Tommy Docherty

Scottish football player and manager who led Chelsea and Manchester United.

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Thomas Henderson Docherty (24 April 1928 – 31 December 2020), commonly known as "The Doc", was a Scottish football player and manager. He played for several clubs, most notably Preston North End, and represented Scotland 25 times between 1951 and 1959. He managed 13 clubs between 1961 and 1988, as well as the Scotland national team.

Quick Facts

Full name: Thomas Henderson Docherty
Born: 24 April 1928
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Died: 31 December 2020
Place of death: Marple, England
Position: Right half
Total caps: 420
Total goals: 8

Lore & Background

Docherty began his playing career with junior club Shettleston. After national service in the Highland Light Infantry, he signed for Celtic in 1947. In November 1949 he moved to Preston North End, winning the 1951 Second Division title and reaching the 1954 FA Cup final. He joined Arsenal in August 1958 for £28,000, then ended his playing career at Chelsea in 1962.

He earned 25 Scotland caps, scoring once in a 7–2 defeat by England in 1955, and was part of the 1954 and 1958 World Cup squads. As manager, he took charge of Chelsea in February 1961 as player-coach, becoming manager less than twelve months later after Ted Drake's departure. He could not prevent relegation at the end of the 1961–62 season. He rebuilt the squad with players such as Terry Venables, Bobby Tambling, Peter Bonetti and Barry Bridges, changed the club's home colours to blue shorts, and led Chelsea to promotion at the first attempt.

In 1964–65 Chelsea won the League Cup and finished third in the league. Docherty led Chelsea to FA Cup and Inter-Cities Fairs Cup semi-finals in 1966, and the 1967 FA Cup final, which they lost to Tottenham Hotspur. He resigned in October 1967. He later managed Rotherham United, Queens Park Rangers (for 29 days), Aston Villa, Porto, Hull City as assistant manager, and the Scotland national team.

He managed Manchester United from December 1972 to July 1977, overseeing relegation to the Second Division and immediate promotion as champions, as well as FA Cup final appearances in 1976 and 1977, winning the latter against Liverpool. He was sacked after his extramarital affair became public. He later managed Derby County, Queens Park Rangers again, Sydney Olympic, Preston North End, South Melbourne, and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Reader's Guide

Docherty's managerial career spanned 13 clubs and the Scotland national team. At Chelsea, he took over as manager less than twelve months after becoming player-coach in February 1961, and the team was relegated at the end of the 1961–62 season. He rebuilt the squad and achieved promotion in the first attempt. At Manchester United, he managed relegation and immediate promotion, and won the 1977 FA Cup. His later managerial stints included brief spells at several clubs.