Harry Gregg

Harry Gregg ( born October 25, 1932 in Magherafelt, Derry ) is a former Northern Irish football player and coach.

Career as a player

Greggs club career

The goalkeeper started with the game of football as a teenager with the Rangers and the Swifts in the Belfast district Linfield, before he moved to FC Coleraine. His qualities he was able to show from the end of 1952 after the change to the Doncaster Rovers on a higher level, namely in the second English league. In services of the " Rovers " he made his debut in 1954 in the Northern Ireland national team. Gregg's strengths were in an excellent penalty area and his reaction speed on the line.

The end of 1957 obliged him Manchester United for £ 23,500, with which he was regarded as the most expensive "Goal Keeper " of his time. In this phase were his great successes, but also one of the darkest hours of football at all: no, three months after his move, he survived a plane crash in Munich, in which 23 of the 43 passengers were killed, including eight teammates from Manchester United. Gregg saved quite a few players - these included Bobby Charlton, Jackie Blanchflower and Dennis Viollet - and other passengers off the plane and was awarded with the Order of MBE.

With United he won, whose trademark a yellow sweater ( "The man in the yellow sweater ") was, in 1957, the English championship and was also twice in the final of the National Cup ( "FA Cup "). For Cup victory of 1963 he was due to a severe shoulder injury contribute little, and also Manchester's league title from 1965 was not counted for him in England, because - due to injury again - this season came on too little inserts and withheld for this reason, the official championship medal remained.

From December 1966 to 1968 he was still guarded at Stoke City goal, with which he ascended into the top flight in 1967.

Stations

• Linfield Rangers and Linfield Swifts ( as a teenager )
• FC Coleraine (up to 1952)
• Doncaster Rovers ( 1952-1957 )
• Manchester United ( 1957-1966 )
• Stoke City ( 1966-1968 )

The National Players

Between 1954 and 1964 Harry Gregg played 25 caps for Northern Ireland; personal highlight was the Football World Cup 1958, where he carried his parades and reflexes not only spoke repeatedly in the preliminary round, the German striker in the 2-2 to despair. Unlike England and Scotland, the Northern Irish were there even in the quarterfinals of the tournament, where then, however, also Gregg could not prevent the departure of his team against France. For his achievements he was subsequently voted the best goalkeeper of the tournament.

The coach

Between 1968 and 1987, he has coached numerous, mostly unterklassige clubs, but from 1978 to 1981, he also belonged to the coaching staff of "his" Manchester United. Specifically, he worked at Shrewsbury Town (1968-1972, 3rd League ) Swansea City ( 1972-1975, 3rd and 4th league), Crewe Alexandra ( 1975-1978, 4th league), for a short time in Saudi Arabia and after three years at Manchester United in 1982 again at Swansea, Swindon Town (1984 /85) and Carlisle United (1986 /87).

Life after football

Harry Gregg today operates a hotel in the Northern Ireland coastal town of Portstewart and is honorary president of the local football club. In 2002 he released his autobiography "From Munich to Maxwell".

Achievements and honors

• English Cup: Finalist in 1957, 1958
• 25 A - internationals for Northern Ireland; World Cup participant in 1958
• Member of the Order of the British Empire

• Soccer goalkeeper (Northern Ireland)
• Football coach (Northern Ireland)
• Hotelier
• Author
• Autobiography
• Person (Manchester United)
• Northern Irishman
• Member of the Order of the British Empire
• Born in 1932
• Man