Manchester United legend Frank O'Farrell dies aged 94

Cork native O'Farrell joined Weymouth in 1961 as player-manager and went on to oversee 215 games, recording a 52 per cent win percentage.

He also scored 13 times in 109 appearances for Weymouth.

He began his playing career at Cork United and went on to feature 213 times for West Ham United, scoring eight goals.

O'Farrell then spent five seasons at Preston North End, chalking up 129 matches with four goals.

He also won nine caps for Ireland and later took his first step into management with Weymouth, staying at the Dorset club for four years.

He achieved record-breaking feats including taking Weymouth to the FA Cup fourth round in 1962 - an achievement not since repeated.

Frank O'Farrell, centre, signs for Weymouth in 1961

Weymouth eventually lost 2-0 to O'Farrell's old club Preston North End but he had already carved his own special place in Terras history.

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He led Weymouth to second spot in the 1963-64 Southern League season before clinching the club's first Southern League title in the following campaign.

Frank O'Farrell, right, with the Weymouth board after winning the Southern League title in 1965

Looking back on his spell at the Terras, in an interview with Echosport in 2011, O'Farrell said: “Weymouth was my first job and experience of being a player-manager. I actually took the job at the same time that the maximum wage was abolished.

“The season before I had been playing Division One football for Preston getting £20 a week and then suddenly there I was at Weymouth on £25 a week, which included a club car and a rented house.

“The fact I was better off in non-League football than League football was a crazy situation but that was just the way it was at that time.

“It was also a good period to recruit players. Due to the maximum wage being abolished, clubs had to pay players more to retain their services and balance it by releasing others to cut staff.

“Due to that we had a very good first season where we reached the fourth round of the FA Cup.

“We got to the third round hoping to get a big club away and a big gate but we ended up drawing Morecambe away.

“It was incredible really. Only three non-League clubs were in the draw and we managed to get one of the other two.

“The other, King’s Lynn, got Everton so they were fine.

“In the end though it worked out well because we beat Morecambe and drew Preston in the next round where we ended up getting two gates after the first game was abandoned due to fog.

“We had a very good team at the time and in my last season we went on and won the Southern League title before I then moved on to Torquay, which gave me the chance to start at the bottom of the Football League.

“I left with a clear conscience as I had done what was expected of me and all I was looking to do was to improve my position.”

Moving to Torquay in summer 1965, he duly earned promotion to the Third Division at the first time of asking.

O'Farrell left the Devon club for Leicester City in December 1968 with the Foxes languishing in the lower reaches of the First Division.

Although City were relegated, O'Farrell soon delivered the good times by reaching the 1969 FA Cup final, albeit losing to Manchester City 1-0 at Wembley.

Next season O'Farrell steered Leicester to third place in the Second Division before winning the title in the 1970-71 campaign.

His revolution at Leicester City attracted the interest of giants Manchester United where he became - and still is - the only Irishman to ever manage the Red Devils.

He was successor to the legendary Sir Matt Busby and was tasked with improving a side that three years previous had won the European Cup for the first time.

However, United finished eighth in his opening campaign - the same position as the two seasons prior. 

O'Farrell had to deal with star player George Best's disciplinary problems as the Northern Ireland hero was punished with a two-week suspension and failed to show up for training.

O'Farrell was later sacked by United after just 18 months in the role, following a 5-0 defeat to Crystal Palace.

Back in 2011, O'Farrell reflected on his spell at United, telling Echosport: "Football and Manchester United will always be an important part of my life but it is not the whole story.

“What happened was a fairytale really. At 16 I wanted to be an engine driver. Steam engines were a big thing for youngsters growing up back then and driving one was many teenagers’ main ambition.

“I was going to do it as I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my father but I ended up going down another route altogether.

“I never planned any of it and I will always be grateful for the things I experienced, particularly as I nearly died three times along the way.

“To think I came through all that and I am now 84 is incredible and that is why I will always look back on all the times I have had with great fondness.”

Iran came calling after a short six-month stay at Cardiff City, leading the Middle East nation to the 1974 Asian Games gold medal.

He later returned to Torquay for a short-lived stint but decided to retire in 1983.