RIP Dave Sexton - Flashback - On This Day in 2012

[blueeyedcptcook]

Fond memories.

It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives .

The act of dying is not of importance, it lasts so short a time.


RIP David Sexton. 1930-2012.

[auntyjack]

RIP. Great memories. He was in charge of our greatest team. A team that played with flair and passion.

[Macmoish]

INDEPENDENT
Dave Sexton, the quiet winner, dies at 82

Chelsea provided his first coaching job
Steve Tongue Author Biography

Monday 26 November 2012

As one of the West Ham United players of the 1950s destined to become outstanding coaches who would gather after training to talk football, Dave Sexton, who has died aged 82, must often have struggled to get a word in.

His quiet nature was in sharp contrast to those of Malcolm Allison, John Bond and Noel Cantwell, but when he did speak, it would have been thoughtful good sense.

Like Allison and his great friend and contemporary, Don Howe, he was perhaps happier as a coach than a manager, but it was appropriate that his life should be celebrated yesterday at Stamford Bridge, where he led Chelsea to their first FA Cup success in 1970 and the European Cup-Winners' Cup the following year. He was manager too for the most successful season in Queen's Park Rangers' history, when the team of Stan Bowles and Gerry Francis missed out on the League title by a point.

The son of a London boxer, Sexton became a forceful inside-forward, scoring 26 goals for Brighton as they won the Third Division South in 1958. Chelsea provided his first coaching job and his reputation was so quickly established that an unsuccessful year in management with Leyton Orient in 1965 proved no obstacle to further employment. Bertie Mee immediately took him on as first-team coach at Arsenal, after which he moved back to Chelsea as manager in 1967.

Following the Cup wins, he would eventually fall out with players like Peter Osgood and Alan Hudson and with that pair sold and the development of Stamford Bridge causing financial problems, he was sacked in 1974. At QPR he did so well that in 1977 Manchester United took him on, but he lacked the flamboyance that the board and supporters seemed to want and was sacked at the end of the 1980-81 season despite the team setting a club record by winning their last seven games.

After two years at Coventry City, he returned to a previous position in charge of the England Under-21 team, with whom he had earlier won two European Championships.

Sir Trevor Brooking, the Football Association's director of football development, said last night: "In the last 30 to 40 years, Dave's name was up there with any of the top coaches we have produced in England."

www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/dave-sexton-the-quiet-winner-dies-at-82-8349170.html


FROM BUSHMAN

2nd November 1974

[Macmoish]

GUARDIAN


Dave Sexton's death reminds Chelsea fans of happier times at the Bridge

Sad news about their former manager made for a contemplative mood among the crowd as Rafa Benítez made his bow

A pall of sadness descended on Stamford Bridge on Sunday when the news began to spread, an hour before kick-off, of the death of Dave Sexton aged 82. One of the great coaches of post-war English football, Sexton guided Chelsea to victory in the 1970 FA Cup final and the European Cup-Winners' Cup the next year, the first against Don Revie's Leeds United and the second against the Real Madrid of Gento and Amancio, after replays on both occasions.

Coincidentally, it was after a semi-final against Sunday's opponents that Sexton's Chelsea reached their European final. It was the Chelsea of Peter Osgood, Alan Hudson and Charlie Cooke against the City of Mike Summerbee, Francis Lee and Neil Young, with Sexton's side defeating a team coached by his old West Ham team-mate Malcolm Allison 2-0 over the two legs.

In his private life Sexton was a lover of poetry, particularly that of Robert Frost. He would not have detected much lyricism in Sunday's match, played in an atmosphere defined by the noisy discontent of the Chelsea fans who gave their latest manager, Rafa Benítez, the coldest of welcomes.

Before Sexton's arrival at the Bridge in 1967 the club had employed seven managers in the 62 years of its existence. On Sunday Benítez became the 22nd occupant of the post since Sexton's departure in 1974, and the 25th if we include the caretakers.

As Fernando Torres, Ashley Cole and their team-mates began their journey under yet another new manager, older spectators found the images of the current squad being momentarily overlaid by those of Sexton's resplendently talented team, who so entertained their fans and neutrals alike at a time when the King's Road on a sunlit Saturday afternoon seemed like the most exciting place in the world.

That modest, courteous and introspective man would have detested the rancorous response of the current supporters to the first appearance of Benítez, replacing the sacked Roberto Di Matteo. Sexton's own seven years at the Bridge ended in dismissal after he had fallen out with some of his stars, selling Osgood to Southampton and Hudson to Stoke, while failing to build on those famous early cup successes. He moved a couple of miles up the road and immediately distinguished himself with Queens Park Rangers, where the much loved team of Gerry Francis, Stan Bowles, Don Masson and Phil Parkes so narrowly failed to take the old First Division title away from Liverpool

A colleague in the Stamford Bridge press box yesterday remembered going to Liverpool Empire that Tuesday night in May 1976, to see Elton John, while the last match of the season was taking place at Molineux. The singer brought on a placard bearing the result: Liverpool 3 Wolves 1, leaving QPR a single point behind in the final table.

A courteous and deeply thoughtful man, Sexton went on from QPR to manage Manchester United, taking over from Tommy Docherty – whom he had replaced at Stamford Bridge – and giving way to Ron Atkinson four years later. The sight of Torres labouring in vain on Sunday evoked the memory of Garry Birtles, one of Sexton's big buys at Old Trafford. So prolific with Nottingham Forest, his former club, the centre forward's failure to find the net in 25 league appearances contributed to the manager's downfall.

West London is where Sexton's memory is most warmly cherished but it was on the other side of the capital that his coaching career began, as a member of the generation of West Ham United players who went on to make fine and often innovative managers: Allison, John Bond, Noel Cantwell and Ken Brown were his contemporaries. How sad it seems that when a managerial vacancy occurs now at Chelsea or any other leading Premier League clubs, no Englishmen should be in contention.

Sexton would have hated that, too, although as a football man he would have understood the underlying problems and imperatives. But he loved passing on his immense store of knowledge and continued to coach young players, whether England's Under-21s, with whom he won the European Championship in 1982 and 1984, or a group of Warwick University students, long after his career as a league manager ended at Coventry City in 1983. Had he been born 20 or 30 years later he would have been the ideal man to run the FA's coach-education programme at St George's Park.

Not all Chelsea afternoons in the late 1960s were sunlit and garlanded with an Osgood wonder goal, of course. But on Sunday, watching a match almost completely devoid of distinction, with any hope of a spectacle ruined by error, imprecision and a series of wintry showers, it was hard to believe that, given these two sides, Sexton and Big Mal would not have contrived something more enjoyable.



www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/nov/25/dave-sexton-death-chelsea-fans

[Macmoish]

West Ham Official Site

Dave Sexton 1930-2012
Everyone at West Ham United was saddened to hear of the passing of ex-Hammers player Dave Sexton

Everybody at West Ham United has been deeply saddened by the passing of ex-Hammers inside forward Dave Sexton at the age of 82.

Islington-born Sexton made 77 appearances in claret and blue between 1953 and 1956, scoring 29 goals. During that period, he was one of the founders of the Academy of Football, spending endless hours discussing the intricacies of the game with his forward-thinking team-mates.

Sexton's finest day in a West Ham shirt came on 5 February 1955, when he scored his only hat-trick for the club in a 6-1 Division Two victory over Plymouth Argyle at the Boleyn Ground. He also scored twice on his final appearance for the club in a 3-0 home win over Bristol City on 28 April 1956.

After spells with Leyton Orient, Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, Sexton embarked on a successful coaching career, the seeds of which had been sewn during his time at West Ham.

Having learned his trade alongside the likes of Malcolm Allison, Noel Cantwell, Vic Keeble, John Bond and Frank O'Farrell, Sexton started off his managerial career at Leyton Orient in 1965. After spells coaching at Chelsea and Arsenal, he took charge at Stamford Bridge in 1967, leading the Blues to FA Cup glory in 1970 and the European Cup Winners' Cup the following year.

After making the short move to Queens Park Rangers in 1974, Sexton came within a point of lifting the League title trophy with the Hoops in 1976. A four-year spell at Manchester United was less successful, but he enhanced his reputation yet again with two successful stints in charge of the England Under-21 side, winning back-to-back UEFA European Championship titles in 1982 and 1984.

Sexton also was appointed as the Football Association's first-ever Technical Director, overseeing the development of FA's National School at Lilleshall. After an outstanding career that spanned more than 40 years, Sexton was rewarded for his services to football by being made an OBE in 2006.

The FA's Director of Football Development, Hammers legend Sir Trevor Brooking, has paid tribute to Sexton by saying: "It is a sad day for English football. Anyone who was ever coached by Dave would be able to tell you what a good man he was, but not only that, what a great coach in particular he was.

"In the last 30 or 40 years Dave's name was up there with any of the top coaches we have produced in England - the likes of Terry Venables, Don Howe and Ron Greenwood. His coaching was revered."

Everyone at West Ham United would like to pass on their sincere condolences to Dave Sexton's family and friends at this sad time.



www.whufc.com/articles/20121125/dave-sexton-1930-2012_2236884_2991175

[Macmoish]

Manchester United Official Site/Nick Coppack

Dave Sexton passes away

Former Manchester United manager Dave Sexton has died, aged 82.

Sexton, a Londoner who also had spells at Leyton Orient, Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers and Coventry, spent four years at the Old Trafford helm.

He took over in the summer of 1977 and although he didn't win any silverware during his four-year tenure, led the Reds to the 1979 FA Cup final.

FA director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking told the Football Association website: "It is a sad day for English football.

"Anyone who was ever coached by Dave would be able to tell you what a good man he was, but not only that, what a great coach in particular he was.

"In the last 30 to 40 years Dave's name was up there with any of the top coaches we have produced in England - the likes of Terry Venables, Don Howe and Ron Greenwood. His coaching was revered."

www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Club-News/2012/Nov/former-manager-dave-sexton-dies.aspx

[Macmoish]

Chelsea Official Site

DAVE SEXTON 1930-2012
Posted on: Sun 25 Nov 2012

Chelsea Football Club would like to express our enormous sadness and send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Dave Sexton who has died aged 82.

Sexton is without doubt one of the greatest managers in Chelsea history having led the club to our first FA Cup in 1970 and the Cup Winners' Cup a year later - our first European trophy.

Sexton took over the Stamford Bridge reins following the departure of Tommy Docherty in 1967 and although losing to Leeds United in his first game, he was soon overseeing an impressive string of results in the second half of the campaign which saw us finish sixth in the First Division table.

Sexton

The capture of striker Ian Hutchinson from Cambridge United prior to the start of the following season turned out to be a masterstroke, and Sexton, to the delight of the Stamford Bridge supporters, improved our fortunes further, leading us to a fifth-place finish.

The squad were widely viewed as one of the most impressive in the league, and it wasn't long until Blues supporters saw their side lift the FA Cup for the first time in our history at the end of the 1969/70 campaign.

Sexton's stock was rising, and a side littered with talent were a joy to watch. Peter Bonetti, Charlie Cooke and Peter Osgood stole the headlines, but players such as Ron Harris, David Webb and Hutchinson were the unsung heroes.

After finishing third in the league, Sexton led his side out at Wembley for an FA Cup final against Leeds in a game that will be mostly remembered for its brutality.

There was no shortage of quality on offer, however, with both sides producing moments of brilliance, but a replay was needed to separate the teams following a 2-2 draw under the Twin Towers.

Sexton

The replay took place at Old Trafford a few days later, and after going behind the Blues recovered to win the match 2-1 thanks to an injury time header from Webb, which sent those supporters who had descended on Manchester in their droves into dreamland.

As well as securing our first trophy in five years, Sexton had ensured European football would be coming to Stamford Bridge the following season, and what a memorable journey that proved to be.

In terms of our final league position, the 1970/71 campaign saw us finish sixth, dropping down three places from the previous season, but success in the European Cup Winners' Cup more than made up for it.

Having already disposed of the likes of CSKA Sofia and Bruges, we secured our place in the final by eliminating Manchester City in an all-English semi-final.

The mighty Real Madrid stood in our way but after the initial match, which was played in Athens, ended in a 1-1 draw, the Blues emerged victorious from the replay, winning 2-1 courtesy of goals by John Dempsey and Peter Osgood to claim our first European trophy.

The following season, however, failed to hit the heights of the previous two. A seventh-place finish was a commendable achievement, but having seen his side eliminated from the FA Cup by Leyton Orient and knocked out in the second round of the Cup Winners' Cup, alarm bells began to sound.

Sexton then had a high-profile falling out with striker Peter Osgood, which the pair were unable to recover from, a dispute that would ultimately lead to the departure of the fans' favourite.

The 1972/73 campaign began well, but a slump around Christmas, coupled with a string of poor results during the second half of the season saw the Blues finish a lowly, disappointing 12th. Sexton's decision to sell Charlie Cooke to Crystal Palace merely added to the supporters' discontent.

The following season started badly and gradually worsened, but the manager's decision to sell Osgood to Southampton in March 1974 was a decision that all but sealed his fate.

He was allowed to remain in charge into the following campaign, but after another poor start he was dismissed in October 1974, before going on to manage both Queens Park Rangers and Manchester United, followed by later jobs with the Football Association including England Under-21 manager and the FA's first technical director. He was awarded an OBE to football in 2005.

Peter Bonetti, the club's keeper during the Sexton era, today paid tribute to his former manager.

'He was fantastic, I've got nothing but praise for him,' Bonetti says. 'He passed away peacefully last night. I've spoken to his wife and it's come as a complete shock because he was such a lovely man.

'Everybody loved him and everybody respected him here at Chelsea and he will go down in the club's history as being such a fantastic guy who brought us so much success.

'He was a football fanatic, it's so sad and I really can't believe it.

'Everything he did was fantastic, the fact we won the FA Cup in 1970 was a big memory.'

Clive Walker says: 'It is very sad news because he is the manager who brought me into the game. He was an inspiration to football in that period because of the way he coached which was totally different to how it had been the generation before.

'There was a legacy at Chelsea from his involvement and when he came to coach us kids as we were then, it certainly helped us a lot.'

Ron Harris, Sexton's captain, told Press Association Sport: 'It's a sad day, especially for the players that played under him. He used to spend hours on the training field. He was the best coach I ever worked with. I've got some great memories.

'Dave was a very honest man who would pat you on the back. He came across as a bright lad. You knew when he was upset, you could see it in his face.'

Chelsea club historian Rick Glanvill writes:

'Dave Sexton took the dynamic, volatile, much-loved side of Tommy Docherty and made it a more pragmatic and versatile team, equipped to win trophies.

'He was a pioneer in the use of technology in coaching and brought a flexibility to tactics and line-ups that we'd never seen before.

'Unforgettably, he stewarded the 'King's Road swingers' to glory in the 1970 FA Cup and 1971 Cup Winners' Cup - that replay, outfoxing Real Madrid, being arguably his finest tactical game.

'It was not his fault that in the early 70s the club encountered insurmountable financial problems, though he and the likes of Peter Osgood and Alan Hudson would have probably all agreed later that problems of indiscipline also arising at that time could have had solutions in both camps. They were sold, he was sacked, and dark years followed.

'In later years it was a tragedy that such a brilliant mind was clouded by dementia. He remained and will always be a hero to fans of the 60s/70s Chelsea, and everyone will extend enormous sympathy to his family and friends.'

Applause

There was a minute's applause in tribute at Stamford Bridge prior to Sunday afternoon's match.







www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/2991190/title/dave-sexton-1930-2012

[Macmoish]

Arsenal Official Site

Dave Sexton 1930-2012


It is with great sadness that Arsenal Football Club has learned of the death of Dave Sexton.

Born in Islington in April 1930, Sexton spent an eight-year playing career at a host of clubs including West Ham United and Crystal Palace.

Following his retirement as a player, Sexton was named by Bertie Mee as Arsenal’s first-team coach in 1966, before later going on to manage Chelsea, where the team won the FA Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup under his guidance.

Sexton later managed Queens Park Rangers, Manchester United and Coventry City, as well as leading the England Under-21 side for a number of years.

The thoughts of everyone at Arsenal Football Club are with Dave's family and friends at this difficult time.

www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/dave-sexton-1930-2012

[Macmoish]

FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION


Dave Sexton: 1930-2012

Sunday, 25 November 2012

Dave Sexton Dave Sexton
Sadly, the former England Under-21 boss, Dave Sexton, has died

It is with great sadness that The FA learns of the passing of Dave Sexton.

Sexton had two spells in charge of the England Under-21 team, most notably between 1977 and 1990 when he led them to back-to-back European titles, in 1982 and 1984.

A former player with Luton, West Ham, Leyton Orient, Brighton and Crystal Palace, Sexton began his coaching career at Chelsea.

His managerial career started at Leyton Orient in 1965 and he went on to manage Chelsea, QPR and Manchester United, before taking the reins with the Under-21s. He later took over at Coventry in the early 1980s.

Sexton led Chelsea to FA Cup glory in 1970 and then guided them to the 1971 European Cup Winners' Cup.

He was awarded an OBE in 2005 for services to football.

The FA’s Director of Football Development, Sir Trevor Brooking, said: "It is a sad day for English football.

"Anyone who was ever coached by Dave would be able to tell you what a good man he was, but not only that, what a great coach in particular he was.

"In the last 30-40 years Dave's name was up there with any of the top coaches we have produced in England - the likes of Terry Venables, Don Howe and Ron Greenwood.

"His coaching was revered."

A fuller tribute to Dave Sexton will appear on TheFA.com on Monday.

www.thefa.com/News/2012/nov/dave-sexton-1930-2012.aspx

[Macmoish]

QPR Official Site

DAVE SEXTON - RIP

Club desperately saddened to learn of the passing of former manager ...

THE CLUB is desperately saddened to learn of the passing of former QPR manager Dave Sexton.

The 82 year-old was appointed at the Loftus Road helm in October 1974 and adopted an unforgettable side, featuring the likes of Stan Bowles and Gerry Francis.

Sexton was just a point shy of guiding Rangers to the 1975/76 league title – a position that still remains the club’s highest league finish.

A former player with Luton Town, West Ham United, Leyton Orient, Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, Sexton took his first steps into coaching at Chelsea.

Sexton also enjoyed two spells in charge of the England under-21 team, leading them to back-to-back European titles in 1982 and 1984.

He was awarded an OBE in 2005 for services to football.

The club would like to extend its deepest condolences to Dave’s family and friends at this sad time.

May he rest in peace.

www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/251112-dave-sexton-rip-508390.aspx

[Macmoish]

COVENTRY OFFICIAL SITE

Former City manager Sexton dies
Sun 25 Nov 2012
Author: Nick Connoll
...he is fondly remembered from his two years at Highfield Road and was respected as both a man and a manager... John Clarke, Sun 25 Nov 2012

Former Sky Blues boss Dave Sexton passes away at the age of 82
Coventry City Football Club are extremely saddened to learn of the death of former manager Dave Sexton.

The 82-year-old, who lived in Kenilworth, managed the Sky Blues between 1981 to 1983 but passed away this weekend.

Commenting on the death of the former Coventry City manager, CCFC deputy chairman John Clarke said: “This is very sad news. Dave was a major national figure in the football world and he had a very distinguished career at the highest level.

“He is fondly remembered from his two years at Highfield Road and was respected as both a man and a manager. He made Warwickshire his permanent home after leaving the club and will be very much missed.”

www.ccfc.co.uk/news/article/dave-sexton-dies-508412.aspx

[Macmoish]

Find some of the "minimizing" of his time at QPR both bizarre and outrageous. (And not just cos I'm obviously QPR) - FA devotes FOUR Words to his time at QPR: "He also managed QPR and Coventry"


FA - Dave Sexton: A Tribute

A highly-respected football manager has passed away

Dave Sexton, a great football manager, has passed away at the age of 82.

In the 1980s he managed England’s Under-21s to two European crowns and was appointed the first Technical Director at The FA National School. Before that he had been a successful club manager at Chelsea and Manchester United.

The son of a professional boxer, Dave played as an inside-forward for Luton Town, West Ham United, Leyton Orient, Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace. He won the Division Three South title with Brighton in 1958.

He had a coaching role at Chelsea before becoming Leyton Orient’s manager in 1965. He was Chelsea’s boss two years later and a team of glittering stars like Peter Osgood, John Hollins and Charlie Cooke won The FA Cup in 1970 and the European Cup Winners’ Cup a year later, both after replays.

After seven years with the Blues he had four at Old Trafford, taking United to the 1979 FA Cup Final and runners-up spot in the League a year after that.

He also managed QPR and Coventry City before taking up the position in 1984 of Technical Director at The FA’s innovative ‘National School’ at Lilleshall, where the best young players in the country were groomed for stardom – like Michael Owen, Sol Campbell and Andy Cole.

Dave had two periods in charge of the England Under-21 team. In the first of those, from 1976 to 1990, the team twice became European champions. They beat West Germany in the two-legged Final of 1982 and then Spain two years later. They remain the Under-21s’ only Championship successes to date.

His tactical astuteness and calming influence in the dressing room made him a hugely-respected figure to players like Paul Gascoigne, Alan Shearer and Glenn Hoddle.

There was a minute’s applause for Dave Sexton OBE, football man and gentleman, before yesterday’s Premier League fixture with Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.

FA Chairman David Bernstein said: "The whole of The FA is saddened by this news.

"Dave Sexton was synonymous with English coaching and was one of those people that sat right at the heart of our organisation during his time with us.

"He had many friends at The FA including Roy Hodgson and former England Managers such as Sven-Goran Eriksson and Terry Venables whom he worked alongside.

"His achievements speak volumes, but his success with the England Under-21 sides of 1982 and 1984 are something that will always be remembered with great fondness.

"Our thoughts are, of course, with Dave's family at this difficult time."

www.thefa.com/News/2012/nov/dave-sexton.aspx

[Bushman]

PUBLISHED
11:40 26th November 2012
by @officialqpr
Harry praises ‘gentleman of the game’

He was a real football man. A fantastic coach, who did a brilliant job here at QPR.""
Harry Redknapp
HARRY Redknapp has led the tributes to former R’s manager Dave Sexton who sadly passed away on Sunday.

Sexton, of course, masterminded the R’s to a second place finish in the old First Division in 1975/76, as well as managing the likes of Leyton Orient and Manchester United.

Redknapp told http://www.qpr.co.uk: “Dave was a really lovely bloke.

“He was a top man. A real gentleman of the game.

“He was a real football man. A fantastic coach, who did a brilliant job here at QPR.

“He was hard as nails, but a quiet man.

“He was one of the best in the business and had a remarkable knowledge of the game.

“You couldn’t wish to meet a nicer man than Dave, so it’s a big, big loss for everyone.”

www.qpr.co.uk/news/article/261112-redknapp-sexton-509622.aspx

[Macmoish]

London 24

Dave Sexton

Former QPR stars’ praise for Dave Sexton, the man who nearly made them champions

Ben Kosky
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
8:30 AM

Players from the best team in QPR’s history have paid tribute to Dave Sexton after their former manager passed away at the age of 82.

Sexton took Rangers closer to the League championship than any other manager in 1976, when they were pipped at the post by Liverpool with just 13 minutes of the season remaining.

He also guided the Rs to the last eight of the UEFA Cup and the League Cup semi-finals before ending his three-year spell at Loftus Road to take over at Manchester United.

Winger Dave Thomas, who became an England international while playing under Sexton, told london24.com: “As a person and a football man, he was the most genuine person I’ve met.

“Dave would have worked for nothing and there are very few people like that in the world of football – he wasn’t the sort of person who’d think ‘what’s in it for me?’

“He was an unassuming, modest guy, but people didn’t cross him. He was so knowledgeable – he always had the interest of the players at heart and wanted to improve you.

“If you had a conversation with him, it would always revert back to football. He was a coach really, rather than a manager. He didn’t like confrontation and he didn’t want anything to do with players’ contracts.

“The nucleus was there when Gordon Jago was manager and he deserves a lot of credit, but Dave took it to another level. People will always remember him for that wonderful side we had.”

The son of a professional boxer, Sexton was born in Islington and began his playing career with Luton before moving on to West Ham, Leyton Orient, Brighton and Crystal Palace.

He joined the coaching staff at Chelsea and had brief spells as Orient boss and Arsenal’s first-team coach before returning to Stamford Bridge as manager in 1967.

Sexton led Chelsea to FA Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup victories in successive seasons, but was sacked in 1974 and QPR chairman Jim Gregory quickly snapped him up as Jago’s replacement.

The following season, Sexton’s side – including the likes of Stan Bowles, Gerry Francis and the free-scoring Don Givens – achieved an incredible run of 11 wins from 12 games to put themselves within sight of the title.

But a 3-2 defeat at Norwich on Easter Saturday ultimately cost Rangers the crown as Liverpool edged past them, overturning a 1-0 deficit to beat Wolves 3-1 and finish a point clear.

Sexton’s four years at Old Trafford were followed by a spell in charge of Coventry and he went on to become a successful England under-21 manager as well as serving as the FA’s technical director.

His devotion to football was illustrated by his habit of travelling to Europe to watch matches at his own expense, gleaning tactical ideas that he would bring back to the English game.

Thomas recalled: “We had a training camp in Germany and there was a second division side there as well, who were using these new dummies for free-kicks on the training ground.

“At that time we had nothing like that in England – players used to stand in the wall as they did in a match situation – so Dave bought all these dummies and took the home.

“We all had to pick them up off the conveyor belt at the airport and carry them through customs. Can you imagine any Premier League players doing that today?

“We used to have a player of the month award at QPR. After every game we had a vote on a Monday morning, we’d write our man of the match on a slip of paper and give it to Dave.

“At the end of the month the winner had the option of a carriage clock or a cigarette lighter and Dave used to buy it out of his own pocket and get it engraved as well. That showed the sort of man he was.”

Francis was appointed England captain while playing under Sexton and most other members of that QPR side also gained international honours, including long-serving left-back Ian Gillard.

“I personally think he would have been an ideal candidate for the England manager’s job,” Gillard told london24.com. “I played under some really good managers at QPR, but Dave was the number one.

“The man was different class – he was an excellent coach, very good technically, and he brought the best out of players, not just me but so many others.

“He was a quiet man, very diplomatic and he just got on with his job. He always had different ideas and different methods – he’d try them out on the players in training and it showed on a Saturday.

“What we achieved with the squad we had, no other QPR team have ever come anywhere near that. He spent a bit of cash on Don Masson, but we were mostly free transfers and he knitted it all together.

“Whoever was going to take over from Dave, it was always going to be hard for them and it wasn’t until Terry Venables came in that he got things anywhere near where they used to be.

“Dave was a gentleman, he helped me a hell of a lot and I had the utmost respect for him. He was like a second dad to me and it was a very sad moment when I heard that he’d passed away.”

www.kilburntimes.co.uk/qpr/former_qpr_stars_praise_for_dave_sexton_the_man_who_nearly_made_them_champions_1_1710478

[Macmoish]

Brian Glanville World Soccer

The trouble with Chelsea is…Roman Abramovich

First half about Chelsea and Abranovitz/Benitez etc

Second half re Dave Sexton

"...It was at Chelsea that the late and much talented Dave Sexton achieved the triumph of winning the 1970 FA Cup, against Leeds United in that Manchester replay. 65 years after the birth of the club which was ridiculed before the Second World War in a comedian’s recorded song, The Day That Chelsea Went and Won the Cup.

Sexton a man of honesty, modesty and altruism, so nearly won an unexpected Championship with modest Queens Park Rangers – Stan Bowles, Gerry Francis et al. I well remember being at the Norwich game which cost them the title when their usually impeccable big keeper Phil Parkes let in an embarrassing goal and the game was lost 3-2.

“Let the sorrow wash over.” David said to me one day and sorrow alas awaits him when his son committed a shocking suicide. Chelsea were a troublesome team. For obscure reasons, two of their stars Peter Osgood (the main motivator) and Alan Hudson took against him and had to be transferred. I remember the then Chelsea Chairman, Brian Mears, telling me when Dave seemed in a crisis of morale that managers had to be motivated too.

An idealist in a world of pragmatists and cynics, Sexton twice won European titles with the Under-21 team for England, had a brief but positive spell coaching Arsenal, and had his last managerial appointment at Coventry City. Born in Islington, the son of a well known pro-boxer, Archie Sexton, he was himself the least aggressive of men. A competent rather than a remarkable inside forward he played for a series of clubs, but it was probably at West Ham under the progressive coaching of Ron Greenwood that his philosophy of football was formed. After leaving Coventry City he settled not far away at Kenilworth in his latter years. Widely read, he was impressed by the theories of the once fashionable guru. Teilhard de Chardin. Goodness knows what he made of Chelsea today; or how long even he would have lasted there."

www.worldsoccer.com/columnists/the-trouble-with-chelsea-is-roman-abramovich

[Macmoish]

Monday December 10

“@officialqpr: The thoughts are with the family and friends of R's legend Dave Sexton, whose funeral takes place today #RIP #QPR”

[Bushman]

Dave Sexton: Funeral of ex-Chelsea manager takes place

Dave Sexton finished his full-time managerial career at Coventry City
The funeral of former Chelsea and Manchester United manager Dave Sexton is taking place in Warwickshire.

Mr Sexton, who led Chelsea to victory in the 1970 FA Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1971, died last month aged 82.

During his career he also coached the England Under-21 team as well as Leyton Orient, QPR and Coventry City.

The funeral is taking place at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Kenilworth.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20663755

[Macmoish]

I presume some from his time at QPR were also in attenance

BBC

Dave Sexton: Funeral of ex-Chelsea manager takes place

The funeral of former Chelsea and Manchester United manager Dave Sexton has taken place in Warwickshire.

Mr Sexton, who led Chelsea to victory in the 1970 FA Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1971, died last month aged 82.

During his career he also coached the England Under-21 team as well as Leyton Orient, QPR and Coventry City.

The mass was held earlier at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Kenilworth.

The former executive director of the Football Association, David Davies, tweeted that former United players Martin Buchan, Gordon McQueen and Joe Jordan were among those who attended the service.

The trio all played under Mr Sexton during his four-year spell at Old Trafford between 1977 and 1981.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20663755

[Macmoish]

www.warwickcourier.co.uk/webimage/1.4572478.1355158752!image/2942020824.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_595/2942020824.jpg

"Dave Sexton (centre) picks up some future tips from Luton coach Tim Kelly. wk 48."

www.warwickcourier.co.uk/news/local/dave-sexton-funeral-takes-place-in-kenilworth-1-4572479

[Macmoish]

Ike Marchie‏@_WeLikeIke

Davids funeral was amazing and sad at the same time Mustve been 2000 people there to support him Eddie & Steves speeches were great #RIPDave

[Macmoish]

Former Chelsea and Manchester United Manager

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20663755


Dave Sexton: Funeral of ex-Chelsea manager takes place

Dave Sexton finished his full-time managerial career at Coventry City
The funeral of former Chelsea and Manchester United manager Dave Sexton has taken place in Warwickshire.

Mr Sexton, who led Chelsea to victory in the 1970 FA Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1971, died last month aged 82.

During his career he also coached the England Under-21 team as well as Leyton Orient, QPR and Coventry City.

The mass was held earlier at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Kenilworth.

'Wonderful man'

Chelsea paid their respects to their former manager at Stamford Bridge last month
The former executive director of the Football Association, David Davies, tweeted that former United players Martin Buchan, Gordon McQueen and Joe Jordan were among those who attended the service.

The trio all played under Mr Sexton during his four-year spell at Old Trafford between 1977 and 1981.

Football journalist Norman Giller posted on Twitter that the funeral marked a "final fond farewell to Dave Sexton, the coach's coach".

Mr Giller said Sexton had stood for dignity and respect and did not have a "boastful bone in his body".

He added there had been an incredible turnout of the 1960s and 1970s football family and former footballer Frank McLintock delivered "an emotional eulogy".

Peter Withe, who played for Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and England, tweeted: "What a wonderful memorial service for Dave Sexton today it was a great turnout which was expected for such a wonderful man."

[Macmoish]

A number of ex-QPRs at the Funeral plus Joe Jordan (Maybe others not listed in this report)

Francis, Venables, Hollins, Mancini, Givens, Kelly, Metchick, Hodge, Houston, Graham

www.football.co.uk/coventry_city/good_turn_out_for_dave_sexton_funeral_rss3629557.shtml

[Lonegunmen]

I'm a bit disappointed at the lack of the 75/76 side that didn't show with one very notable absentee. Clement & Leach of course have great excuses for not being there.

[Macmoish]

A post either on dot.org or LFW by a fan who attended actually said there were a number of other ex-QPRs attending, including some others from 1975/76 - including Bowles & Webb.

[Macmoish]

Bump

Loft for Words as a Brighton preview, have a nice profile/look back at his time at QPR
www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/32834/memories-of-dave-sexton-–-history?

[Roller]

Sept 17, 2013 6:17:11 GMT Macmoish said:

Bump

Loft for Words as a Brighton preview, have a nice profile/look back at his time at QPR
www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/32834/memories-of-dave-sexton-–-history?

That profile is actually taken from a strong contender for blog of the year ...

[Macmoish]

Flashback 5 Years today

Nov 25, 2012 15:52:04 GMT Bushman said:

2nd November 1974

[Lonegunmen]

Yep, a very good coach, RIP Dave. Gordon Jago brought in brialliant players and Dave got them to gell properly.