RIP Jimmy McIlroy

Great player for Burnley and Northern Ireland who was Nat Lofthouse's assistant and then - for three weeks - manager of BWFC before leaving as a matter of principle having been told he had to sell players. I remember my dad being furious about it as he thought McIlroy's appointment would be the start of a new era for BWFC but it was not to be.
Bit of a legend at Burnley and also remembered for being part of the excellent Northern Ireland team that got to the quarter finals of the World Cup in 1958.

Heard the news this morning. RIP. Remember him coming to Bolton to work as assistant coach to Nat Lofthouse.

Former Wanderers manager McIlroy dies

A hugely popular striker in his playing days for Glentoran, the majority of McIlroy’s career was spent at Burnley where he stayed for 13 years, making close to 500 appearances and scoring 131 goals, a stay that was only ended when he was sold to Stoke in 1963.

At Stoke he struck up an effective partnership with Stanley Matthews and helped the Potters gain promotion to the First Division.

The title-winning-McIlroy is regarded by many Clarets fans as the club’s greatest ever player and a stand at Turf Moor still bears his name.

As his playing career wound down McIlroy had a couple of years as Oldham Athletic’s player-manager before returning to Stoke to take a position as assistant to manager Tony Waddington.

The Northern Ireland international, who scored 10 goals in 55 matches for his country and helped the team reach the World Cup quarter-finals in 1958, also served as number two to Nat Lofthouse at Burnden Park.

McIlroy took the reins at Wanderers for a brief period in 1970, when Lofthouse departed, but he too exited the club after just two games following a row over the selling of players.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Most have missed this the first time around, I remember Mr McIlroys short period of Manager with us.

The reason for the 'bump' is this sad article about footballers like Jimmy and the recently departed Nobby Styles and dementia

Worth a read if you've got a few moments to spare -

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]