Noel Cantwell facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Noel Euchuria Cornelius Cantwell | ||
| Date of birth | 28 February 1932 | ||
| Place of birth | Cork, Ireland | ||
| Date of death | 8 September 2005 (aged 73) | ||
| Place of death | Peterborough, England | ||
| Playing position | Full-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1949–1950 | Western Rovers | ||
| 1950–1952 | Cork Athletic | ? | (1) |
| 1952–1960 | West Ham United | 248 | (11) |
| 1960–1967 | Manchester United | 123 | (6) |
| Total | 371 | (18) | |
| National team | |||
| 1953–1967 | Republic of Ireland | 36 | (14) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1967–1972 | Coventry City | ||
| 1972–1977 | Peterborough United | ||
| 1977–1979 | New England Tea Men | ||
| 1980–1982 | Jacksonville Tea Men | ||
| 1986–1988 | Peterborough United | ||
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Noel Euchuria Cornelius Cantwell (born February 28, 1932 – died September 8, 2005) was a talented Irish sportsman. He was famous for playing both football and cricket.
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Playing for Football Clubs
Noel Cantwell was born in Cork, Ireland. He went to school at Presentation Brothers College in Cork. He played as a full-back (a defensive player) for several football clubs. These included Western Rovers, Cork Athletic, West Ham United, and Manchester United.
Time at West Ham United
While playing for West Ham, Noel was part of the London XI team. This team played in the 1955–58 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final in 1958. He was also the captain of West Ham when they won the Division Two championship in the 1957–58 season. This win helped the club get into the top division of English football for the first time since 1932.
Moving to Manchester United
In November 1960, Cantwell joined Manchester United. His transfer cost £29,500, which was a record amount for a full-back at that time. He helped Manchester United win the league titles in 1965 and 1967. He also captained the team when they won the 1963 FA Cup Final. This was a special moment, as another Irish player, Johnny Carey, had captained United to an FA Cup win 15 years earlier.
Playing for His Country
Cantwell played 36 international matches for the Republic of Ireland. He usually played as a left full-back, but sometimes he played as a centre forward. He played his first game against Luxembourg in October 1953. His last game was against Turkey in February 1967. He scored 14 goals for Ireland, including 5 from penalty kicks. He also captained the Republic of Ireland team many times, including a match against England at Wembley.
Becoming a Football Manager
After his playing career, Noel Cantwell became a football manager.
Managing Coventry City
His first job as a manager was at Coventry City. It was a tough job because he had to follow Jimmy Hill, who had just led the club into the top division for the first time. Cantwell managed to keep Coventry City in the top league for his first two seasons. In the 1969–70 season, he led them to a sixth-place finish. This earned them a spot in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, which was a European competition. He left Coventry City on March 12, 1972.
Managing Peterborough United
Seven months later, Cantwell returned to English football as the manager of Peterborough United. In his first full season as manager, he helped Peterborough win the Fourth Division title. He left the club on May 10, 1977, to manage the New England Tea Men in the United States.
He came back to Peterborough United for a second time on November 19, 1986. He managed the team until July 12, 1988, when he became the general manager. He stayed as general manager for one year before leaving football.
Playing Cricket Too
Noel Cantwell was also a talented cricketer. He played for Cork Bohemians Cricket Club and the Ireland national team. He was a left-handed batsman and a right-arm medium bowler. He played five times for Ireland. His only first-class match was against Scotland in Edinburgh in 1956, where he scored 31 and 17 runs. His last game for Ireland was against Lancashire in July 1959.
His Later Years
Noel Cantwell passed away on September 8, 2005, from cancer. He was 73 years old. He left behind his wife, Maggie, and two children. His former football teams held a minute of silence before their next matches to remember him.
Honours
Manchester United
- FA Cup: 1962–63
