Stan Cullis

The Wolves legend who refused the Nazi salute and built a dynasty.

via Wikipedia: Stan Cullis · see source

Stanley Cullis (25 October 1916 – 28 February 2001) was an English professional footballer and manager, primarily for Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Quick Facts

Role

Manager

Club

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Tenure

1948–1964

Major trophy

FA Cup 1949, 1960; First Division 1953–54, 1957–58, 1958–59

Notable season

1953 (Third, First Division)

Known for

Tactical innovation
distinctive beret
charismatic leadership

Lore & Background

Cullis joined Wolverhampton Wanderers as a teenager after a trial at Bolton Wanderers, signing professionally within a week of his arrival. He made his senior debut on 16 February 1935 in a 2–3 defeat at Huddersfield Town. He became first choice in the 1936–37 season, replacing Bill Morris, and swiftly became club captain. He led the team to finish runners-up in the league in 1937–38 and 1938–39. In 1939 Wolves had the chance to win The Double, but lost the championship by 5 points to Everton and lost the FA Cup Final 4–1 to Portsmouth. He made his international debut on 23 October 1937 in a 5–1 success against Ireland, earning 12 full caps (once as captain) and 20 wartime internationals (10 as captain). On 14 May 1938, Cullis refused to give a Nazi salute before a match in Berlin, the only player to refuse, and was dropped from the team. During the war, he served as a PT instructor and made 34 wartime appearances for Wolves, also guesting for Aldershot, Fulham and Liverpool, and briefly managed Fredrikstad in 1946. He played one more season for Wolves in 1946–47, then retired due to injury and became assistant to manager Ted Vizard, having made 171 appearances for the club. In June 1948, aged 31, he became manager of Wolves. In his first season, he became the youngest manager to win the FA Cup at Wembley as Wolves beat Leicester City. Five years later Wolves won their first league title. Cullis's team beat Honvéd in a 1954 friendly, and his comments that his team were 'champions of the world' played a large part in the formation of European club competitions. They also played Moscow Spartak, Dynamo and Real Madrid (1957) in other floodlit friendlies. Cullis led Wolves to two more league titles, in 1957–58 and 1958–59, and they narrowly missed the hat-trick in 1959–60, losing by one point to Burnley, while also winning the FA Cup again in 1960. He was sacked in September 1964, and after a short spell as a sales representative, he returned as manager of Birmingham City in December 1965. He retired from football in March 1970 and took up a post with a travel agency in Malvern. Cullis died on 28 February 2001 at the age of 84. Tributes include the naming of the Stan Cullis Stand at Molineux Stadium and a statue outside it; in 2003 he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.

Reader's Guide

Cullis is remembered as the manager who led Wolverhampton Wanderers to their most successful era, winning three league titles (1953–54, 1957–58, 1958–59) and two FA Cups (1948–49, 1959–60). His team's floodlit friendlies against top European sides helped pave the way for the European Cup. As a player, he was a centre-half and captain of Wolves, earning 12 England caps. He is noted for refusing to give the Nazi salute in 1938.