SPORTS RETRO BARNSLEY MAN MANAGED SWEDEN TO SECOND AND THIRD IN WORLD CUP FINALS Raynor, South Yorkshire’s forgotten football giant Freelance writer Kelsey Raynor pays tribute to her late relative Barnsley-born George Raynor, who managed Swe- den to the later stages of two World Cup finals in an amaz- ing career which finished as boss of Doncaster Rovers, but is sadly little remembered in English football circles. Born in Hoyland, South York- shire on the 13th of January 1907, George Raynor had grown up in an area populat- ed by coal miners. Little did we know that George Raynor coaching youngsters in Sheffield, above; with wife Phyllis and youngest son, David after arriving at Belle George’s upbringing in this Vue, below; and with Jackie Bestall, who was to take over as Rovers caretaker when George left, bottom mining town would produce one of England’s greatest football managers. From an early age, aca- demic success and football became part of George’s daily life. In his autobiogra- phy Football Ambassador at Large he informs readers that he was in the Standard 7 aged 10 and attended Barnsley and District Grammar, whose pu- pils also included Dickie Bird, George Raynor at Belle Vue with the Town End in the background; below: a after receiving a County Mi- Raynor era Rovers team group from 1968. nor Scholarship. George later started an apprenticeship at his local butchery but not having Sat- urdays, the day of sport , to himself soon saw him resign and become a labourer. This resulted in him meet- ing his wife, Phyllis Whitfield in Elsecar. Phyllis had been a FACT FILE member of the Bible Class n GEORGE SIDNEY RAYNOR - born near to where George trained Hoyland Common Jan 30, 1907; died and she informed him of the November 11, 1985. Elsecar Bible Class’ football n PLAYING CAREER- Elsecar Bible team where George’s playing Class, Mexborough Athletic, Wom- career began. bwell, Sheffield United, Mansfield In 1929 George Raynor Town, Rotherham United, Bury, Al- signed for Wombwell, where dershot. taf VI for his achievement in a result described as an em- the majority of the Raynor n TEAMS MANAGED - Iraq, Alder- Settling in Skegness where barrassing defeat. family live to this day. shot Reserves, Sweden (twice), GAI- he could provide his youngest George managed Doncas- A long and significant ca- SA, AIK, Atvidaberg, Juventus, Lazio, son, David, an English educa- ter Rovers from June 1967 to reer followed after he was re- Coventry City, Skegness Town, Djur- tion, George found work at November 1968 before being peatedly watched by scouts. gardens, Doncaster Rovers. aButlin’s holiday camp and as diagnosed with Alzheimer’s George played for Sheffield a PE teacher at a local school. linked to cerebral vascular dis- United, Mansfield Town, was posted to North Africa feating Yugoslavia 3-1 in the Sweden but returned for his Despite having been of- ease which ultimately lead to Rotherham United, Bury and before transferring to Iraq final at Wembley. Then once second stint in 1956 and led fered an array of football-re- his death on November 11 1985 Aldershot where the 1939/40 where his management career again, in the 1950 FIFA World Sweden to what remains today lated jobs, George didn’t want in Buxton. season had only lasted three began with Iraq. Cup in Brazil, the Sweden beat their best ever achievement, to settle for anything less than Laid to rest in the grounds matches before the declara- In 1946 Stanley Rous re- Italy to finish in third place af- finishing runners-up to Brazil managing England after his of Trinity Church in Elsecar, tion of World War II. leased George from Aldershot ter defeat to the later champi- in the 1958 World Cup. success in Sweden. George’s death went unre- George signed up to be an and recommended him to ons, Uruguay. Sweden went Brazi won the final 5-2 in a However, a lack of interest corded in British newspapers Army PT Instructor but was Sweden - a move which led to on to take a bronze-medal at tournament which saw the de- was shown towards George with no obituary notices pub- exempted in July 1940 follow- George’s most prodigious mo- the 1952 Olympic Games in but of a little-known 17-year- and became manager of Skeg- lished. More sadly, his legacy ing a knee injury suffered at ments in football, managing Helsinki. old Pele. ness Town in 1958, not long went unpreserved and un- Aldershot. But he did see the team from 1946 – 1954 and George managed a host George then returned to before managing Sweden for noticed by many, despite his service overseas while con- 56-58. In 1948, they famously of other clubs before and af- England having been awarded a one-off game at Wembley unique approach and bril- tinuing to play football. He won the Olympic Games de- ter his first spell in charge of a knighthood from King Gus- against England, who lost 3-2 liant record..