John Doherty (footballer)
Encyclopedia
John Peter Doherty was an English
football player. His regular position was at inside right
.
Born in Manchester
, Doherty started his professional career with Manchester United
in 1952. He was part of the United squad that won the 1955-56 league title
and scored seven goals in 26 appearances. In October 1957, he was transferred to Leicester City
for £6,500. His exit from Old Trafford
came just before eight of his United colleagues lost their lives in the Munich air disaster
; he was in a Leicester
hospital undergoing surgery for a knee injury when he heard the news.
He left Leicester after only one season due to his knee related problems, before moving on to Rugby Town
, and then to Altrincham
.
In the autumn of 1958, when Arsenal
made an offer to Manchester United assistant manager Jimmy Murphy to become their new manager, Murphy offered Doherty the chance to become his assistant if he took charge at the North London
club. However, Murphy then decided against moving to Arsenal and the partnership never happened
As of 2006, John was chairman of the Former Manchester United Players Association and co-authored the book The Insider's Guide to Manchester United with Ivan Ponting, where he gave his opinion of over 300 United players (including himself) since 1950.He was the driving force behind a friendly match at Old Trafford in 1998 to raise money for the families of the Munich victims on the disaster's 40th anniversary.
Doherty died of lung cancer
in November 2007 at the age of 72.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football player. His regular position was at inside right
Inside forward
In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes...
.
Born in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Doherty started his professional career with Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in 1952. He was part of the United squad that won the 1955-56 league title
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
and scored seven goals in 26 appearances. In October 1957, he was transferred to Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
for £6,500. His exit from Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
came just before eight of his United colleagues lost their lives in the Munich air disaster
Munich air disaster
The Munich air disaster occurred on 6 February 1958, when British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport in Munich, West Germany. On board the plane was the Manchester United football team, nicknamed the "Busby Babes",...
; he was in a Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
hospital undergoing surgery for a knee injury when he heard the news.
He left Leicester after only one season due to his knee related problems, before moving on to Rugby Town
Rugby Town F.C.
Rugby Town F.C. is a football club based in Rugby, Warwickshire, which plays in the Southern Football League Division One Central. It is nicknamed The Valley, and plays its home matches at Butlin Road...
, and then to Altrincham
Altrincham F.C.
Altrincham Football Club is an English association football club from Altrincham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Conference North, having been relegated from the Conference National at the end of the 2010–11 season.-History:...
.
In the autumn of 1958, when Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
made an offer to Manchester United assistant manager Jimmy Murphy to become their new manager, Murphy offered Doherty the chance to become his assistant if he took charge at the North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
club. However, Murphy then decided against moving to Arsenal and the partnership never happened
As of 2006, John was chairman of the Former Manchester United Players Association and co-authored the book The Insider's Guide to Manchester United with Ivan Ponting, where he gave his opinion of over 300 United players (including himself) since 1950.He was the driving force behind a friendly match at Old Trafford in 1998 to raise money for the families of the Munich victims on the disaster's 40th anniversary.
Doherty died of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
in November 2007 at the age of 72.