Sheffield United vs Burnley

50 UTB
WHO WOULD BE
A MANAGER?
Our regular contributor DAVE BURKINSHAW casts a glance over former
United players who have tried their hand at management...
Gerry Summers...
Gerry Summers
was a wing half
who gave great
service to the Blades. He
was signed from West
Bromwich Albion in May
1957 by then manager, Joe
Mercer. He stayed with the
Blades until April 1964 and
during his stay he helped
win promotion to the top
flight at the end of the
1960-61 season. In the
same season as promotion
was achieved the team
also reached the FA Cup
semi-finals.
Gerry was a two footed
constructive midfield
player perfectly suited to
link defence and attack.
His form was sufficiently
impressive for him to be
selected for the 1961 FA
tour to the Far East, New
Zealand and the USA. By
the time he had departed
the Lane to join Hull City
in April 1964, he had made
260 league appearances
and scored four goals.
Having a long-term
interest in coaching, he
qualified as an FA coach
and following his move
to Walsall, initially as a
player in October 1965, he
was appointed first team
coach in February 1967.
This appointment saw him
retire from playing. He soon
moved to Wolves, also as
first team coach to work
with his ex-West Bromwich
Albion colleague, Ronnie
Allen, who was manager.
Whilst at Molineux he
experienced his first taste
of management, taking over
▲ Gerry was linked with the United job
in 1981 but it went to Ian Porterfield
temporarily when Allen was
sacked in November 1968.
Gerry’s first full-time
managerial role was with
Second Division (now
Championship) Oxford
United. He started the job
in July 1969, and he guided
SHEFFIELD UNITED vs BURNLEY