Ivor Powell

Infobox Football biography
playername = Ivor Powell


fullname = Ivor Verdun Powell
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1916|7|5|df=yes
cityofbirth = Bargoed
countryofbirth = Wales
height =
position = Wing half
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1938–1948
1948–1951
1951
1951–1952
1952–1954
clubs = Queens Park Rangers
Aston Villa
Port Vale
Barry Town
Bradford City
caps(goals) = 110 (2)
079 (5)
006 (0)
083 (9)
nationalyears =
nationalteam = Wales
nationalcaps(goals) = 014 (0)
manageryears = 1951
1952–1955
1960–1963
managerclubs = Port Vale
Bradford City
Carlisle United
Bath City

Ivor Verdun Powell MBE (born 5 July 1916 in Gilfach Bargoed, Wales) was a Welsh footballer who gained fourteen Welsh caps and later became a manager.

He was inducted to the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame in 2004 alongside snooker player Terry Griffiths and cricketer Tony Lewis. He also entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest working football coach on his 90th birthday after 55 years as a coach.

Playing career

Powell started his working life down the mines. His playing career began with South Wales League side Bargoed. At the age of 17 he was spotted by Queens Park Rangers. He made 110 league appearances for QPR before commanding a record £17,500 fee for a half back when he moved to Aston Villa.Ffaith, [http://ffaith.brynmawrscene.net/index.php/Ivor_Powell] ] He made another 79 games for Villa before he became a player-manager at Port Vale.

Powell also made eight international caps for Wales and was a war-time international. In one game he was replaced by Englishman Stanley Mortensen in a game between England and Wales when his injury left the Welsh side without an available substitute.

Managerial career

Powell started his managerial career at Port Vale as player-manager in 1951 where he played six times. He moved to Barry Town before being appointed the new Bradford City manager, again as player-manager, before the start of the 1952–53 season.

His first season at Valley Parade was disappointing as they slipped to 16th in Division Three (North). The following season they came fifth but were 16 points shy of the promotion places. During that season he missed the first penalty of his career in a home fixture with Workington.cite book
last = Frost
first = Terry
title = Bradford City A Complete Record 1903-1988
publisher = Breedon Books Sport
year = 1988
pages = pp72-73
isbn = 0907969380]

The following season he was carried off with knee ligament damage against Wrexham. The injury ended his career. City's form also struggled and Powell left in February 1955 after a run of seven straight defeats and just two wins from 19 games without his presence on the field. City were forced to apply for re-election at the end of the campaign.

Powell became a trainer-coach at Leeds United - (he also had a coaching spell at PAOK in Greece) - before he returned to management with Carlisle United in May 1960, succeeding Andy Beattie. He led the Cumbrians to their first promotion when they finished fourth in Division Four in 1961–62. He left the following season, with the club struggling in the league and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Southern League side Gravesend & Northfleet. He became manager of Bath City in 1964 and is currently a member of the coaching staff at Team Bath F.C. (University of Bath) where he has worked for over 30 years.

He was inducted to the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. [BBC Sport [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/3696447.stm Foster joins Hall of Fame] ] In 2006 while assistant coach for Team Bath F.C. at the University of Bath he celebrated his 90th birthday and entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest working football coach. [BBC News, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/5150570.stm New record for football coach, 90] ] He has completed 53 years as an FA accredited coach. [TheFA.Com [http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFATrophy/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2004/11/FAT_IvorPowell.htm Ivor the incredible] ] He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2008 New Year Honours for his services to sport and was presented with his award by her Majesty the Queen on 25 June 2008, a few days short of his 92nd birthday. [cite web
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/front_page/7163068.stm
title=New Year Honours for sports stars
accessdate=2007-12-29
date=29 December 2007
publisher=BBC Sport]

Away from football

During the Second World War Ivor worked as an RAF physical trainer. It was at Blackpool that he struck up a friendship with Sir Stanley Matthews, who later became Ivor's best man at his wedding to Joan Browell in 1943.

References

External links

*soccerbase (manager)|id=638|name=Ivor Powell
*Short biography of Ivor Powell at TeamBath (http://www.teambath.com/?p=4237)