# Lawrie McMenemy
**Lawrie McMenemy** (born 26 July 1936 in [Gateshead](https://www.edgepedia.org/gateshead), County Durham) is a football manager best known for his time in charge of Southampton, whom he managed from 1973.[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/) In 1976 he guided the club, then in the Second Division, to a 1-0 win over Manchester United in the [FA Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fa-cup) final at Wembley before a crowd of 99,115, decided by Bobby Stokes's 83rd-minute goal.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/feb/25/lawrie-mcmenemy-southampton-manchester-united-1976-fa-cup-final) His Southampton teams were also runners-up in the 1979 League Cup final and in the First Division in 1983-84, and in 1980 he persuaded England captain [Kevin Keegan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-keegan) to join the club.[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/) • [3](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/closeup-lawrie-mcmenemy-morality-play-of-a-saint-1341312.html) • [4](https://www.bigissue.com/news/never-forget-where-you-came-from-lawrie-mcmenemy-lifetime-in-football/) He later served as assistant manager of England and manager of Northern Ireland.[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 26 July 1936, Gateshead, County Durham[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/) |
| Defining achievement | Southampton, then of the Second Division, beat Manchester United 1-0 in the 1976 FA Cup final at Wembley before a crowd of 99,115; Bobby Stokes scored the only goal in the 83rd minute[2](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/feb/25/lawrie-mcmenemy-southampton-manchester-united-1976-fa-cup-final) |
| Southampton tenure | Manager from 1973; also runners-up in the 1979 League Cup final and in the First Division in 1983-84[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/) • [3](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/closeup-lawrie-mcmenemy-morality-play-of-a-saint-1341312.html) |
| Famous signing | Persuaded Kevin Keegan, then England captain and a two-time European Player of the Year, to join Southampton in 1980 after two years in the Bundesliga[3](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/closeup-lawrie-mcmenemy-morality-play-of-a-saint-1341312.html) • [4](https://www.bigissue.com/news/never-forget-where-you-came-from-lawrie-mcmenemy-lifetime-in-football/) |
| Later posts | England assistant manager, July 1990 to November 1993; Southampton director of football, January 1994 to June 1997; Northern Ireland manager from 1998[5](https://www.lermitte.be/boek-engels/Taking_le_Tiss_-_Matt_Le_Tissier.pdf) • [1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/) |
| Honors | MBE; honorary Doctor of Laws, University of Bath, December 2015; Freeman of Southampton, 2007[2](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/feb/25/lawrie-mcmenemy-southampton-manchester-united-1976-fa-cup-final) • [1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/) • [4](https://www.bigissue.com/news/never-forget-where-you-came-from-lawrie-mcmenemy-lifetime-in-football/) |
## Early life and playing career
McMenemy was born into a large family in Gateshead, County Durham, and passed his 11-plus to attend St Cuthbert's Grammar School in Newcastle[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/). While doing his National Service in the [Coldstream Guards](https://www.edgepedia.org/coldstream-guards) he suffered an injury that ended his ambition to become a professional footballer with Newcastle United; he reached the rank of Lance Sergeant after nine months and later said the leadership experience helped his coaching career[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/) • [4](https://www.bigissue.com/news/never-forget-where-you-came-from-lawrie-mcmenemy-lifetime-in-football/). After leaving the army he worked in the education department of the local authority while playing for Gateshead, until injury cut his playing career short at 22[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/) • [3](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/closeup-lawrie-mcmenemy-morality-play-of-a-saint-1341312.html).
## Early managerial career
He began coaching at Gladstone Terrace Youth Club and became trainer-coach at Gateshead in 1961[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/). In 1964 he was appointed manager of [Bishop Auckland](https://www.edgepedia.org/bishop-auckland) and transformed the side into Northern League champions, then coached at Sheffield Wednesday before taking over at Doncaster Rovers[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/). He remained at [Doncaster](https://www.edgepedia.org/doncaster) until May 1971, when he became manager of Grimsby Town, winning divisional championships at both clubs[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/). At Grimsby he took his players to the docks at 4:30 one morning to see the working lives of the fans who paid their wages, a lesson in civic obligation he carried to [Southampton](https://www.edgepedia.org/southampton)[4](https://www.bigissue.com/news/never-forget-where-you-came-from-lawrie-mcmenemy-lifetime-in-football/) • [1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/).
## Southampton
McMenemy became manager of Southampton in 1973, succeeding the long-serving Ted Bates[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/). In 1976 he guided the club, then in the Second Division, to its first major trophy: a 1-0 FA Cup final win over Manchester United at Wembley, decided by Bobby Stokes's 83rd-minute goal[2](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/feb/25/lawrie-mcmenemy-southampton-manchester-united-1976-fa-cup-final). Southampton had finished sixth in the Second Division that season against a United side heading for third in the First, and bookmakers priced them at six or seven to one[2](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/feb/25/lawrie-mcmenemy-southampton-manchester-united-1976-fa-cup-final). The open-top bus parade planned for 45 minutes took four and a half hours[2](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/feb/25/lawrie-mcmenemy-southampton-manchester-united-1976-fa-cup-final) • [4](https://www.bigissue.com/news/never-forget-where-you-came-from-lawrie-mcmenemy-lifetime-in-football/).
**Consolidation in the top flight.** Two years after the Cup win he took the club up to the First Division[6](https://www.bigredbook.info/lawrie_mcmenemy.html). His Southampton teams were runners-up in the League Cup in 1979, losing 3-2 to [Brian Clough](https://www.edgepedia.org/brian-clough)'s Nottingham Forest, and in the First Division in 1983-84[3](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/closeup-lawrie-mcmenemy-morality-play-of-a-saint-1341312.html) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/feb/25/lawrie-mcmenemy-southampton-manchester-united-1976-fa-cup-final).
**The Keegan coup.** In 1980 he persuaded Kevin Keegan, then England captain and recently of Hamburg in the [Bundesliga](https://www.edgepedia.org/bundesliga), to join Southampton[3](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/closeup-lawrie-mcmenemy-morality-play-of-a-saint-1341312.html). According to a FourFourTwo account, McMenemy phoned Keegan under the guise of needing light fittings made only in Hamburg, then steered the conversation to Keegan's plans once his Hamburg contract expired[7](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/kevin-keegan-how-liverpool-hamburg-southampton-and-newcastle-fell-head-over-heels-in-love-with-king-kev). McMenemy called it "the signing of all time", noting that away crowds rose wherever Southampton played that season[4](https://www.bigissue.com/news/never-forget-where-you-came-from-lawrie-mcmenemy-lifetime-in-football/). Mick Channon, a member of that team, said there was no secret to his success: "He was great with the big names. He could recognize good players and he allowed them to perform at their best"[3](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/closeup-lawrie-mcmenemy-morality-play-of-a-saint-1341312.html).
He also started Southampton's academies at Newcastle and Bristol, which he said produced [Alan Shearer](https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-shearer), Gareth Bale and Jason Dodd: "We ran the academies for pennies and they produced millions"[4](https://www.bigissue.com/news/never-forget-where-you-came-from-lawrie-mcmenemy-lifetime-in-football/).
**Departure.** In May 1985 the club manager, Lawrie McMenemy, resigned and was eventually replaced by Chris Nicholl[8](https://www.11kbw.com/content/uploads/independent-review-into-child-sexual-abuse-in-football-1970-2005.pdf); the [University of Bath](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-bath) oration dates his departure to 1986[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/).
## Sunderland, England and later roles
McMenemy spent 21 unhappy months at [Sunderland](https://www.edgepedia.org/sunderland) after leaving Southampton, where boardroom conflict was described as "open warfare"; the failure there put him out of football for three years[3](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/closeup-lawrie-mcmenemy-morality-play-of-a-saint-1341312.html). [Graham Taylor](https://www.edgepedia.org/graham-taylor) brought him back as England assistant manager in July 1990, a post he held until November 1993, where his rapport with senior players, notably [Paul Gascoigne](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-gascoigne), and his handling of the media were considered important[3](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/closeup-lawrie-mcmenemy-morality-play-of-a-saint-1341312.html) • [5](https://www.lermitte.be/boek-engels/Taking_le_Tiss_-_Matt_Le_Tissier.pdf). In 1992, Taylor, Howard Wilkinson, McMenemy and others formed the League Managers Association[9](https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmcumeds/792/792ii.pdf).
He returned to Southampton as director of football in January 1994, remaining until June 1997 by one account and until 1998 by the Bath oration[5](https://www.lermitte.be/boek-engels/Taking_le_Tiss_-_Matt_Le_Tissier.pdf) • [1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/). In the role he helped calm supporters campaigning against manager Ian Branfoot, acted as the club's voice during the [Bruce Grobbelaar](https://www.edgepedia.org/bruce-grobbelaar) affair, and took part in negotiations over a new stadium[3](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/closeup-lawrie-mcmenemy-morality-play-of-a-saint-1341312.html). In 1998 he was appointed manager of Northern Ireland and retired from managing in 2000[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/).
## Later life and recognition
After retiring he concentrated on his role as an FA special ambassador, became chairman of Special Olympics in 2004, the country's largest provider of year-round sports training and competition programs for children and adults with learning disabilities, and is now the organization's President[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/). McMenemy serves as patron of the Alzheimer's Disease Association and supports Scope, the NSPCC, and the National Autistic Society, while also acting as a trustee of the Peter Osgood Trust[1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/). He received his MBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2006, became a Freeman of Southampton in 2007, and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Bath in December 2015[4](https://www.bigissue.com/news/never-forget-where-you-came-from-lawrie-mcmenemy-lifetime-in-football/) • [1](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/).
## References
1. [Lawrie McMenemy MBE: oration, University of Bath](https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/lawrie-mcmenemy-mbe-oration/)
2. [Lawrie McMenemy: 'Southampton didn't have a cat in hell's chance', The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/feb/25/lawrie-mcmenemy-southampton-manchester-united-1976-fa-cup-final)
3. [Close-up: Lawrie McMenemy; Morality play of a Saint, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/closeup-lawrie-mcmenemy-morality-play-of-a-saint-1341312.html)
4. [Lawrie McMenemy: "Never forget where you came from", Big Issue](https://www.bigissue.com/news/never-forget-where-you-came-from-lawrie-mcmenemy-lifetime-in-football/)
5. [Taking Le Tiss, Matt Le Tissier (publisher preview)](https://www.lermitte.be/boek-engels/Taking_le_Tiss_-_Matt_Le_Tissier.pdf)
6. [This Is Your Life: Lawrie McMenemy](https://www.bigredbook.info/lawrie_mcmenemy.html)
7. [Kevin Keegan: how Liverpool, Hamburg, Southampton and Newcastle fell Head Over Heels In Love with King Kev, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/kevin-keegan-how-liverpool-hamburg-southampton-and-newcastle-fell-head-over-heels-in-love-with-king-kev)
8. [Chapter 9. The Clubs, Independent Review into Child Sexual Abuse in Football 1970-2005](https://www.11kbw.com/content/uploads/independent-review-into-child-sexual-abuse-in-football-1970-2005.pdf)
9. [Oral evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee (2010-12), Parliament](https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmcumeds/792/792ii.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Managers and coaches › English managers and coaches › Historic English managers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license