View source for Ron Atkinson

{{short description|Football player and manager}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Ron Atkinson
| image          = Atkinson, Ron.jpg
| caption         = Atkinson in 2019
| fullname       = Ronald Frederick Atkinson<ref name="PFA 32">{{Cite book |editor-first=Barry J. |editor-last=Hugman |title=The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005 |year=2005 |publisher=Queen Anne Press |isbn=9781852916657 |page=32 }}</ref>
| birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|1939|3|18|df=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Liverpool]], England
| position       = [[Wing half]]
| youthyears1    = |youthclubs1 = [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]]
| youthyears2    = –1956 |youthclubs2 = BSA Tools
| youthyears3    = 1956–1959 |youthclubs3 = [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]
| years1         = 1959–1971 |clubs1 = [[Oxford United F.C.|Oxford United]]{{efn|Changed name from Headington United to Oxford United in 1960}} |caps1 = 560 |goals1 = 21
| manageryears1  = 1971–1974 |managerclubs1  = [[Kettering Town F.C.|Kettering Town]]
| manageryears2  = 1974–1978 |managerclubs2  = [[Cambridge United F.C.|Cambridge United]]
| manageryears3  = 1978–1981 |managerclubs3  = [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
| manageryears4  = 1981–1986 |managerclubs4  = [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]
| manageryears5  = 1987–1988 |managerclubs5  = [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
| manageryears6  = 1988–1989 |managerclubs6  = [[Atlético Madrid]]
| manageryears7  = 1989–1991 |managerclubs7  = [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]]
| manageryears8  = 1991–1994 |managerclubs8  = [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]
| manageryears9  = 1995–1996 |managerclubs9  = [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]]
| manageryears10 = 1997–1998 |managerclubs10 = [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]]
| manageryears11 = 1999      |managerclubs11 = [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]]
}}
'''Ronald Frederick Atkinson''' (born 18 March 1939) is an English former [[Association football|football]] player and [[Manager (association football)|manager]]. Nicknamed '''"Big Ron"''',<ref>{{cite news |last=McGavin |first=Harvey |date=22 April 2004 |title=Ron Atkinson quits ITV after his racist remarks are heard on air |work=The Independent |location=London |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/ron-atkinson-quits-itv-after-his-racist-remarks-are-heard-on-air-560834.html |access-date=22 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Bishop |first=Rob |date=18 March 2014 |title=ATKINSON AT 75: BEHIND-THE-SCENES AT VILLA WITH BIG RON |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2014/03/18/atkinson-at-75-behind-the-scenes-at-villa-with-big-ron |accessdate=27 January 2022 |publisher=Aston Villa F.C.}}</ref> he was regarded as one of Britain's best-known football pundits in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Nicknamed '''"The Tank"''' during his playing career, he represented [[Oxford United F.C.|Oxford United]] for twelve years, and still holds the [[List of Oxford United F.C. records and statistics|club record]] for appearances.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/10632929.Ex_U_s_boss_____I_can___t_believe_my_pal_Ron_has_gone_in_the_Celebrity_Big_Brother_house___/|title=Ex-U's boss: 'I can't believe my pal Ron has gone in the Celebrity Big Brother house'|date=24 August 2013|work=Oxford Mail}}</ref> As a manager, he won the [[FA Cup]] with [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] in [[1982–83 FA Cup|1983]] and [[1984–85 FA Cup|1985]] and the [[EFL Cup|Football League Cup]] with [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]] in [[1990–91 Football League Cup|1991]] and [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] in [[1993–94 Football League Cup|1994]].

==Early life and playing career==
Atkinson was born in [[Liverpool]] in the [[Old Swan]] area of the city with his brother [[Graham Atkinson]] who was also a professional footballer. After a few years his family moved to Shard End (then in [[Warwickshire]], now an area of [[Birmingham]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/ron-atkinson-celebrates-75th-birthday-6837454|title=Ron Atkinson at 75: 'I would have done it all for nothing|first=Graham|last=Young|date=16 March 2014|website=BirminghamLive|access-date=24 August 2020}}</ref> He attended Lea Village Secondary School.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/ron-atkinson-celebrates-75th-birthday-6837454| title = Ron Atkinson at 75: 'I would have done it all for nothing| website = Birmingham Mail| date = 16 March 2014}} </ref> After beginning his career as a ground staff boy at [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/wolverhampton-wanderers-fc/2016/11/21/ron-atkinson-how-cullis-changed-the-world/|title=Ron Atkinson: How Stan Cullis changed the world « Express & Star|website=www.expressandstar.com|access-date=28 November 2016|archive-date=29 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161129092013/http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/wolverhampton-wanderers-fc/2016/11/21/ron-atkinson-how-cullis-changed-the-world/|url-status=dead}}</ref> he was signed by [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] from works team BSA Tools at the age of 17, but never played a first-team match for them.<ref name=Hugman>{{cite book |editor-first=Barry J. |editor-last=Hugman |title=The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–1998 |date=1998 |publisher=Queen Anne Press |isbn=978-1-85291-585-8 |page=31}}</ref> He has referred to then Villa coach [[Jimmy Hogan]] as his biggest influence.<ref name="Total Football">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/nov/22/sport.comment2|title=How total football inventor was lost to Hungary|work=The Guardian|access-date=12 September 2010|date=22 November 2003|location=London}}</ref>

Atkinson was transferred to [[Oxford United F.C.|Headington United]] (renamed Oxford United in 1960) in the summer of 1959 on a free transfer. There he played alongside his younger brother [[Graham Atkinson|Graham]]. He went on to make over 500 appearances in all competitions as a wing-half for the club, earning, in his playing days the nickname: "The Tank", and scoring a total of fourteen goals. He was United's captain through their rise from the [[Southern Football League|Southern League]] to the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]], achieved in only six years from 1962 to 1968. He was the first ever footballer to captain a club from the Southern League through three divisions of the Football League and played three seasons in the Second Division.

==Managerial career==
[[File:RonAtkinson.JPG|thumb|Atkinson in 2007.]]

===Kettering Town and Cambridge United===
After retiring from playing, Atkinson became manager player of non-league [[Kettering Town F.C.|Kettering Town]] in 1971, aged only 32. His success there led to a move to the league with [[Cambridge United F.C.|Cambridge United]], in November 1974, going on to win the [[Football League Fourth Division|Fourth Division]] in 1977 and leaving them when they were on the verge of promotion to the Second Division, which they later achieved that season under Atkinson's assistant [[John Docherty (footballer, born 1940)|John Docherty]].

===West Bromwich Albion===
In January 1978, Atkinson moved to manage [[Football League First Division|First Division]] [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]. He soon signed [[Brendon Batson]] from his former club, to play alongside [[Laurie Cunningham]] and [[Cyrille Regis]]. Never before had a team in the top division of English football simultaneously fielded three black players on a regular basis.

Atkinson led West Bromwich Albion to third place in the league in the season [[1978-79 in English football|1978–79]] and also to the [[UEFA Cup]] quarter-finals. On 30 December 1978, they achieved a famous 5–3 victory over [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] at [[Old Trafford]]. The club were second in the table at the time, only beaten off top spot from [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] by goal difference. They finished fourth in 1981, and shortly after this Atkinson was appointed the manager of Manchester United following the dismissal of [[Dave Sexton]].

===Manchester United===
Atkinson was seen as the man who could bring the spark to Manchester United that had been so sorely lacking under his predecessor. Sexton had taken them to second place in the league in [[1979–80 Manchester United F.C. season|1980]] but did not win a major trophy in his four years at the club. United had finished eighth in the [[1980–81 Manchester United F.C. season|season before Atkinson's appointment]], and Atkinson had actually missed out of the chance of overseeing a [[UEFA Cup]] campaign by departing from Albion and taking over at United.

In the [[1981–82 Manchester United F.C. season|1981–82]] season, United finished third in the First Division, to qualify for the [[UEFA Cup]], though for much of the season they were one of several teams who topped the table before a late surge from [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] saw [[Bob Paisley]]'s team seal the title. Early in the season he had paid a national record £1.5&nbsp;million for [[Bryan Robson]] from his old club West Bromwich Albion, and shortly afterwards also added midfielder [[Remi Moses]], also from West Brom, and [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] striker [[Frank Stapleton]] to his ranks. He also gave a debut to promising young forward [[Norman Whiteside]] in April 1982, just before the player's 17th birthday.{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}}

In the [[1982–83 Manchester United F.C. season|1982–83]] season, two appearances at Wembley, one of which was an FA Cup victory against [[Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.|Brighton & Hove Albion]], coupled with another third-place finish in the league, fuelled speculation that United were back in a big way. During the first half of the season, they had topped the league more than once but a storming run of form by Liverpool beginning before Christmas meant that the title headed for [[Anfield]] for the second year running. 1982–83 also saw the breakthrough of Whiteside as one of the best performing players in the First Division. Whiteside was also on the scoresheet for the FA Cup final replay as United beat Brighton 4–0 after drawing the first game 2–2.

In the [[1983–84 Manchester United F.C. season|1983–84]] season, Atkinson's side reached the semi-finals of the [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup|European Cup Winners' Cup]] although their defence of the FA Cup ended at the first hurdle with a shock 2–0 defeat at [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]] team [[AFC Bournemouth]]. They finished fourth in the league, having topped the table at several stages once again, before injuries to key players counted against them and they dropped points. The end of the season saw the sale of key midfielder [[Ray Wilkins]] to [[A.C. Milan]] of Italy for £1.5&nbsp;million, while the duration of the season had seen the breakthrough of young striker [[Mark Hughes]]. Rather than plunge into the transfer market for a big name, Atkinson shifted Norman Whiteside into midfield to fill the gap left by Wilkins and allowed Hughes to form a partnership with the experienced Frank Stapleton.

In the [[1984–85 Manchester United F.C. season|1984–85]] season, United again won the FA Cup. However, Atkinson and his team were denied the chance of another European Cup Winners Cup campaign as the [[Heysel disaster]] at the [[1985 European Cup final|European Cup final]] that year resulted in an indefinite ban from European competitions for all English clubs.

In the [[1985–86 Manchester United F.C. season|1985–86]] season, they won their first ten games of the league season and were unbeaten after their first fifteen games to build a comfortable lead at the top of the table that lasted into the new year. However, their form tailed off badly and they again finished fourth, with Liverpool finishing the season as league champions. With the ban on English clubs in European competitions continuing, there was not even the consolation of a [[UEFA Cup]] place. United's title chances were not helped by the fact that captain Bryan Robson was only available for half of United's league games due to injuries.

There was more disappointment for United's fans when the sale of [[Mark Hughes]] to Spanish club [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] was announced at the end of the season. Atkinson had prepared for Hughes' departure in March 1986 by paying [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]] £570,000 for [[England national football team|England]] striker [[Peter Davenport]]. Although Davenport was their top scorer in the [[1986–87 Manchester United F.C. season|1986–87 season]], he failed to achieve the same success as Hughes and was not a popular figure among fans.{{citation needed|date=October 2018}}

Despite media speculation that Atkinson would be sacked in favour of [[Aberdeen F.C.|Aberdeen]] manager [[Alex Ferguson]] or Barcelona manager [[Terry Venables]], the 1986–87 season began with Atkinson still at the helm. His two FA Cup wins and five successive top four league finishes had made him the most successful United manager since [[Matt Busby]], but the pressure to build on the earlier successes was becoming more intense than ever. The 1986–87 season began poorly with three successive defeats, and despite a minor upturn in September and October which included a 5–1 home win over [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]] in the league, the pressure on Atkinson remained intense and the board finally ran out of patience on 6 November 1986 when he was dismissed as manager two days after a 4–1 exit at the hands of Southampton in the League Cup. United were still in the bottom four of the First Division with a third of the season already gone.

===Return to West Bromwich Albion===
Atkinson returned to West Brom in the autumn of 1987, by which time they had fallen into the Second Division and were battling against relegation to the Third Division. Survival was achieved, as Albion finished the [[1987-88 in English football|1987–88 season]] in 20th place, and they began the [[1988-89 in English football|1988–89 season]] well, looking like serious promotion contenders. 

===Atlético Madrid===
Following his time at Manchester United, Atkinson was due to take charge of [[Atlético Madrid]], however internal politics at Atlético delayed his appointment, with Atkinson returning to manage West Brom in the meantime.<ref name = "Versed">{{cite web|url=https://www.theversed.com/53958/big-ron-the-calderon-and-a-call-from-jesus/#.E6cIqaW3xc|title=Big Ron, the Calderón and a call from Jesus|date=29 March 2017|accessdate=21 February 2022|publisher=The Versed}}</ref> In October 1988, Atkinson was finally appointed manager of Atlético Madrid, winning his first game in charge 6–1 against [[RCD Espanyol|Espanyol]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.picklesmagazine.com/blogs/the-magazine/big-ron-and-his-doomed-spell-at-atletico-madrid|title=Big Ron and His Doomed Spell at Atlético Madrid|date=24 May 2021|accessdate=21 February 2022|publisher=Pickles|archive-date=23 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123114558/https://www.picklesmagazine.com/blogs/the-magazine/big-ron-and-his-doomed-spell-at-atletico-madrid|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Atkinson's tenure at Atlético was quite a turbulent one and despite relative moderate success in terms of league position, a [[personality clash|clash of personalities]] with the then-owner of the club, [[Jesús Gil]], led to Atkinson being sacked after just three months as manager. His right-hand man at West Bromwich Albion, [[Colin Addison]], was appointed, much to the disdain of Atkinson, who went on record in the English media as saying Addison had "stabbed him in the back". The pair never worked together again following the events at Atlético.

===Sheffield Wednesday===
Atkinson went on to manage [[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]] from February 1989 to June 1991. Although the club were relegated to the Second Division in May 1990 after a 3–0 home defeat against Nottingham Forest, Atkinson secured promotion back to the First Division [[1990-91 in English football|the following season]]. They also won the League Cup that year, beating Manchester United 1–0 at Wembley. On 31 May 1991 Atkinson stated he would be remaining as Wednesday's manager, only to leave for [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] a week later, a move that upset many Sheffield Wednesday fans.

===Aston Villa===
Taking over from [[Jozef Venglos]], Atkinson led Aston Villa to second place in the inaugural [[FA Premier League]] season in [[1992-93 Aston Villa F.C. season|1992–93]] and to victory in the League Cup in 1994, securing (ultimately short-lived) [[UEFA Cup]] campaigns for both of these successes. As of 2025, Atkinson's second place remains the highest-ever finish by an English manager in the Premier League, subsequently equalled by [[Kevin Keegan]] in [[1995–96 FA Premier League|1995–96]].

Despite leading Villa to their first major success since their 1982 [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]] triumph, a mutual dislike between Villa chairman [[Doug Ellis]] and Atkinson that developed from 1992, inevitably resulted in him being sacked on 10 November 1994 following a 4–3 defeat at the hands of [[Wimbledon F.C.|Wimbledon]] – three days after Ellis had given Atkinson a "vote of confidence" in the media, stating that Atkinson was one of England's "top three football managers". By this stage, an ageing Villa side that had so nearly won the league title 18 months earlier were now among the relegation battlers. He was replaced by [[Brian Little (footballer)|Brian Little]], who kept Villa in the top flight and built a new younger team.

===Coventry City===
Three months after being sacked by Villa, Atkinson became manager at [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] replacing [[Phil Neal]], who was purposely and acrimoniously sacked to make way for him. He took over in mid-February 1995, with the Sky Blues just above the Premier League relegation zone.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coventrycity-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=11&Month=Feb&ssnno=124&teamno=164 |title=Coventry City FC News – Coventry MAD |publisher=Coventrycity-mad.co.uk |date=11 February 1995 |access-date=29 July 2011}}</ref> His new team managed some good results, including a 4–2 home win over local rivals [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]], a 3–2 away win over [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] and a point against a [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]] side who ended the season as champions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fixtures/Results – Coventry City FC – Coventry MAD |url=http://www.coventrycity-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadtmrs.asp?ssnno=124&teamno=164 |publisher=Coventrycity-mad.co.uk |access-date=29 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005062322/http://www.coventrycity-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadtmrs.asp?ssnno=124&teamno=164 |archive-date=5 October 2011  }}</ref> With survival looking certain several games before the season ended, Atkinson was named [[Premier League Manager of the Month]] for March 1995. The penultimate game of the season brought another fine result when the Sky Blues travelled to [[North London]] and beat [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]] 3–1.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coventrycity-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=17&Month=Apr&ssnno=124&teamno=164 |title=Coventry City FC News – Coventry MAD |publisher=Coventrycity-mad.co.uk |date=17 April 1995 |access-date=29 July 2011}}</ref> Survival was finally confirmed as Atkinson guided the Sky Blues to a 16th-place finish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coventrycity-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadgen.asp?Day=14&Month=May&ssnno=124&teamno=164 |title=Coventry City FC News – Coventry MAD |publisher=Coventrycity-mad.co.uk |date=14 May 1995 |access-date=29 July 2011}}</ref>

In December 1995, Atkinson guided the Sky Blues to one of their best results of the 1990s, a 5–0 home win over defending champions Blackburn Rovers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fixtures/Results – Coventry City FC – Coventry MAD |url=http://www.coventrycity-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadtmrs.asp?ssnno=125&teamno=164 |publisher=Coventrycity-mad.co.uk |access-date=29 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005062400/http://www.coventrycity-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadtmrs.asp?ssnno=125&teamno=164 |archive-date=5 October 2011  }}</ref> During his spell as manager of Coventry, he brought in high-profile players including [[Gordon Strachan]], [[Noel Whelan (footballer)|Noel Whelan]] and [[Gary McAllister]] (although in his autobiography he states that this latter signing was Strachan's initiative and he was opposed for tactical reasons) but they continued to struggle in the Premier League and in November 1996 he became Director of Football, handing over managerial duties to Strachan, who by then had retired as a player and had become assistant manager.

===Return to Sheffield Wednesday===
In November 1997, he returned to Sheffield Wednesday following the sacking of [[David Pleat]]. Wednesday had made a poor start to the [[1997–98 Sheffield Wednesday F.C. season|1997–98 season]], including a 7–2 loss at Blackburn and a 6–1 loss at Manchester United. Under Atkinson, Wednesday's form picked up immediately and they pulled well clear of relegation trouble, but he was not offered a permanent contract and left the club at the end of the season.

===Nottingham Forest===
Atkinson's last managerial job came with [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]], for the final four months of the [[1998–99 Nottingham Forest F.C. season|1998–99 season]]. This spell was not a success and at his first home game against [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] he even climbed into the wrong dug-out.<ref>{{cite news|title= Sporting Spotlight: Ron Atkinson|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/20754134|publisher=BBC Sport|date=26 December 2012|access-date=20 January 2013}}</ref> He also angered a number of Forest fans following an [[Nottingham Forest F.C. 1–8 Manchester United F.C.|8–1 defeat]] at home to Manchester United when he stated in an interview after the game that his team had given the fans a "nine-goal thriller".<ref>{{cite news |first=Russell |last=Thomas |title=Solskjaer shows plenty in reserve |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/1999/feb/06/match.sport4 |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=26 February 2007 |access-date=7 October 2007 }}</ref>

Atkinson took over as manager on 11 January 1999<Ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nottinghamforest.news/2019/01/11/nottingham-forest-ron-atkinson/|title = Nottingham Forest: 20 years on from 'Big Ron' Atkinson and the beginning of the end|date = 11 January 2019}}</ref> and Forest's relegation was confirmed on 24 April with a 2–0 defeat at his old club Aston Villa. He announced his resignation as manager within hours of the final whistle, with effect from the final game of the league season on 16 May and said that he would be retiring from football management altogether.<ref>{{cite news |title=Big Ron retires as Forest relegated |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/fa_carling_premiership/327374.stm |work=BBC News |date=24 April 1999 }}</ref>

==Broadcasting career==

===TV work===
Atkinson was already working as a pundit for [[ITV Sport]] and after leaving management he continued in this role. For a number of years, he covered most of the channel's live matches, sometimes as a studio guest, but more often as the "[[Color commentator|ex-football insider]]" member of a two-man commentary team. His commentaries with [[Brian Moore (commentator)|Brian Moore]] and then [[Clive Tyldesley]] provided the basis for the 1990s and early-2000s ITV [[UEFA Champions League|Champions League]] nights. He was also the main co-commentator for ITV's coverage of the [[UEFA European Championship|European Championships]] and the [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] during this period. He also fronted two series of ''Extra Time with Ron Atkinson'' for Central Television, with Ron interviewing football personalities like [[Kevin Keegan]], [[Terry Venables]] and [[Martin O'Neill]].

In 1997, he appeared as manager of Harchester United in ''[[Dream Team (TV series)|Dream Team]]''.

In August 2013, Atkinson became a housemate on the [[Celebrity Big Brother (British series 12)|twelfth series]] of ''[[Celebrity Big Brother (British TV series)|Celebrity Big Brother]]''. He was the second housemate to be evicted on Day 9 after receiving the fewest votes to save him against [[Charlotte Crosby]], [[Courtney Stodden]], [[Lauren Harries]] and [[Louie Spence]].

===Music===
In 2002, Atkinson released a Christmas song, "It's Christmas&nbsp;– Let's Give Love a Try",<ref>{{cite web |title=Football legend hopes to score a Christmas No1 |url=http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/entertainment/Football-legend-hopes-to-score.2383607.jp |publisher=The Scotsman |date=4 December 2002 }}</ref> but this failed to gain chart success. The following year, Atkinson was a guest on an episode of TV chat show ''[[Room 101 (British TV series)|Room 101]]'' and host [[Paul Merton]] played the video as an [[Epilogue|outro]] to the show.

===Racist comments===
Following his sacking from Atlético Madrid, club president Jesús Gil claimed Atkinson had [[Racism|racially abused]] his own player, [[Donato (footballer)|Donato]], during his final game in charge of the club against Barcelona in January 1989.<ref name = "Versed"/>

Atkinson resigned from ITV on 21 April 2004, after he made a racist comment live on air about the [[Black people|black]] [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] player [[Marcel Desailly]]; believing the microphone to be switched off, he said, "...he [Desailly] is what is known in some schools as a fucking lazy, thick [[nigger]]". Although transmission in the UK had finished, the [[microphone gaffe]] meant that his comment was broadcast to various countries in the [[Middle East]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Carrington|first=Ben|editor1-last=Long|editor1-first=Jonathan|editor2-last=Spracklen|editor2-first=Karl|chapter='What I Said was Racist – But I'm Not a Racist': Anti-Racism and the White Sports/Media Complex|title=Sport and Challenges to Racism|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|location=London, England|year=2011|page=83|isbn=978-1-349-31427-0|doi=10.1057/9780230305892_6}}</ref> He also left his job as a columnist for ''[[The Guardian]]'' "by mutual agreement" as a result of the comment.<ref name="guardian">{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/apr/22/football.raceintheuk | title=TV pundit Ron Atkinson sacked for racist remark &#124; ITV PLC &#124; the Guardian | website=[[TheGuardian.com]] | date=22 April 2004 }}</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3648051.stm Atkinson quits over racist slur] - BBC News, 22 April 2004</ref>

[[Carlton Palmer]], one of Atkinson's players while he was manager at Sheffield Wednesday, defended Atkinson by saying, "I'm black and I'm sitting here and I'm gonna stand up for Big Ron not because he's a friend of mine; I'm standing up for him because I know what he's like as a bloke. If we're going to deal with racism then let's deal with the bigger picture of racism not about a throwaway comment that wasn't meant in that manner."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3648051.stm |work=BBC News |title=Atkinson quits over racist slur |date=22 April 2004 }}</ref> A [[BBC Radio]] documentary about Batson, Cunningham and Regis, entitled ''Three Degrees West'', repeated on 16 May 2004, was cancelled owing to Atkinson's central contributions.

Also in 2004, Atkinson said to an audience at [[Hillsborough Stadium]]: "The Chinese people have the best contraception in the world - their women are so ugly. I can't understand why there are so many of them."<ref name="controversial">{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/11494573/5-controversial-TV-presenters.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/11494573/5-controversial-TV-presenters.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=5 controversial TV presenters|author=Peter Yeung|website=telegraph.co.uk|date=25 March 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

On ''Celebrity Big Brother'' in 2013, he jokingly asked fellow contestant, Irish doctor Danielle Marr, "you're not [[Suicide attack|carrying a bomb with you]], are you?", when she draped her jumper over her head like a headscarf.<ref>{{cite news |title=Big Ron warned over racist 'bomb' remark on Celbrity [sic&#93; Big Brother |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/arid-30604818.html |access-date=14 January 2021 |work=Irish Examiner |date=26 August 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Joannou |first1=Andy |title=CBB: Ron warned over burka joke |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a509852/celeb-big-brother-ron-atkinson-given-formal-warning-over-burka-bomb-joke/ |website=Digital Spy |access-date=14 January 2021 |date=26 August 2013}}</ref>

===Other TV work===
It was reported Atkinson was being brought in to support [[Iffy Onuora]] at [[Swindon Town F.C.|Swindon Town]] in December 2005, and Atkinson and the club appeared to confirm this. It later transpired that Atkinson's role was as part of a [[Sky One]] documentary about the club being filmed at the [[County Ground, Swindon|County Ground]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Colin |last=Stewart |title=Atkinson back on television with fly-on-the-wall role at Swindon |url=http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport.cfm?id=2470262005 |publisher=The Scotsman |date=29 December 2005 |access-date=7 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071028105933/http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport.cfm?id=2470262005 |archive-date=28 October 2007  }}</ref> In late January 2006, Atkinson and Swindon Town parted company, with Swindon manager Onuora citing interference as the main reason for stopping the documentary from going ahead. Just a week later the cameras turned up at [[Peterborough United F.C.|Peterborough United]]'s ground, [[London Road Stadium|London Road]], to begin filming for the documentary called ''[[Big Ron Manager]]''. Peterborough were paid £100,000 to allow the filming to take place.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cambridgeshire/content/articles/2006/02/09/ron_atkinson_posh_feature.shtml |title=Cambridgeshire – Sport – Big Ron Manager comes to Posh |publisher=BBC |date=29 December 2005 |access-date=29 July 2011}}</ref>

Atkinson spent the 2006 World Cup recording an amateur video blog and distributing it through the UK-based video sharing site SelfcastTV.com. He also provided commentary on the World Cup for the UK digital channel [[Dave (TV channel)|UKTV G2]].

In 2006, Atkinson took part in the [[BBC Two]] programme ''[[Excuse My French (2006 TV series)|Excuse My French]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cinq Jours En Juillet |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/content/articles/2006/07/20/france_excuse_my_french_2006_feature.shtml |publisher=BBC Kent |access-date=7 October 2007 }}</ref> Atkinson, comedian [[Marcus Brigstocke]] and television presenter [[Esther Rantzen]] were immersed in the [[French language]] by staying in a remote town in the [[Provence]] region, being compelled to adapt to the French lifestyle and speak the language. His assignment at the end of the course was to provide a match analysis on a football match ([[Paris Saint-Germain]] – [[AS Monaco FC|Monaco]]) in French for a French radio station.

He briefly made a return to television, appearing as a pundit on ''[[Football Italia]]'' broadcast on [[Bravo (British TV channel)|Bravo]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Burrell |first1=Ian |title=On the ball with Bravo |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/on-the-ball-with-bravo-520095.html |website=The Independent |access-date=10 June 2024 |date=19 December 2005}}</ref> He left the programme when Bravo lost the broadcast rights to Italian football.

Atkinson returned to the screen on 16 August 2009 on the [[Channel 4]] reality show ''[[Wife Swap (UK TV series)|Celebrity Wife Swap]]''. When questioned about his controversial comments by swappee [[Tessa Sanderson]], he refused to discuss it.

Atkinson brought out an autobiography ''60 Minutes with Ron Atkinson'', in which he talks about his controversial comments and his football career.

Atkinson is currently a pundit on [[William Hill (bookmaker)|William Hill]]'s ''The Punt'' podcast and on Manchester United's channel [[MUTV (Manchester United F.C.)|MUTV]].<Ref>{{Cite web|url=https://motivationalspeakersagency.co.uk/football-speakers/ron-atkinson|title = Hire Ron Atkinson &#124; Speaker Agent}}</Ref> In October 2019, he made a return to broadcasting, commentating on the six-a-side World Cup final in Crete, alongside UK commentator John Gwynne.<ref>{{cite tweet|number=1186549896503087104|user=OnlyJohnGwynne|title=Flying home from Crete tonight after...|date=22 October 2019}}</ref>

==Director of football==
On 23 January 2007, Atkinson returned to Kettering Town, the club he had managed more than thirty years previously, as director of football.<ref>{{cite news |title=Atkinson named as Kettering chief |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/6290623.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=23 January 2007 |access-date=7 October 2007 }}</ref> It was announced on 19 April 2007 that he had left the post at the [[National League North|Conference North]] club following his disapproval over the sacking of manager Morell Maison.<ref>{{cite news |title=Atkinson leaves post at Kettering |url=http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6571045.stm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130419180715/http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6571045.stm |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 April 2013 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=19 April 2007 |access-date=7 October 2007 }}</ref>

==Leisure Leagues==
In December 2018, Atkinson was announced as an ambassador for worldwide six-a-side football firm [[Leisure Leagues]];<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.leisureleagues.net/news/ex-man-united-manager-englands-director-football-world-cup|title=EX MAN UNITED MANAGER TO BE ENGLAND'S DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL AT THE WORLD CUP &#124; News|date=19 December 2018|access-date=24 August 2020}}</ref> as part of the deal, he was to act as Director Of Football for the England six-a-side team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.leisureleagues.net/news/dreaming-of-a-revolution|title=DREAMING OF A REVOLUTION &#124; News|date=18 April 2019|access-date=24 August 2020}}</ref>

==Managerial statistics==
<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lfp.es/historico/primera/entrenadores/historial.asp?ent=312 |title=Web Oficial de la Liga de Fútbol Profesional |access-date=26 November 2008 }} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}} {{in lang|es}}{{dead link|date=June 2010}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable style="text-align: center"
|+ Managerial record by team and tenure
|-
!rowspan=2|Team
!rowspan=2|From
!rowspan=2|To
!colspan=5|Record
|-
!{{abbr|P|Matches played}}!!{{abbr|W|Matches won}}!!{{abbr|D|Matches drawn}}!!{{abbr|L|Matches lost}}!!{{abbr|Win %|Win percentage}}
|-
|align=left|[[Kettering Town F.C.|Kettering Town]]
|align=left|14 December 1971
|align=left|22 November 1974
| || || || ||
|-
|align=left|[[Cambridge United F.C.|Cambridge United]]
|align=left|22 November 1974
|align=left|12 January 1978
{{WDL|146|68|36|42|decimals=1}}
|-
|align=left|[[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]]
|align=left|12 January 1978
|align=left|9 June 1981
{{WDL|159|70|36|53|decimals=1}}
|-
|align=left|[[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]
|align=left|9 June 1981
|align=left|6 November 1986
{{WDL|292|146|67|79|decimals=1}}
|-
|align=left|West Bromwich Albion
|align=left|3 September 1987
|align=left|12 October 1988
{{WDL|53|15|23|15|decimals=1}}
|-
|align=left|[[Atlético Madrid]]
|align=left|12 October 1988
|align=left|16 January 1989
{{WDL|12|6|3|3|decimals=1}}
|-
|align=left|[[Sheffield Wednesday F.C.|Sheffield Wednesday]]
|align=left|14 February 1989
|align=left|6 June 1991
{{WDL|118|49|34|35|decimals=1}}
|-
|align=left|[[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]
|align=left|7 June 1991
|align=left|10 November 1994
{{WDL|178|77|56|45|decimals=1}}
|-
|align=left|[[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]]
|align=left|15 February 1995
|align=left|5 November 1996
{{WDL|74|19|28|27|decimals=1}}
|-
|align=left|Sheffield Wednesday
|align=left|14 November 1997
|align=left|17 May 1998
{{WDL|27|9|11|7|decimals=1}}
|-
|align=left|[[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]]
|align=left|11 January 1999
|align=left|16 May 1999
{{WDL|17|5|2|10|decimals=1}}
|-
!colspan=3|Total
{{WDLtot|1078|464|306|308|decimals=1}}
|}

==Honours==
===Manager===
'''Kettering Town'''
*[[Southern Football League|Southern League]] Premier Division: [[1972–73 Southern Football League|1972–73]]<ref name = "lma">[https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/ron-atkinson/ Ron Atkinson] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124171932/https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/ron-atkinson/ |date=24 January 2022 }} [[League Managers Association|LMA]]. Retrieved 22 May 2023.</ref>
*[[Southern Football League|Southern League]] Division One North: [[1971–72 Southern Football League|1971–72]]<ref name = "lma"/>
*[[Northamptonshire Senior Cup|Northants Senior Cup]]: [[1972–73 in English football|1972–73]]<ref name = "lma"/>

'''Cambridge United'''
*[[Football League Fourth Division]]: [[1976–77 Football League|1976–77]]

'''Manchester United'''
*[[FA Cup]]: [[1982–83 FA Cup|1982–83]], [[1984–85 FA Cup|1984–85]]
*[[FA Community Shield|FA Charity Shield]]: [[1983 FA Charity Shield|1983]]

'''Sheffield Wednesday'''
*[[Football League Cup]]: [[1990–91 Football League Cup|1990–91]]

'''Aston Villa'''
*Football League Cup: [[1993–94 Football League Cup|1993–94]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-cocacola-cup-final-saunders-destroys-united-s-dream-aston-villa-s-master-plan-puts-paid-to-ferguson-s-malfunctioning-big-red-machine-as-kanchelskis-is-dismissed-1432264.html |title=Football / Coca-Cola Cup Final: Saunders destroys United's dream: Aston Villa's master plan puts paid to Ferguson's malfunctioning Big Red Machine as Kanchelskis is dismissed |first=Joe |last=Lovejoy |website=The Independent |date=27 March 1994 |access-date=16 April 2024}}</ref>

'''Individual'''
*[[Premier League Manager of the Month]]: [[1994–95 FA Premier League#Monthly awards|March 1995]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/managers/63/Ron-Atkinson/overview |title=Manager profile: Ron Atkinson |publisher=Premier League |access-date=14 September 2018}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of FA Cup winning managers]]
* [[Celebrity Big Brother (British series 12)]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{soccerbase (manager)|id=1082|name=Ron Atkinson}}
*[https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/may/14/facup.sport2 Example of Big Ron's chalkboard] (text only) ''The Guardian'',

{{Navboxes
| title = Awards
| bg = gold
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| list1 = 
{{FA Cup winning managers}}
{{EFL Cup winning managers}}
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{{Navboxes
| title = Managerial positions
| list1 = 
{{Kettering Town F.C. managers}}
{{Cambridge United F.C. managers}}
{{West Bromwich Albion F.C. managers}}
{{Atlético Madrid managers}}
{{Manchester United F.C. managers}}
{{Aston Villa F.C. managers}}
{{Coventry City F.C. managers}}
{{Sheffield Wednesday F.C. managers}}
{{Nottingham Forest F.C. managers}}
}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atkinson, Ron}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:English football commentators]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:Aston Villa F.C. players]]
[[Category:Oxford United F.C. players]]
[[Category:English football managers]]
[[Category:English expatriate football managers]]
[[Category:Kettering Town F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Cambridge United F.C. managers]]
[[Category:West Bromwich Albion F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Manchester United F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Atlético Madrid managers]]
[[Category:Aston Villa F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Coventry City F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Sheffield Wednesday F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Nottingham Forest F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Premier League managers]]
[[Category:The Guardian journalists]]
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[[Category:Footballers from Liverpool]]
[[Category:Race-related controversies in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Men's association football wing halves]]
[[Category:English expatriate sportspeople in Spain]]
[[Category:Peterborough United F.C. non-playing staff]]