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FRANK O'FARRELL -
MANAGERIAL PROFILE & MANCHESTER UNITED RECORD

 

Explore the managerial career of Frank O’Farrell at Manchester United, who took charge between 1971 and 1972 during the difficult transitional period following Sir Matt Busby’s retirement. This profile covers O’Farrell’s background, his brief time at Old Trafford, managerial stats, and the challenges he faced managing a declining squad of ageing legends. Learn how his early promise faded amidst inconsistent performances and dressing room unrest, ultimately leading to his dismissal. A key chapter in United’s managerial timeline, perfect for football historians and fans exploring the club’s turbulent 1970s era.

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Frank O'Farrell Manchester United manager

Republic of Ireland

Name: Alexander "Alex" Chapman Ferguson
Birthdate: 31/12/1941
Birthplace: Govan, Glasgow, Scotland
Passed Away:
Previous clubs as Player: Queen's Park, St. Johnstone, Dunfermline Athletic, Rangers, Falkirk, Ayr United
Previous clubs as Manager: East Stirlingshire, St. Mirren, Aberdeen, Scotland
From: 06/11/1986
To: 19/05/2013

Frank O'Farrell was an Irish football manager and former player, best known for his time as Manchester United manager in the early 1970s. Although his tenure at Old Trafford was relatively brief and came during a challenging period for the club, O'Farrell enjoyed a long and varied career in management. His time at United saw him tasked with the difficult job of succeeding Sir Matt Busby, and despite the difficulties he faced, O'Farrell is remembered for his contributions to football, both in England and internationally.

Frank O’Farrell’s Playing Career

Frank O'Farrell began his playing career in his native Ireland, before moving to West Ham United in 1948. He made a name for himself as a reliable and hard-working wing-half, playing for West Ham for seven years. In 1956, O'Farrell transferred to Preston North End, where he continued to perform at a high level, making over 100 appearances for the club. His playing career ended at Weymouth, where he transitioned into coaching.

Frank O’Farrell’s Time at Manchester United (1971–1972)

In 1971, after impressing as manager of Leicester City, Frank O'Farrell was appointed as Manchester United’s manager, succeeding Wilf McGuinness, who had struggled to fill the shoes of the legendary Sir Matt Busby. O'Farrell inherited a team that still had stars like George Best, Bobby Charlton, and Denis Law, but the squad was aging, and the club was going through a transitional period following Busby's long and successful reign.

Challenges at Manchester United

O'Farrell's time at Manchester United was marked by a strong start, as the team performed well in the early part of the 1971-72 season, leading the league by Christmas. However, the second half of the season saw a dramatic decline in form, and United ended up finishing 8th in the First Division.

The following season (1972-73) proved even more difficult. With aging players and a lack of investment in new talent, O'Farrell struggled to maintain consistency, and United’s performances dipped. Additionally, O'Farrell had to manage the volatile personality of George Best, who was increasingly difficult to handle both on and off the pitch.

By December 1972, after a series of poor results, including a heavy 5-0 loss to Crystal Palace, O'Farrell was sacked after just 18 months in charge, making his tenure one of the shortest in the club’s history.

Post-Manchester United Career

Following his departure from Manchester United, O’Farrell went on to manage a number of other clubs, including Cardiff City, and had a successful spell managing the Iran national team. His time with Iran saw him lead the team to victory in the 1976 Asian Cup, one of the highlights of his post-United managerial career.

O’Farrell returned to manage Torquay United, the club where he had previously enjoyed success, before retiring from management in the late 1980s.

Legacy

Frank O'Farrell faced a daunting task when he took over at Manchester United, as following Sir Matt Busby was always going to be a huge challenge. His time at Old Trafford was difficult, and despite some early promise, his tenure ended prematurely. Nevertheless, O'Farrell had a respectable career in football management, achieving success with Leicester City and Iran, and his contributions to the game are fondly remembered.

O'Farrell is often regarded as a victim of the challenging circumstances he inherited at Manchester United, with an aging squad and a club in transition. Though his time at the club was short, his professionalism and the dignity with which he handled the pressures of managing one of the biggest clubs in the world remain a key part of his legacy.

Summary

Frank O’Farrell was an experienced football manager and player who is best known for his brief tenure as Manchester United manager from 1971 to 1972, following the legendary Sir Matt Busby. Despite a promising start, O'Farrell struggled with an aging squad and inconsistent performances, leading to his dismissal after 18 months. He went on to manage various clubs, including Cardiff City and the Iran national team, where he won the 1976 Asian Cup. His legacy is one of professionalism, and his contributions to football, particularly outside of Manchester United, are well-respected.



OVERALL RECORD
All Competitions
P W D L F A Diff Win%
H 724 515 134 75 1537 524 +1013 71.13
A 717 354 187 176 1143 776 +367 49.37
N 59 26 17 16 89 65 +24 44.07
Total 1500 895 338 267 2769 1365 1404 59.67

DOMESTIC COMPETITION EUROPEAN COMPETITION OVERALL RECORD
Premiership FA Premiership European CupEuropean Cup All League GamesLeague Division OneLeague Division TwoFA Premiership
P W D L F A Diff Win%
H 405 305 66 34 910 270 +640 75.31
A 405 223 102 80 717 433 +284 55.06
Total 810 528 168 114 1627 703 924 65.19
P W D L F A Diff Win%
H 99 67 22 10 223 85 +138 67.68
A 99 42 29 28 125 94 +31 42.42
N 4 1 1 2 4 7 -3 25.00
Total 202 110 52 40 352 186 166 54.46
P W D L F A Diff Win%
H 517 370 95 52 1098 354 +744 71.57
A 518 255 143 120 848 576 +272 49.23
Total 1035 625 238 172 1946 930 1016 60.39
 
League Division 1League Division One UEFA Cup/Europa League UEFA Cup All European Games  European Cup UEFA Cup Cup Winners Cup Super Cup
P W D L F A Diff Win%
H 112 65 29 18 188 84 +104 58.04
A 113 32 41 40 131 143 -12 28.32
Total 225 97 70 58 319 227 92 43.11
P W D L F A Diff Win%
Total 0.00
P W D L F A Diff Win%
H 106 71 25 10 234 88 +146 66.98
A 105 46 30 29 133 98 +35 43.81
N 8 3 1 4 8 11 -3 37.50
Total 219 120 56 43 375 197 178 54.79
 
League Division 2 League Division Two    
P W D L F A Diff Win%
Total 0.00
   
League Cup League Cup Cup Winners CupCup Winners Cup All Domestic Cup Games League Cup FA Cup
P W D L F A Diff Win%
H 44 36 3 5 95 40 +55 81.82
A 46 23 6 17 75 60 +15 50.00
N 7 3 1 3 8 7 +1 42.86
Total 97 62 10 25 178 107 71 63.92
P W D L F A Diff Win%
H 6 3 3 0 10 3 +7 50.00
A 6 4 1 1 8 4 +4 66.67
N 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 100.00
Total 13 8 4 1 20 8 12 61.54
P W D L F A Diff Win%
H 97 74 12 11 200 75 +125 76.29
A 90 52 12 26 159 100 +59 57.78
N 30 16 8 6 49 25 +24 53.33
Total 217 142 32 43 408 200 208 65.44
 
FA Cup FA Cup Inter Continental Cup Intercontinental Cup  
P W D L F A Diff Win%
H 53 38 9 6 105 35 +70 71.70
A 44 29 6 9 84 40 +44 65.91
N 23 13 7 3 41 18 +23 56.52
Total 120 80 22 18 230 93 137 66.67
P W D L F A Diff Win%
N 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 100.00
Total 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 100.00
 
 
Charity Shield Charity Shield World Club Championship/Club World Cup Club World Cup  
P W D L F A Diff Win%
N 16 4 7 5 22 22 0 25.00
Total 16 4 7 5 22 22 0 25.00
P W D L F A Diff Win%
Total 0.00
 
 
  Super Cup Super Cup  
 
P W D L F A Diff Win%
H 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 100.00
N 2 0 0 2 1 3 -2 0.00
Total 3 1 0 2 2 3 -1 33.33
 
 
Frank O'Farrell Managerial Record by Season
Season League
League Division One
League Cup
F.A. Cup
Total
1971/1972 8th (Div 1) 4th Round 6th Round 0
1972/1973 *18th (Div 1) 3rd Round   0
TOTAL 0 0 0 0
* Frank O'Farrell was replaced by Tommy Docherty after 22 league games.
 

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