Sammy McIlroy

Football player infobox
playername = Sammy McIlroy


fullname = Samual Baxter McIlroy
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1954|08|2
cityofbirth = Belfast
countryofbirth = Northern Ireland
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
currentclub = Morecambe F.C. (manager)
clubnumber =
position = Forward/Midfielder (retired)
youthyears = 1969–1971
youthclubs = Manchester United
years = 1971–1981
1981–1985
1985–1986
1986
1986–1989
1989–1991
1991–1993
clubs = Manchester United
Stoke City
Manchester City
Örgryte IS
Bury
Preston North End
Northwich Victoria
Total
caps(goals) = 342 0(57)
133 0(14)
013 00(1)
007 00(0)
057 00(2)
020 00(0)
008 00(0)
565 0(74)
nationalyears = 1972–1987
nationalteam = Northern Ireland
nationalcaps(goals) = 088 00(5)
manageryears = 1992–1993
1993–2000
2000–2003
2003–2004
2005–
managerclubs = Northwich Victoria
Macclesfield Town
Northern Ireland
Stockport County
Morecambe [McIlroy first served as caretaker-manager from late 2005 whilst Jim Harvey was recovering from a heart attack. McIlroy was officially appointed as Morecambe's manager in May 2006.]

Samuel Baxter "Sammy" McIlroy (born 2 August 1954) is a Northern Irish former international footballer whose clubs included Manchester United. After playing, he managed several English football teams and the Northern Ireland national team. He is currently the manager of Football League Two side Morecambe.

Playing career

From East Belfast, McIlroy played from 1971 to 1982 at Manchester United. He was the last youth player signed by Matt Busby, therefore making him the last of the "Busby Babes". He scored in his first-team debut match in 1971 at the age of 17 in a 3-3 draw in the Manchester derby against Manchester City at Maine Road on the 6th of November, but was not able to win a regular first-team place until the 1974-75 season. In the late 1970s McIlroy moved from 'Reds' striker to midfielder.

In 1982, he was sold to Stoke City, where he played the next four seasons. McIlroy went on to play at Örgryte IS in Sweden in 1986, Manchester City in 1986-87, Bury from 1987 to 1990 and Preston North End in 1989/90.

As a player for the Northern Ireland national team McIlroy won 88 caps and scored 5 goals. He played in all of the country's matches during both the 1982 World Cup, where Northern Ireland defeated the host nation Spain and advanced to the second round, and the 1986 World Cup in which he captained the team.

Managerial career

McIlroy began his managerial career as player-coach under John McGrath at Preston North End in 1991. He then went on to manage non-league team Macclesfield Town for four seasons, culminating in their promotion to The Football League in 1997. He then managed Northern Ireland for nearly three years, but the team won only five times in 29 matches, with all of the wins occurring in McIlroy's first year. The side failed to score even a single goal in 13 qualifying matches for Euro 2004. Despite this, he remains one of the most popular managers in the country's history. Upon completion of the qualifying matches, McIlroy resigned to re-enter club management with Stockport County, whom he managed until November 2004.

On November 17 2005 he took over as caretaker manager of Conference side Morecambe, stepping in for incumbent manager Jim Harvey who had suffered a heart attack. Having guided Morecambe into the Conference play-offs—where they lost 3–4 on aggregate to Hereford United—McIlroy was appointed permanent manager in May 2006. In his first full season, Morecambe again reached they play-offs where they defeat Exeter City to win promotion in one of the first games played at the new Wembley Stadium.

Managerial stats

References

External links

* [http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid=%7B847FFC5F-947A-470D-A13B-E757FD63C2A8%7D&bioid=92130 Short biography] on Manchester United official website
* [http://www.redcafe.net/archives/legend.php?id=16 "RedCafe.net" with biographical information on McIlroy during his time at United]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=1459 "sporting-heroes.net" with a 1976 photograph of McIlroy in action]
*soccerbase (manager)|1382|Sammy McIlroy