#4 Jimmy Murphy - The man who rebuilt Manchester United
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Jimmy Murphy was an assistant manager, chief coach, reserve team manager, a full-time scout and a part-time manager for Manchester United from 1946 to 1970s. So how does a person who was neither a player nor a manager make this list?
After the Munich tragedy in 1958, Manchester United lost most of their team and the manager, Matt Busby, was in the hospital for nearly two months. Jimmy Murphy was fortunately not on the plane. He was the one who worked with the players right from the moment they arrived at Manchester United’s doorstep, nurturing them and harnessing their talents. This tragedy would have broken most men but not the Welshman.
Jimmy Murphy famously prevented the club from going into administration. He temporarily took over as the manager, signed emergency players on short notice, assembled a substitute team and steered them to the final of the FA Cup.
Writing in his autobiography Murphy explained: “As my mind dwelt on the full appalling horror of it all I thought I would go mad, although I was doing my best to think about the future.” The very existence of Manchester United is owed to this great Welshman and his bravery during the toughest of times.
Manchester United later commissioned ‘Jimmy Murphy Young player of the year’ award in Murphy’s honour.
