Les Shannon

Football manager infobox
playername = Les Shannon


fullname = Les Shannon
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date|1926|3|12|df=y
cityofbirth = Liverpool
dateofdeath = death date and age|2007|12|2|1926|3|12|df=y
cityofdeath = Leighton Buzzard
countryofdeath = England
countryofbirth = England
height =
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Centre-forward
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1944-1949
1949-1958
clubs = Liverpool
Burnley
Career
caps(goals) = 011 0(1)
263 (39)
274 (40)
nationalyears =
nationalteam = England "B"
nationalcaps(goals)=
pcupdate =
ntupdate =
manageryears = 1966-1969
1969-1970
1971-1974
1975-1976
1979-1980
1980-1981
1982-1984
managerclubs = Bury
Blackpool
PAOK Thessaloniki FC
Iraklis
OFI Crete
Brann
OFI Crete
Olympiacos
Aigaleo FC

Les Shannon (12 March 1926 – 2 December 2007)cite news | last = Goulding
first = Neil| title=Adams saves day for Bury | Publisher=Manchester Evening News | date=2007-12-03 | url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/bury/s/1026867_adams_saves_day_for_bury | accessdate = 2007-12-03 ] was an English football player and manager.

Playing career

Shannon was born in Liverpool; a centre-forward, he started his playing career with his hometown club of Liverpool in November 1944. He made his debut for the Reds four years later, against Manchester City at Anfield on 17 April, 1948, as a substitute for Albert Stubbins. His only goal for the Merseyside club came the following season, in a 2-1 win at Sheffield United on 30 August, 1948.

After Shannon's contract with Liverpool expired in November 1949, he joined Burnley. Playing on both flanks for Burnley, Shannon clocked up 263 league appearances and scored 39 goals.

Shannon retired from playing first-team football in September 1958 and captained Burnley's reserve team for a year.

Coaching and management

In 1959, Shannon moved into coaching with Everton, and in 1962, he joined Billy Wright's backroom staff at Arsenal. [cite web | url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=&article=371741 | title=Match Programme | date=2006-03-18 | work=Arsenal.com ]

After four years at Highbury, Shannon took over as manager of Second Division Bury. Bury finished bottom in his first season in charge, but he guided them back the following season as runners-up to Oxford United, only to see them make the drop again in 1969.

After Bury's relegation, Shannon took over as manager of Blackpool, with whom he had instant success, finishing as runners-up to Huddersfield Town and winning promotion back to the top flight. This was achieved without the services of the club's star player, Tony Green, who sat out the entire 1969-70 season due to injury. In 1970-71, however, his yo-yo effect reared its head again, when Blackpool finished bottom and were relegated to the league's second tier once again. Shannon had left his position only two months into the season after only seventeen months in charge. He was replaced, in a caretaker role, by Jimmy Meadows.

After several years of coaching in Greece including PAOK Thessaloniki FC from 1971 to 1974, leading them to win the Greek Cup twice in 1972 and 1974, and Iraklis F.C. in 1975-76, Shannon returned to England and settled in Bedfordshire. He became a scout for Luton, which would be his final role in football.

Film and TV advisor

Shannon's knowledge of football led to his working alongside Pelé in coordinating the football sequences of the 1981 war movie "Escape to Victory". [http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/famousperson/shannon/2684639 "Tribute to Les Shannon" - LastingTribute.com] ] He was also enlisted as an advisor on the Channel 4 series "The Manageress" in 1989.

Death

Shannon died after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. At his memorial service at the Square Methodist Church, Dunstable, former Manchester United manager Wilf McGuinness spoke about the life and times of Les, whilst one of the songs chosen was "You'll Never Walk Alone", sung by two of his great nephews Tom Wing and James Wing, a homage to Les' beginnings in football.

ee also

*Blackpool F.C. season 1969-70
*Blackpool F.C. season 1970-71

Notes

Further reading

*Calley, Roy (1992). "Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887-1992", Breedon Books, ISBN 1-873626-07-X

External links

* [http://www.lfchistory.net/player_profile.asp?player_id=837 Profile at LFC History.net]
* [http://www.clarets-mad.co.uk/news/loadfeat.asp?cid=ED94&id=272132 Profile at ClaretsMad]

Persondata
NAME= Shannon, Les
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Shannon, Les
SHORT DESCRIPTION=
DATE OF BIRTH= birth date|1926|3|12
PLACE OF BIRTH= Liverpool, England
DATE OF DEATH= 2007-12-2
PLACE OF DEATH= Leighton Buzzard, England