Ron Atkinson's Factfile

Personal Life
Ron was born in Liverpool on 18th March 1939, but he grew up in the West Midlands. "My parents lived in the Midlands. My mother, Anne, was from Liverpool and my dad, Fred, was from Birmingham. But mum wanted me to be born in Liverpool, so she went up to the house of one of my aunties to have me."

Ron's footie career began when he first joined Aston Villa as a teenage wing-half. He was working at the BSA cycle factory and reached Villa's reserves even though he was only an amateur.

Ron became professional with League newcomers Oxford Untied, where he enjoyed a long playing career (more than 500 appearances) before leaving in 1971.

Ron's first managers job was at Kettering Town and he stayed there for three years. The came spells at Cambridge United and West Brom before taking over the ropes at Manchester United.


Did You Know?

In 1981 Ron smashed the British tranfer record to sign £1.5million Bryan Robson. Bill Shankly, who Ron frequenty turned to for advice, was pivotal in the Robson transfer "Shanks was in my office at Old Trafford and it was probably the first time I thought the Robson transfer wasn't going to happen. It had stalled. I said to Shanks 'Tell me what you would do' and he said 'Son, pay whatever it takes but get him!'

Ron is a huge Sinatra fan "Sinatra could light a fag better than anyone else, let alone sing. The man was a genius. I saw him at the Albert Hall in 1984 when people said he was past it. I wish I could be that past it. He could still work a song."

Ron was fired from Manchester United to make way for Alex Ferguson (who it was thought could finally bring a league title to Old Trafford). When the axe fell Brian Clough said, "That Ron Atkinson, what a failure! Never out of the top four, two Wembley wins, Europe every season. Blimey, I wish I could "fail" on such a consistent basis!"


Cool Credentials

In 2002 Total Football magazine readers declared Ron "the best television pundit ever".

Ron is fondly thought to be football's most charismatic commentator. He has created his own dictionary of football terms that has been dubbed "'Ronglish". For example: Lollipops (step-overs); Giving it the eyebrows (a player indicating he's unmarked); A reducer (a tackle so hard it reduces the effectiveness of the player).

Ron is also famous for his one- liners, which he take a good natured ribibng about. Classic comments include:
* 'There's nobody fitter at his age (39-year-old Gordon Strachan), except maybe Raquel Welch.'
* 'Well, Clive, it's all about the two Ms - movement and positioning.'
* 'Well, either side could win it, or it could be a draw.'
* 'Woodcock would have scored but his shot was too perfect.'
* 'I never comment on referees and I'm not going to break the habit of a lifetime for that prat.'