Manager Info
Sir Alfred Ernest Ramsey
England Manager: 1963 - 1974
Born: 22nd January 1920, Dagenham 
Died: 28th April 1999, Ipswich, Suffolk
- View Playing Profile
- Sir Alf's playing career was at Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur in over 300 matches as a right back. He gained 32 caps for England, captaining them on three occasions and scoring three goals, all from the penalty spot.
In 1955, he was approached by Ipswich Town to become their player-manager which he initially refused as he thought it was impossible to be a good manager with the distraction of playing as well. Eventually he agreed and hung up his football boots. Ramsey had joined Ipswich when they had just been relegated to the old Third Division South. By 1961 Ipswich had been promoted into the First Division for the first time in their history and in their debut season became Champions of England.
After Walter Winterbottom's resignation at the end of 1962, the FA sought Ramsey's services. He agreed only if he could have complete control over selection. Up until then selection was still in the hands of the FA Select Committee. They eventually agreed but as his tenure wasn't officially due to start until May 1963 the Select Committee picked the side for his first two matches. The first of those matches was not a resounding success, a 5-2 loss to France in a European Championship Qualifier, neither was the second, a 2-1 loss to Scotland. However, when he took over complete control he soon hit his stride with a commendable draw against Brazil, a 4-2 win in Czechoslovakia, an 8-1 thrashing of Switzerland and a 4-0 win against Wales.
As England had been selected as hosts back in 1960 for the 1966 World Cup, Ramsey's first two years in charge were a procession of friendlies with only the competitive edge of the Home Championship to hone his squad. Nether the less he guided England to their only World Cup win.
In the 1970 World Cup England were eliminated in the quarter-finals by West Germany despite being 2-0 up after 70 minutes. In the searing heat of Mexico, he took the decision to substitute Bobby Charlton and Martin Peters before seeing West Germany score twice and then get the winner in extra time.
A poor qualifying campaign for the 1974 World Cup saw England require a win in their last match but Poland, and their inspired goalkeeper Tomaszewski, managed to hang on for a draw and they went to West Germany instead (finishing a creditable third). Ramsey was allowed to continue as manager but there are plots in the FA and Fleet Street to oust him. Six months and two games later after a defeat to Italy and a draw in Portugal he is sacked.
After England, Ramsey had spells at Birmingham City and at Panathinaikos as a technical director.
He was knighted in 1967 and was an inaugural inductee into the English Football Hall of Fame. He died in 1999.
Matches by Type
- Type
- Played
- Won
- Drawn
- Lost
- For
- Against
- European Championship QualifierECQ
- 17
- 11
- 3
- 3
- 36
- 17
- British Home ChampionshipHC
- 25
- 17
- 5
- 3
- 54
- 24
- FriendlyFR
- 52
- 32
- 15
- 5
- 112
- 38
- Nations' Cup (Taça das Nações)BJT
- 3
- 0
- 1
- 2
- 2
- 7
- World Cup FinalsWCF
- 10
- 7
- 1
- 2
- 15
- 7
- European Championship FinalsECF
- 2
- 1
- 0
- 1
- 2
- 1
- World Cup QualifierWCQ
- 4
- 1
- 2
- 1
- 3
- 4
- Competitive
- 61
- 37
- 12
- 12
- 112
- 60
- Total
- 113
- 69
- 27
- 17
- 224
- 98
Match List
POR, 3rd Apr 1974, 0 - 0 (FR)
ITA, 14th Nov 1973, 0 - 1 (FR)
POL, 17th Oct 1973, 1 - 1 (WCQ)
AUT, 26th Sep 1973, 7 - 0 (FR)
ITA, 14th Jun 1973, 0 - 2 (FR)
URS, 10th Jun 1973, 2 - 1 (FR)
POL, 6th Jun 1973, 0 - 2 (WCQ)
TCH, 27th May 1973, 1 - 1 (FR)
SCO, 19th May 1973, 1 - 0 (HC)
WAL, 15th May 1973, 3 - 0 (HC)
NIR, 12th May 1973, 2 - 1 (HC)
SCO, 14th Feb 1973, 5 - 0 (FR)
WAL, 24th Jan 1973, 1 - 1 (WCQ)
WAL, 15th Nov 1972, 1 - 0 (WCQ)
YUG, 11th Oct 1972, 1 - 1 (FR)
SCO, 27th May 1972, 1 - 0 (HC)
NIR, 23rd May 1972, 0 - 1 (HC)
WAL, 20th May 1972, 3 - 0 (HC)
FRG, 13th May 1972, 0 - 0 (ECQ)
FRG, 29th Apr 1972, 1 - 3 (ECQ)
GRE, 1st Dec 1971, 2 - 0 (ECQ)
SUI, 10th Nov 1971, 1 - 1 (ECQ)
SUI, 13th Oct 1971, 3 - 2 (ECQ)
SCO, 22nd May 1971, 3 - 1 (HC)
WAL, 19th May 1971, 0 - 0 (HC)
NIR, 15th May 1971, 1 - 0 (HC)
MLT, 12th May 1971, 5 - 0 (ECQ)
GRE, 21st Apr 1971, 3 - 0 (ECQ)
MLT, 3rd Feb 1971, 1 - 0 (ECQ)
GDR, 25th Nov 1970, 3 - 1 (FR)
FRG, 14th Jun 1970, 2 - 3 (WCF) *
TCH, 11th Jun 1970, 1 - 0 (WCF)
BRA, 7th Jun 1970, 0 - 1 (WCF)
ROU, 2nd Jun 1970, 1 - 0 (WCF)
ECU, 24th May 1970, 2 - 0 (FR)
COL, 20th May 1970, 4 - 0 (FR)
SCO, 25th Apr 1970, 0 - 0 (HC)
NIR, 21st Apr 1970, 3 - 1 (HC)
WAL, 18th Apr 1970, 1 - 1 (HC)
BEL, 25th Feb 1970, 3 - 1 (FR)
NED, 14th Jan 1970, 0 - 0 (FR)
POR, 10th Dec 1969, 1 - 0 (FR)
NED, 5th Nov 1969, 1 - 0 (FR)
BRA, 12th Jun 1969, 1 - 2 (FR)
URU, 8th Jun 1969, 2 - 1 (FR)
MEX, 1st Jun 1969, 0 - 0 (FR)
SCO, 10th May 1969, 4 - 1 (HC)
WAL, 7th May 1969, 2 - 1 (HC)
NIR, 3rd May 1969, 3 - 1 (HC)
FRA, 12th Mar 1969, 5 - 0 (FR)
ROU, 15th Jan 1969, 1 - 1 (FR)
BUL, 11th Dec 1968, 1 - 1 (FR)
ROU, 6th Nov 1968, 0 - 0 (FR)
URS, 8th Jun 1968, 2 - 0 (ECF)
YUG, 5th Jun 1968, 0 - 1 (ECF)
FRG, 1st Jun 1968, 0 - 1 (FR)
SWE, 22nd May 1968, 3 - 1 (FR)
ESP, 8th May 1968, 2 - 1 (ECQ)
ESP, 3rd Apr 1968, 1 - 0 (ECQ)
SCO, 24th Feb 1968, 1 - 1 (ECQ/HC)
URS, 6th Dec 1967, 2 - 2 (FR)
NIR, 22nd Nov 1967, 2 - 0 (ECQ/HC)
WAL, 21st Oct 1967, 3 - 0 (ECQ/HC)
AUT, 27th May 1967, 1 - 0 (FR)
ESP, 24th May 1967, 2 - 0 (FR)
SCO, 15th Apr 1967, 2 - 3 (ECQ/HC)
WAL, 16th Nov 1966, 5 - 1 (ECQ/HC)
TCH, 2nd Nov 1966, 0 - 0 (FR)
NIR, 22nd Oct 1966, 2 - 0 (ECQ/HC)
FRG, 30th Jul 1966, 4 - 2 (WCF) *
POR, 26th Jul 1966, 2 - 1 (WCF)
ARG, 23rd Jul 1966, 1 - 0 (WCF)
FRA, 20th Jul 1966, 2 - 0 (WCF)
MEX, 16th Jul 1966, 2 - 0 (WCF)
URU, 11th Jul 1966, 0 - 0 (WCF)
POL, 5th Jul 1966, 1 - 0 (FR)
DEN, 3rd Jul 1966, 2 - 0 (FR)
NOR, 29th Jun 1966, 6 - 1 (FR)
FIN, 26th Jun 1966, 3 - 0 (FR)
YUG, 4th May 1966, 2 - 0 (FR)
SCO, 2nd Apr 1966, 4 - 3 (HC)
FRG, 23rd Feb 1966, 1 - 0 (FR)
POL, 5th Jan 1966, 1 - 1 (FR)
ESP, 8th Dec 1965, 2 - 0 (FR)
NIR, 10th Nov 1965, 2 - 1 (HC)
AUT, 20th Oct 1965, 2 - 3 (FR)
WAL, 2nd Oct 1965, 0 - 0 (HC)
SWE, 16th May 1965, 2 - 1 (FR)
FRG, 12th May 1965, 1 - 0 (FR)
YUG, 9th May 1965, 1 - 1 (FR)
HUN, 5th May 1965, 1 - 0 (FR)
SCO, 10th Apr 1965, 2 - 2 (HC)
NED, 9th Dec 1964, 1 - 1 (FR)
WAL, 18th Nov 1964, 2 - 1 (HC)
BEL, 21st Oct 1964, 2 - 2 (FR)
NIR, 3rd Oct 1964, 4 - 3 (HC)
ARG, 6th Jun 1964, 0 - 1 (BJT)
POR, 4th Jun 1964, 1 - 1 (BJT)
BRA, 30th May 1964, 1 - 5 (BJT)
USA, 27th May 1964, 10 - 0 (FR)
IRL, 24th May 1964, 3 - 1 (FR)
POR, 17th May 1964, 4 - 3 (FR)
URU, 6th May 1964, 2 - 1 (FR)
SCO, 11th Apr 1964, 0 - 1 (HC)
NIR, 20th Nov 1963, 8 - 3 (HC)
FIFA, 23rd Oct 1963, 2 - 1 (FR)
WAL, 12th Oct 1963, 4 - 0 (HC)
SUI, 5th Jun 1963, 8 - 1 (FR)
GDR, 2nd Jun 1963, 2 - 1 (FR)
TCH, 29th May 1963, 4 - 2 (FR)
BRA, 8th May 1963, 1 - 1 (FR)
SCO, 6th Apr 1963, 1 - 2 (HC)
FRA, 27th Feb 1963, 2 - 5 (ECQ)
- * Match was concluded via extra time, penalties or both.