |url=https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/sport/football/sporting-memories-mcmenemys-men-the-story-of-doncaster-rovers-196869-season-3032772 |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Doncaster Free Press}}</ref>

===Grimsby Town===
He then became manager of [[Grimsby Town F.C.|Grimsby Town]], where he won a Fourth Division championship.<ref name="A sea of 23,000 fans">{{cite news | url=http://www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/sea-23-000-fans-roared-McMenemy-s-champions-71/story-11548372-detail/story.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505070039/http://www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/sea-23-000-fans-roared-McMenemy-s-champions-71/story-11548372-detail/story.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=5 May 2013 | newspaper=Grimsby Telegraph | title=A sea of 23,000 fans roared on McMenemy's champions of 71 | date=15 May 2010 | access-date=4 June 2016 }}</ref> In July 1973 he left [[Blundell Park]] to become assistant manager at [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fisher |first=Nigel |date=15 April 2020 |title=Lawrie McMenemy's exciting spell in charge at Grimsby Town |url=https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/grimsby-town-lawrie-mcmenemy-nostalgia-4045427 |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Grimsby Telegraph}}</ref>

===Southampton===
In November 1973, four months after joining the Saints as assistant manager, he was promoted to the role of manager, replacing [[Ted Bates (footballer)|Ted Bates]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Matt |date=16 September 2007 |title=Saints legend Lawrie to be honoured with Freedom of Southampton |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/1690635.saints-legend-lawrie-to-be-honoured-with-freedom-of-southampton/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Southern Daily Echo}}</ref> He was unable to keep them in the First Division that season, but the board kept faith in him to lift the club back out of the Second Division.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brisland |first=Martin |date=30 March 2023 |title=Southampton FC - The highs and lows of 138 years |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/23418710.southampton-fc---highs-lows-138-years/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Southern Daily Echo}}</ref>

In 1976, McMenemy guided Southampton, then in the Second Division, to an [[1976 FA Cup final|FA Cup final]] victory over [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Hytner |first=David |date=25 February 2017 |title=Lawrie McMenemy: 'Southampton didn't have a cat in hell's chance' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/feb/25/lawrie-mcmenemy-southampton-manchester-united-1976-fa-cup-final |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=The Guardian}}</ref> It was widely predicted before the game that United would easily win (one pundit said the score would go into double figures).<ref name=":0" /> However Southampton, who were in the Second Division at the time (the current [[Football League Championship|Championship]]) and had a much older team, put up a stern challenge against United.<ref name=":0" /> The only goal of the game was scored by [[Bobby Stokes]] with just seven minutes to go, and captain [[Peter Rodrigues]] received the FA Cup from the [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Culley |first=Jon |date=23 February 2017 |title=The sad story of Bobby Stokes, Southampton's forgotten Cup final hero |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/fa-league-cups/efl-cup-final-southampton-bobby-stokes-a7596371.html |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=The Independent}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=House |first=Alfie |date=11 September 2022 |title=Peter Rodrigues recalls 'special occasion' of Queen's FA Cup presentation |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/21272647.peter-rodrigues-recalls-special-occasion-queens-fa-cup-presentation/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Southern Daily Echo}}</ref> They were the second club in four seasons to win the FA Cup from outside the First Division of English football after [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] in 1973 and only one more side from outside the top flight ([[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]] in 1980) has won the trophy. These are the only instances in the post-[[Second World War]] era when the trophy has been won by a team outside the top division.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 October 2021 |title=Has a non-Premier League team ever won the FA Cup? |url=https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/has-a-non-premier-league-team-ever-won-the-fa-cup/rl79j9i7ahdh1vxare8p5ahr5 |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Goal}}</ref>

In 1978, the Saints won promotion to the [[Football League First Division|First Division]] and in 1979 reached the [[Football League Cup|League Cup]] Final where they lost 3–2 to [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Early Days |url=https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/early-days |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Southampton FC}}</ref>

McMenemy was linked with the vacant Manchester United manager's job at the end of the [[1980–81 in English football|1980–81 season]], but he ruled himself out of the running and the job went to [[Ron Atkinson]] instead.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ywJBAAAAIBAJ&sjid=i6cMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3767,3698608&dq=manchester-united&hl=en|title=Evening Times - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref>

McMenemy had signed veteran [[Football World Cup|World Cup]] winner [[Alan Ball, Jr.|Alan Ball]] to aid his side, later adding serving England captain [[Kevin Keegan]] when he returned from Germany in 1980.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Osman |first=Luke |date=29 April 2020 |title=When Southampton signed the two-time Ballon d'or winner Kevin Keegan – and no-one knew about it |url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2020/04/29/when-southampton-signed-the-two-time-ballon-dor-winner-kevin-keegan-and-no-one-knew-about-it/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=These Football Times}}</ref> Southampton emerged as title challengers in the [[1981–82 in English football|1981–82 season]], regularly topping the table, before they finished seventh and the title went to Liverpool. Keegan was sold to [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] that summer, but McMenemy made another big name signing when he captured England goalkeeper [[Peter Shilton]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sparks |first=Gordon |date=14 March 2018 |title=The story of Peter Shilton's incredible road to 1,000 Football League appearances |url=https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sport/football/green-barmy-story-peter-shiltons-1155649 |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Plymouth Herald}}</ref> In 1984, he guided the club to second place in the First Division – their highest ever finish.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Struthers |first=Greg |date=19 February 2006 |title=Caught in Time: Southampton finish runners up in the First Division, 1984 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/caught-in-time-southampton-finish-runners-up-in-the-first-division-1984-dljwfnphhrs |url-access=subscription |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=[[The Times]]}}</ref>

===Sunderland===
He left Southampton on 1 June 1985, but returned to football five days later when he was named manager of [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]], who had just been relegated to the Second Division.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Graeme |date=15 November 2018 |title=The famous night ex-Sunderland boss Lawrie McMenemy did a 'midnight flit' from Roker Park |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/sunderland-lawrie-mcmenemy-roker-park-15419374 |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Chronicle Live}}</ref> At the time he was the highest-paid manager in English football, but his time on Wearside was not a success and he quit in March 1987 – just weeks before Sunderland fell into the Third Division for the first time in their history.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 July 2016 |title=Lawrie McMenemy: I didn't do anything right as Sunderland manager |url=https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/lawrie-mcmenemy-i-didnt-do-anything-right-as-sunderland-manager-365592 |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Sunderland Echo}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Pye |first=Steven |date=24 October 2016 |title=David Moyes is struggling at Sunderland but Lawrie McMenemy was even worse |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/that-1980s-sports-blog/2016/oct/24/sunderland-lawrie-mcmenemy-relegation |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=The Guardian}}</ref>

===England===
In July 1990, he ended a three-year break from football when he was appointed assistant to England manager [[Graham Taylor (football manager)|Graham Taylor]], managing the Under-21 side, and picking out future talents like [[Darren Anderton]] and [[Steve McManaman]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe/|title=League Managers Association - LAWRIE MCMENEMY MBE|website=www.leaguemanagers.com|access-date=19 April 2015|archive-date=6 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306032427/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 August 2002 |title=Lawrie McMenemy recalls the golden days |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/lawrie-mcmenemy-recalls-golden-days-1678928 |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Chronicle Live}}</ref> In November 1993, after England failed to qualify for [[Football World Cup 1994|USA 94]], Taylor and McMenemy both resigned. They had reached the [[UEFA Euro 1992|1992 European Championships]] in Sweden, but failed to progress beyond the group stages.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aarons |first=Ed |date=6 July 2018 |title='Brolin-Dahlin-Brolin!' – when Sweden knocked England out of Euro 92 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jul/06/england-sweden-clash-1992-brolin-turnips-swedes |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=The Guardian}}</ref>

===Return to Southampton===
McMenemy soon bounced back and was offered the new position of Director of Football by Southampton within weeks of leaving his role with the England team. Fans and the local media were delighted when he accepted the role, which made him the first man to be employed as a Director of Football in the English game.{{citation needed| date= February 2017}} In McMenemy's first season back at Southampton, the Saints finished 10th in the [[FA Premier League|Premiership]]. However, it did not last long and in 1997, when [[Rupert Lowe]] arrived as the new [[chairman]], neither McMenemy nor then-manager [[Graeme Souness]] got on with him and promptly resigned, publicly denouncing the new board in the process.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Symes |first=Pat |date=5 September 2004 |title=Southampton's ambitious chairman is a man you cross at your peril |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/sep/05/sport.comment6 |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=The Guardian}}</ref>

===Northern Ireland===
A year later, in 1998 McMenemy was appointed [[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]] manager, but he was not successful and he resigned two years later after they failed to qualify for the [[Euro 2000|2000 European Championships]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 February 1998 |title=McMenemy named new Northern Ireland boss |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/55017.stm |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=3 January 2000 |title=O'Neill withdraws from NI job race |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/589355.stm |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=BBC Sport}}</ref>

Since 2000, McMenemy has concentrated on his role as FA special ambassador, travelling to [[Afghanistan]] in 2002 to help set up a national league and liaising with the English team in the [[Special Olympics]].<ref name=lma/>

In July 2006, he was appointed a non-executive director of Southampton F.C.<ref name=lma/>

==Media work==
McMenemy has made frequent appearances on TV football panels since 1972 as well as BBC TV's "Superkids" and TVS's "Children's Challenge". He also regularly appeared on [[TV-am]] prior to 1990 as their football analyst. He presented BBC Radio's "[[Down Your Way]]" in 1989 and was a summariser for Sky TV News & Eurosport satellite TV until 1990.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Lawrie McMenemy |url=https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/lawrie-mcmenemy/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=MN2S}}</ref> He currently is in demand as an [[public speaking|after-dinner speaker]].<ref name=":2" /> He has written several books on management motivation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lawrie McMenemy books and biography |url=https://www.waterstones.com/author/lawrie-mcmenemy/1044875 |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Waterstones}}</ref> He wrote a regular column in the [[Southern Daily Echo]].<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 November 2023 |title=Lawrie McMenemy's message to Southampton in final Daily Echo column |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/23912399.lawrie-mcmenemys-message-southampton-final-column/ |access-date=11 November 2023 |website=Southern Daily Echo}}</ref> He has appeared on the documentary Dream Fans the Spirit of Southampton in 2005. He is also the author of a testimonial in ''The Future of the NHS''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Tempest|first1=Michelle|title=The Future of the NHS|date=2006|isbn=1-85811-369-5|url=http://www.thefutureofthenhs.com/book.html|access-date=13 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017015638/http://www.thefutureofthenhs.com/book.html|archive-date=17 October 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> His media work also saw him as a panel member of 5 World Cups as well as TV appearances on ''[[This Is Your Life (UK TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' and ''[[Parkinson (TV series)|Parkinson]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McMenemy |first=Lawrie |date=15 December 2018 |title=Southampton legend Lawrie McMenemy's exclusive column |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/17298648.southampton-legend-lawrie-mcmenemys-exclusive-column/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Southern Daily Echo}}</ref> McMenemy is also the Chairman of the Special Olympics UK.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Board of Trustees |url=https://www.specialolympicsgb.org.uk/who-we-are/meet-the-team/board-of-trustees |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Special Olympics Great Britain}}</ref> He hosts the Special Olympics Gateshead Tyne & Wear annual awards night.

==Personal life==
He is related to [[Harry McMenemy]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Harry McMenemy |url=http://www.toon1892.com/detail_player.php?id=524 |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=toon1892.com}}</ref>
He is married to Anne, and has three children Chris (ex. Chesterfield FC Manager, Newcastle United FC first team coach, AFC Sunderland coach), Sean and Alison.

== Honours ==

=== As a manager ===
'''Bishop Auckland'''
*Northern League Champions & County Cup: 1964–65<ref name=lma/>

'''Doncaster Rovers'''
*[[Football League Fourth Division]]: [[1968–69 in English football|1968–69]]<ref name=lma/>

'''Grimsby Town'''
*[[Football League Fourth Division]]: [[1971–72 in English football|1971–72]]<ref name=lma/>

'''Southampton'''
*[[FA Cup]]: [[1975–76 FA Cup|1975–76]]<ref name=lma/>
*[[Football League Second Division]] runner-up: [[1977–78 in English football|1977–78]]<ref name=lma/>
*[[Football League Cup]] runner-up: [[1978–79 Football League Cup|1978–79]]<ref name=lma/>
*[[Football League First Division]] runner-up: [[1983–84 in English football|1983–84]]<ref name=lma/>

=== Individual ===
* Awarded the MBE in 2006<ref name="lma">{{cite web | url=http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe/ | title=Lawrie McMenemy | publisher=leaguemanagers.com | access-date=19 April 2015 | archive-date=6 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306032427/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/managers/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Received an honorary MBA from Southampton Solent University<ref name=lma/>
* Received an [[Honorary Doctorate]] of Laws from the [[University of Bath]] in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lawrie McMenemy MBE: oration |url=https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/ |access-date=2025-10-13 |website=www.bath.ac.uk}}</ref>
* Freedom of the City of Southampton<ref name=":1" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
*{{Cite book |first=Lawrie |last=McMenemy |title=A Lifetime's Obsession|publisher=Sport Media |year=2017|isbn=9-781910335673}}
*{{Cite book |first=Jeremy |last=Wilson |title=Southampton's Cult Heroes|publisher=Know The Score Books |year=2006|isbn=1-905449-01-1}}
*{{Cite book |author=Javier Igeño Cano |title=Dream Fans "The Spirit of Southampton DVD|publisher=Spanish Saints |year=2005}}

==External links==
*[https://nifootball.blogspot.com/2006/08/managers-lawrie-mcmenemy.html Profile as Northern Ireland manager]
*[https://archive.today/20130127001908/http://www.javierigeno.com/j/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=74&Itemid=103 Interview in Dream Fans, the Spirit of Southampton DVD]

{{FA Cup winning managers}}
{{Navboxes
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{{Bishop Auckland F.C. managers}}
{{Doncaster Rovers F.C. managers}}
{{Grimsby Town F.C. managers}}
{{Southampton F.C. managers}}
{{Sunderland A.F.C. managers}}
{{England national under-21 football team managers}}
{{Northern Ireland national football team managers}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McMenemy, Lawrie}}
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Footballers from Gateshead]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:Gateshead A.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Newcastle United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Sheffield Wednesday F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:English football managers]]
[[Category:Doncaster Rovers F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Grimsby Town F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Southampton F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Sunderland A.F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Expatriate association football managers in Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Northern Ireland national football team managers]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:English Football League managers]]
[[Category:England national under-21 football team managers]]
[[Category:Men's association football players not categorized by position]]
[[Category:England national football team non-playing staff]]