John Lyall
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | John Angus Lyall | ||
Date of birth | 24 February 1940 | ||
Place of birth | Ilford, England | ||
Date of death | 18 April 2006 | (aged 66)||
Place of death | Tattingstone, England | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Youth career | |||
1955–1959 | West Ham United | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1959–1963 | West Ham United | 31 | (0) |
International career | |||
1957 | England Youth | 1 | (0) |
Managerial career | |||
1974–1989 | West Ham United | ||
1990–1994 | Ipswich Town | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
John Angus Lyall (24 February 1940 – 18 April 2006) was an English footballer and manager primarily known for his 34 years at West Ham United. He played for the club as a youth, then as a first-team player before injury cut short his career. He then joined the coaching staff, before becoming the manager of the senior team in 1974. He stayed in that role until 1989. He subsequently went on to manage Ipswich Town from 1990 to 1994.
Early life
Lyall was of Scottish descent. His mother, Catherine, was from the Isle of Lewis, and his father, James, was from Kirriemuir.[1][2] He was born in Ilford, Essex.
Club career
Watched by the club's manager,
He made his senior debut in April 1959. His first team career was interrupted and prematurely ended by a serious injury to his left knee.[8] In January 1964 after making 36 appearances in all competitions, aged 23, he was diagnosed with an inoperable, generally disarranged knee and retired from playing professional football.[9][10] Lyall was granted a testimonial game by West Ham which was played in April 1964 and netted him £3797. He was offered the role of part-time youth team manager.[11]
Managerial career
West Ham United
Impressing at part-time youth manager Lyall was offered the role on a full-time basis in 1967.
During their exile from the top flight, on 10 May 1980, West Ham beat
West Ham spent the first four years back in the top flight consolidating their position. Long serving
Ipswich Town
He made his return to football management on 11 May 1990 with Ipswich Town. During the 1989–90 season, he acted as technical advisor to Terry Venables.
After Ipswich finished 14th in his first season, he brought club legend John Wark back to Portman Road for a third spell.
At the end of 1991–1992, Lyall guided Ipswich Town to the Second Division championship and promotion to the newly formed Premiership. In January 1993, Ipswich were fourth in the Premiership but a dip in form during the final weeks of the season saw Ipswich finish 16th. The following season, 1993–94, brought a similar pattern; a good start followed by a slump – Ipswich finished 19th in the final table and were only saved from relegation by Sheffield United's late 3–2 defeat at Chelsea. Lyall had been promoted to the role of general manager over the summer of 1993, with Mick McGiven taking control of first team management at Portman Road. However, he returned to the manager’s seat a year earlier.
Lyall resigned as Ipswich Town manager in December 1994, with the club bottom of the Premiership, and never returned to football management.
Death
Lyall died suddenly on 18 April 2006, after suffering a heart attack, at his home in Tattingstone,[17] Suffolk, at the age of 66.[5] He was survived by his wife of more than 40 years, Yvonne, and his son Murray. After leaving football management in December 1994, he had bought a farm in Suffolk and was still living there at the time of his death.[18]
Legacy
When West Ham played
In December 2009, West Ham renamed the main gates to Upton Park as The John Lyall Gates.
Honours
As manager
West Ham United
- European Cup Winners' Cup: Runners-up 1976
- Football League Second Division: Champions 1980–81
- 1980
- 1981
Ipswich Town
- Football League Second Division: Champions 1991–92
Individual
- Ipswich Town Hall of Fame: Inducted 2014[24]
Managerial statistics
Team | From | To | Record | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
West Ham United | 16 August 1974 | 5 June 1989 | 770 | 308 | 194 | 268 | 40.0 |
Ipswich Town | 11 May 1990 | 5 December 1994 | 231 | 77 | 75 | 79 | 33.3 |
Total[25] | 1,001 | 385 | 269 | 347 | 38.5 |
See also
References
- Lyall, John (1989). Just Like My Dreams. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-013193-0.
- Blowers, Steve (2005). Nearly Reached The Sky. Football World. ISBN 0-9548336-8-6.
- ^ Just Like My Dreams. p. 14.
- ^ The Coodnaes, Scots Football Worldwide
- ^ Just Like My Dreams. p. 22.
- ^ Just Like My Dreams. p. 23.
- ^ a b "Former West Ham boss Lyall dies". BBC News. 19 April 2006. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ Just Like My Dreams. p. 31.
- ^ Just Like My Dreams. p. 29.
- ^ Just Like My Dreams. pp. 36–37.
- ^ Just Like My Dreams. p. 38.
- ^ "Welcome to the Wonderful World of West Ham United Statistics John Lyall". Westhamstats.info. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ a b c Nearly Reached The Sky. p. 13.
- ^ a b Nearly Reached The Sky. p. 14.
- ^ a b c Nearly Reached The Sky. p. 15.
- ^ a b Nearly Reached The Sky. p. 17.
- ^ Julie Welch (20 April 2006). "Obituary John Lyall". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ Nearly Reached The Sky. p. 18.
- ^ John Lyall dies suddenly (16 July 2008). "John Lyall dies suddenly". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ Welch, Julie (19 April 2006). "Obituary: John Lyall". The Guardian.
- YouTube
- ^ Newham Recorder – Blue plaque tribute for legendary Lyall
- ^ The Heritage Foundation John Lyall Plaque Unveiling Archived 17 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine www.theheritagefoundation.info
- ^ "Legend Lyall's very own pearly gates". Bdrecorder.co.uk. 23 December 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "John Lyall Gates will make Stratford move". whufc.com. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
- ^ Pearce, Steve (30 March 2014). "Hall of Fame 2014". Ipswich Town F.C. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
- ^ "John Lyall | Latest Betting Odds | Soccer Base".