Ron Suart facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ronald Suart | ||
| Date of birth | 18 November 1920 | ||
| Place of birth | Barrow-in-Furness, England | ||
| Date of death | 25 March 2015 (aged 94) | ||
| Place of death | Surrey, England | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1946–1949 | Blackpool | 103 | (0) |
| 1949–1955 | Blackburn Rovers | 176 | (0) |
| 1955–1956 | Wigan Athletic | 23 | (0) |
| Total | 302 | (0) | |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1955–1956 | Wigan Athletic | ||
| 1956–1958 | Scunthorpe & Lindsey United | ||
| 1958–1967 | Blackpool | ||
| 1974–1975 | Chelsea | ||
|
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Ronald Suart (born November 18, 1920 – died March 25, 2015) was an English football player and manager. He is best known for his time managing Blackpool and for winning a championship with Scunthorpe & Lindsey United.
Playing as a Footballer
Early Career at Blackpool
Ron Suart was born in Barrow-in-Furness, England. He started his football journey as a defender for Blackpool. During his time there, he played alongside famous footballers like Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortensen.
Missing the FA Cup Final
In 1948, Blackpool reached the important 1948 FA Cup Final. Sadly, Ron Suart could not play in this big match because he was injured.
Moving to Blackburn Rovers
In 1949, he moved to play for Blackburn Rovers. He played there until he stopped being a professional player in 1955. A football magazine called Soccer Star once said he was "capable at right and left-back as he is when taking over the centre-half position. A fine man to have in any defence." This means he was a very flexible and strong defender.
Managing a Football Team
Starting at Wigan Athletic
After retiring as a player, Ron Suart became a player-manager at Wigan Athletic. This meant he played for the team while also being their manager. He played 34 games for them during the 1955-56 season.
Success with Scunthorpe United
In 1956, he left Wigan to manage Scunthorpe & Lindsey United. He led the team to win the Division Three North championship in the 1957-58 season. This win helped the club get promoted to a higher league.
Returning to Blackpool
After his success, Ron Suart returned to manage his old club, Blackpool. He was the first former Blackpool player to come back as their manager. At that time, Blackpool was in the First Division, which was the top league in English football. He said he was "confident" and excited to manage the club he once played for.
Keeping Blackpool in the Top League
Ron Suart managed to keep Blackpool in the top division for eight seasons. This was a great achievement for the club. In 1962, his team reached the semi-finals of the League Cup. They lost to Norwich City, who went on to win the cup.
Finding New Talent
During his time at Blackpool, Ron Suart helped discover talented young players. Some of these players, like Alan Ball, Ray Charnley, and Emlyn Hughes, later became famous England international players. However, new rules meant players could move to other clubs more easily. This made it hard for him to keep his best players. He left Blackpool in January 1967. He is still Blackpool's second-longest-serving manager.
Working at Chelsea
Ron Suart then became an assistant manager at Chelsea. He worked there for seven years. When the main manager left, Ron briefly took over as the temporary manager. He was part of the Chelsea team when they won the FA Cup in 1970 and the Cup Winners' Cup in 1971.
Later Career and Retirement
In 1974, Ron Suart became the main manager for Chelsea. However, the team was struggling and was heading towards relegation (moving down to a lower league). He was replaced by another manager in April 1975. Later, he worked as a scout for Wimbledon, looking for new players. He left this role in 2002.
His Passing
Ron Suart passed away on March 25, 2015, in Surrey, England. He was 94 years old.
Honours
Scunthorpe & Lindsey United
- Division Three North championship: 1957–58
See also
In Spanish: Ron Suart para niños
