Willie Ormond

Willie Ormond
Personal information
Full name William Esplin Ormond[1]
Date of birth (1927-02-23)23 February 1927
Place of birth Falkirk, Scotland
Date of death 4 May 1984(1984-05-04) (aged 57)
Place of death Musselburgh, Scotland
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Playing position Outside left
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1946 Stenhousemuir 9 (0)
1946–1961 Hibernian 335 (147)
1961–1962 Falkirk 27 (4)
Total 371 (151)
National team
1947–1958 Scottish League XI 10 (3)
1952 Scotland B 1 (0)
1954–1959 Scotland 6 (2)
Teams managed
1967–1973 St Johnstone
1973–1977 Scotland
1977–1980 Heart of Midlothian
1980 Hibernian
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

William Esplin Ormond OBE (23 February 1927 – 4 May 1984) was a Scottish football player and manager. As a player, Ormond was well known as one of Hibernian's Famous Five forward line, winning three league championships in the late 1940s and early 1950s. After a successful spell managing St Johnstone he led Scotland to the 1974 World Cup finals. Scotland were unbeaten at that World Cup, but were eliminated on goal difference.

Playing career

Stenhousemuir

Born in Falkirk, Ormond began his career nearby at Stenhousemuir.[2]

Hibernian

He then signed for Hibernian in November 1946. An outside-left, he played for Hibs over a fifteen-year period. He was one of the "Famous Five" forward line, one of the strongest front fives ever in Scottish football . The other forwards were Bobby Johnstone, Lawrie Reilly, Gordon Smith and Eddie Turnbull, who each scored over 100 goals for the club. Ormond scored a total of 187 goals in 503 appearances in all games for Hibs. During his playing career, he won the Scottish League Championship three times (all with Hibs). He was the last member of the Famous Five to leave Hibs, signing for hometown Falkirk in 1961.[2]

Scotland

He won six Scotland caps. He played in Scotland's ill-fated venture to the 1954 FIFA World Cup finals. Ormond also represented the Scottish League XI 10 times.[3][2]

Managerial career

After he retired from playing, Ormond became assistant trainer at Falkirk.

St Johnstone

In 1967, he was appointed as manager of St Johnstone. He led the club to the 1969 Scottish League Cup Final (October) and third in the 1970-71 Scottish Football League campaign three points ahead of Rangers. This league finish meant that Saints qualified for European competition for the first time. Ormond's contribution to the club was recognised by the club naming the South Stand at McDiarmid Park in his honour.

Scotland National Team

The Scottish Football Association replaced Tommy Docherty with Ormond in 1973 after Docherty went to Manchester United. Ormond steered Scotland to the 1974 World Cup Finals in West Germany. Scotland beat Zaire and drew with Brazil and Yugoslavia to return home as the only unbeaten team in the tournament. They were eliminated after the group stage first round.[4] This was the best ever performance by a Scotland team in a World Cup.

UEFA Euro 1976 qualifying was unsuccessful in large part due to losing 2-1 at home to Spain in the campaign opener. On 5 February 1975 he sent Paul Wilson on as a 75th-minute substitute in the return game in Valencia. The game was a 1-1 draw.[4] This was the only appearance by a non-white footballer in the Scotland national team in the 20th century.[5]

Ormond resigned in May 1977 returning to club management.

Heart of Midlothian

In May 1977 he resigned and was appointed as manager of Hearts – the arch rivals of his old team, Hibs. Many Hearts fans at the time were less than happy given Ormond's background but he soon won them over before being sacked in 1980.

Hibernian

He moved to Hibernian as assistant to his old Famous Five colleague Eddie Turnbull. When Turnbull resigned, Ormond took over but his health was not good and forced him to retire soon after.

Personal life

His brother Gibby also played league football, for Airdrie, Dundee United, Cowdenbeath and Alloa.[6] Gibby also represented the Scottish League.[7] Another brother, Bert Ormond, emigrated and represented New Zealand at international level in 1962.[8]

Managerial statistics

As of 28 March 2015

Team Nat From To Record
GWDLWin %
Scotland Scotland 1973 1977 38 18 8 12 047.37

Notes

  1. ↑ "Willie Ormond". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club.
  2. 1 2 3 WILLIE ORMOND, Hibernian Historical Trust
  3. ↑ "Scotland FL Players by Appearances". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  4. 1 2 Scotland - International Matches 1971-1975 RSSSF
  5. ↑ "Ideally suited to face up to racism Why the boy from Possil is mystified over Scots game" The Herald 25 Nov 2016
  6. ↑ "Gibby Ormond". www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "Gibby Ormond". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  8. ↑ "Peter Lorimer, Leeds and Scotland Hero" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2011.
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