• Tommy Docherty

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:25 pm**

News just breaking that Tommy Docherty has passed away. His son Mick played for Burnley.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:26 pm**

Just saw that on Twitter. Sad news indeed. RIP Tommy

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:27 pm**

Great character was Tommy Doc. RIP Tommy. Sad news.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:27 pm**

RIP Doch

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:30 pm**

Eric Morcambe said he was one of the bravest men he had ever met and the only thing he feared was closing time.R.I.P The Doc .

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:30 pm**

More clubs than Jack Nicholas!

RIP Tommy. Very sad news.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:30 pm**

He was great.
Apparently recommended Mick to join Burnley as a youth-teamer.
R.I.P. The Doc.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:30 pm**

Condolences to Mick Docherty and all the family. RIP

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:32 pm**

Paul Fletcher told me he wasn't well a while ago but I saw him on TV recently and he looked quite good. Never saw him play but my dad said he was as hard as nails. He once said he'd been taken ill a few years ago and should keep out of football for a year. He said he did, he took the Wolves job.

RIP Doc.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:39 pm**

Many years ago I went to a Sportsman's Dinner at Workington Golf Club where he was the main speaker.
He was very entertaining.

RIP Doc.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:40 pm**

RIP Doc a real character manager

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:41 pm**

He was a great character. Him and Bill Shankly together was priceless. Many times I've listened to him eulogising the skills and ability of Tom Finney who he considered the finest player of his generation. Praise indeed for an Englishman from a Scotsman. RIP Tommy Docherty.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:43 pm**

Sad news, a genuinely funny man and a real football legend

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:44 pm**

boatshed bill wrote: ↑
Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:30 pm
He was great.
Apparently recommended Mick to join Burnley as a youth-teamer.
R.I.P. The Doc.

That's right. He said that Burnley was the best place to learn football. I believe Tommy was at United then, so quite a compliment.

RIP Doc.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:46 pm**

RIP Tommy.
I’ll remember him for sending 7 Chelsea players home after a Friday night on the town. He played the stiffs the next day against us and Andy Lochhead grabbed 5 in a 6-2 win.
Not Willie Morgans favourite man.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:48 pm**

This year keeps bringing bad news, roll on midnight and 2021, it surely can't be any worse.

RIP Tommy Doc, one of the last of the great characters in the game, I didn't realise he was 92, not a bad innings really,

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:51 pm**

RIP Tommy and sincere condolences to Michael and family. I met Tommy at a TCFC Sportsman's Dinner many years ago.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:56 pm**

Huw- They were staying in Blackpool and a good few of the team had a right old night out.

RIP The Doc

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:58 pm**

He lived up the lane from me in the 70's. I saw leighton James visiting you can imagine how excited I was. I met him a couple of years ago when me and a friend came over to watch the Clarets at Anfield. He had nothing but good words to say about Burnley when I told him I was a Claret. Very interesting and funny man.
RIP. Tommy Docherty

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:01 pm**

Proper football man. Bet he would hate today’s mamby pamby stuff. RIP Doc

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:02 pm**

R.I.P Tommy Doc.
One of footballs larger than life character, and provided us with a damn good fullback too.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:02 pm**

RIP Tommy Docherty.Top man and manager.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:05 pm**

Wow, I would never have guessed he made 92, thought he was quite a bit younger. RIP Doc and condolences to family and friend

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:06 pm**

One of the old school and saved Man U from oblivion in the 70's and before Fergie took over and led them into orbit and world domination. As said, a real character and one of those guys people of my era thought of as a proper "star". His departure from Man U was an interesting story at the time to say the least, but he stuck to his principles over it and that was no surprise.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:08 pm**

RIP, old school manager and as others have alluded to a brilliant after dinner speaker.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:14 pm**

R.I.P. Tommy. Condolences to Mick and the family. Football has lost some big characters this year.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:19 pm**

He was a hard man and would have tackled a double decker bus if asked to do so!
A real character who had a good career both on the field and as a manager. I just wonder what he would make of the sterile modern game.

RIP Tommy Docherty, a player who I always enjoyed watching when he was at Preston with the great Tom Finney.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:26 pm**

When he was at Preston he heard Tom Finney was earning £10 a week during the season and £8 during the close season. Doc asks why he was only paid £6 per week during the close season. Finney is a better player than you was the reply.

Not in the close season he isn't said Doc. As said one of the characters in the game. Condolences to Mick Doc on his loss. RIP Doc

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:29 pm**

RIP, Tommy. Thoughts are with Mick and the rest of the family at this sad time...

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:40 pm**

Tommy joined us at our table and had a pre match lunch with us around five years ago in the 100 club lounge. He was great company, witty and as sharp as a tack for his age. RIP Tommy, a true football man.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:49 pm**

Probably the last of that generation, he joined Preston as a full back from Celtic in 1949 to replace Bill Shankly, who'd just retired to take the manager's job at Carlisle. He also cited Burnley born Jimmy Hogan, as his greatest influence after being coached by him at Chelsea ...

So many tales about Doherty, my favourite was when he was asked to select his greatest post-war British team, He looked straight at the interviewer and said, " Tom Finney would be my Number 10, but I'd have to think about the rest ! " ....

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 6:03 pm**

RIP Tommy. I was a guest of Willie Irvine at his golden wedding, where I was introduced to Bert Murray by Willie, who played together at Brighton. While we chatted Bert said he’d been in the Chelsea squad staying in Blackpool, which was due to play Burnley in the game when some of the team were sent home. Tommy had allowed the players to go out for a drink for an hour. As some were late, he arranged for a staff members to sit up until they got back. One in the foyer and one on the stairs, covering the fire escape. 6 players were caught coming back very late in,via the fire escape. At breakfast they were told to pack their bags and get the train back to London. Bert and a couple of players decided they would instead go on the match, which they watched from the Longside, in case they were seen by the press or someone from Chelsea.
The ex Chelsea players had a grand re union every year at Stamford Bridge and it was at one of those Tommy told Bert he’d collected nothing from his managing/playing days.
It gave me the opportunity of going through my then vast programme collection to pass some onto Tommy. I found a PNE vBfc 1954 game he played in and Bill Shankly was their manager. The Utd v Saints cup final. Utd in European cup games, I think v Barcelona and Juventus, plus many more.
I visited Bert at his pub near Peterborough (The Bull?) and gave him the programmes, for the next re union dinner. I was asked to leave my Tel No. It was before I’d a mobile phone. One day I got home from work to see a message showing. I got the shock of my life when I heard Tommy’s voice “ A A it’s Tommy Docherty here,( in that broad accent), I was very pleased to receive the football programmes you passed to Bert and want to say how grateful I am. I’ve now something to show my grandkids, about their Grandads past”.
It was a long time before that message was removed from my phone.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 6:52 pm**

: received_2470977543209813.jpeg (25.21 KiB) Viewed 2732 times

In the absence of Lord Beamish

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:14 pm**

Bfc wrote: ↑
Thu Dec 31, 2020 6:03 pm
RIP Tommy. I was a guest of Willie Irvine at his golden wedding, where I was introduced to Bert Murray by Willie, who played together at Brighton. While we chatted Bert said he’d been in the Chelsea squad staying in Blackpool, which was due to play Burnley in the game when some of the team were sent home. Tommy had allowed the players to go out for a drink for an hour. As some were late, he arranged for a staff members to sit up until they got back. One in the foyer and one on the stairs, covering the fire escape. 6 players were caught coming back very late in,via the fire escape. At breakfast they were told to pack their bags and get the train back to London. Bert and a couple of players decided they would instead go on the match, which they watched from the Longside, in case they were seen by the press or someone from Chelsea.
The ex Chelsea players had a grand re union every year at Stamford Bridge and it was at one of those Tommy told Bert he’d collected nothing from his managing/playing days.
It gave me the opportunity of going through my then vast programme collection to pass some onto Tommy. I found a PNE vBfc 1954 game he played in and Bill Shankly was their manager. The Utd v Saints cup final. Utd in European cup games, I think v Barcelona and Juventus, plus many more.
I visited Bert at his pub near Peterborough (The Bull?) and gave him the programmes, for the next re union dinner. I was asked to leave my Tel No. It was before I’d a mobile phone. One day I got home from work to see a message showing. I got the shock of my life when I heard Tommy’s voice “ A A it’s Tommy Docherty here,( in that broad accent), I was very pleased to receive the football programmes you passed to Bert and want to say how grateful I am. I’ve now something to show my grandkids, about their Grandads past”.
It was a long time before that message was removed from my phone.

Genuinely heartwarming.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:17 pm**

Gordaleman wrote: ↑
Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:44 pm
That's right. He said that Burnley was the best place to learn football. I believe Tommy was at United then, so quite a compliment.

RIP Doc.

Of course Mick was in the famous 'Team of the 70's' of the great Jimmy Adamson. Right back. Still lives locally (to me) as Tommy did at one time.

Did Tommy play in the same team as Bill.Shankly at PNE?

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:27 pm**

He was a speaker at a charity event I went to years ago. Very funny guy

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:38 pm**

Stayingup wrote: ↑
Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:17 pm
Of course Mick was in the famous 'Team of the 70's' of the great Jimmy Adamson. Right back. Still lives locally (to me) as Tommy did at one time.

Did Tommy play in the same team as Bill.Shankly at PNE?

I am fairly certain that Shankly went to manage Carlisle in 1949 and Tommy mover from Celtic and replaced him at Preston.
They both played during the war at verious clubs, however, Tommy was in the Army and Bill was in the RAF so probably never played together.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:41 pm**

I enjoyed this snippet from the Guardian's obituary of him

The Glaswegian left to become manager of unfashionable Rotherham and memorably said: “I promised I would take Rotherham out of the Second Division – and I took them into the Third. The old chairman said: ‘Doc, you’re a man of your word!”’

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:53 pm**

He once got called in by the QPR chairman, think it was Jim Gregory.

Gregory said: “I think it’s time for the parting of the ways Tom,” to which Doc replied: “Why? Where are you going Mr Chairman.”

He once did a sportsman’s dinner for us and didn’t turn up. I was in a state of panic and then we got a call to say he was stuck in traffic and he’d get there as soon as possible. He arrived during the main course but handed half of his fee back because he was late. Good entertainment too.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:58 pm**

Rest in Peace 'Doc' one hell of a character in the game of football.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 8:03 pm**

Jenny55 wrote: ↑
Thu Dec 31, 2020 5:40 pm
Tommy joined us at our table and had a pre match lunch with us around five years ago in the 100 club lounge. He was great company, witty and as sharp as a tack for his age. RIP Tommy, a true football man.

I was on the next table, Jenny, I still got chance to say hello and yes I agree, a top football man.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 8:11 pm**

RIP Tommy.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 8:28 pm**

God bless you Tommy RIP

Posted: **Fri Jan 01, 2021 1:20 am**

Have to say he’s another one in the “though he died years ago” camp, but sad all the same.

Posted: **Fri Jan 01, 2021 1:26 am**

scouseclaret wrote: ↑
Fri Jan 01, 2021 1:20 am
Have to say he’s another one in the “though he died years ago” camp, but sad all the same.

Been ill for a while it’s been reported but he was on tv in November when a couple of Chelsea youth players visited him as part of the remembrance. I thought he was looking good for his age.

Posted: **Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:49 am**

A uncompromising player with a "they shall not pass" attitude and a true character. I did see him play a couple of times but can't remember much about those games. My dad thought the Doc was a very good player.
RIP

Posted: **Fri Jan 01, 2021 6:56 am**

Rip Tommy.

Posted: **Fri Jan 01, 2021 7:40 am**

RIP Tommy. Eerie that I was just talking about Tommy about an hour before the news broke with my wife. Referring to how Tommy's son, Mick; had come to us as a lad because Tommy admired our ability to bring players through.

Posted: **Fri Jan 01, 2021 7:50 am**

A great character, he will be sadly missed. Our condolences to Michael and all the family.

Posted: **Fri Jan 01, 2021 10:01 am**

Sad news. He did a Sportsmens' Evening at KSC 110 Club in the mid 1980s and was good value.

Tommy Docherty - RIP

Tommy Docherty - RIP

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