Alan Dicks

Alan Dicks (born 29 August 1934) is a retired English footballer and football manager. He managed Bristol City for thirteen years and managed clubs in five countries on three continents.

Born in London, he signed for Chelsea at the age of 17, though his playing time in the first team was limited to 35 matches in six years, and he played only one game in Chelsea's 1954-55 championship season. In 1958 he moved to Southend United, and in 1962 joined Coventry City as a player-coach under Jimmy Hill.

In 1967 Hill recommended him for the vacant manager's job at Bristol City. He took the job at the age of just 33, and held it for thirteen years. In that time he consolidated City's position in the Second Division, and eventually, in 1976, led them to promotion to the First Division - then English football's top flight. Dicks remained as manager throughout City's four-year stay in Division 1, but relegation and a poor start to the following season saw him leave in October 1980.

During the 1980s, Dicks managed clubs in Greece, Cyprus and Qatar (where he won the championship with Al Rayyan Sports Club).

He managed Fulham Football Club for one season in the early 1990s. The players considered him as being too lax, and in Simon Morgan's autobiography he claimed that his brothers (Morgans' not Dicks') went to Craven Cottage during his reign just to join in the amusing chants off 'Dicks Out'.

After leaving Fulham he moved to the United States and subsequently became head coach of Carolina Dynamo and then Charleston Battery in the A-League. He has now retired and returned to Bristol.

Although many Fulham fans didn't appreciate his services at their club, Bristol City fans will remember Dicks for the rest of their lives. Alan Dicks is a living legend in the eyes of City fans, as he is the only manager to have promoted BCFC to the top flight.

External links

* [http://www.theincider.com/backissues/10/features/alandicks1.php Alan Dicks background] from Bristol City fanzine "The Incider".