Born: 9th July 1955, in Liverpool
Record: Tranmere Rovers 35+3 apps, 10 goals
Manchester United 320+2 apps, 54 goals
England 42 apps, 7 goals
Steve's football career got off to an unusual start as he had always been considered too small to make it as a footballer and so was studying economics at Liverpool University. However, Tranmere Rovers were sufficiently impressed with him that they played him as an amateur in their then Third Division side whilst he continued with his studies. He was quick to make an impression with visiting scouts and in February 1975, after only 38 appearances for Tranmere, Tommy Docherty paid £45,000 to take him to Second Division leaders Manchester United.
Steve's career progressed rapidly and he soon established himself in United's first team, and before long, in the England team, making his full international début against Italy in 1977. He wasn't an old-fashioned winger, he was one of the first of a new breed of wide midfield players who, in addition to being able to beat defenders and whip over telling crosses, would track back and provide cover for his defence. The high point of his playing career was an F.A. Cup winner's medal in 1977, though he also played in the 1976 and 1979 finals and the 1983 Milk Cup final.
His playing career was effectively brought to a premature end by a tackle from Hungarian defender Joseph Toth at Wembley in November 1981. Although he managed to carry on playing for another 14 months despite his injured knee, he wasn't the same player and eventually gave up playing on medical advice.
An articulate and intelligent man, Steve became chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association towards the end of his playing days and it was no surprise when he became the League's youngest manager (at age 28) when he took over at Crystal Palace in June 1984. In 1989 the Eagles won promotion to the First Division via the play-offs (behind champions Chelsea and runners-up Manchester City) and in 1990 reached their first F.A. Cup final. The following season they won their first Wembley trophy (the Zenith Data Systems Cup) and finished third in the First Division, the highest the club had ever finished.
However, the successful Palace side was broken up, most noticeably with the departure of striking partnership Ian Wright (to Arsenal) and Mark Bright (to Sheffield Wednesday) and the club were relegated from the Premiership at the end of the 1994-95 season, albeit with 49 points, the highest ever for a relegated top division club. Steve resigned as manager and was out of the game for some time before rejoining the club as Technical Director. He was regularly linked with management jobs which became available, reaching the shortlist of 3 when Terry Venables was chosen as the England manager. Finally, on 7th October 1996, he returned to management by agreeing a three-year deal at City.
Coppell's return to management was to be extremely brief. as on 8th November the same year he resigned on medical advice, thus becoming the most short-lived manager in the club's history. The pressure of the job had "completely overwhelmed" him and made him ill. He appeared at a news conference with chairman Francis Lee to say: "I'm not ashamed to admit that I have suffered for some time from huge pressure I have imposed upon myself, and since my appointment this has completely overwhelmed me to such an extent that I cannot function in the job the way I would like to. As this situation is affecting my well-being, I have asked Francis Lee to relieve me of my obligation to manage the club on medical advice. I am therefore resigning for personal reasons. I'm extremely embarrassed by the situation and I would like to apologise first and foremost to Francis Lee and his board, who have done everything in their power to help me."
Fortunately for Steve, he made a miraculous recovery and at the end of February 1997, was re-appointed as Crystal Palace manager, looking none the worse for his Maine Road experience.
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Record: Tranmere Rovers 35+3 apps, 10 goals
Manchester United 320+2 apps, 54 goals
England 42 apps, 7 goals
Steve's football career got off to an unusual start as he had always been considered too small to make it as a footballer and so was studying economics at Liverpool University. However, Tranmere Rovers were sufficiently impressed with him that they played him as an amateur in their then Third Division side whilst he continued with his studies. He was quick to make an impression with visiting scouts and in February 1975, after only 38 appearances for Tranmere, Tommy Docherty paid £45,000 to take him to Second Division leaders Manchester United.
Steve's career progressed rapidly and he soon established himself in United's first team, and before long, in the England team, making his full international début against Italy in 1977. He wasn't an old-fashioned winger, he was one of the first of a new breed of wide midfield players who, in addition to being able to beat defenders and whip over telling crosses, would track back and provide cover for his defence. The high point of his playing career was an F.A. Cup winner's medal in 1977, though he also played in the 1976 and 1979 finals and the 1983 Milk Cup final.
His playing career was effectively brought to a premature end by a tackle from Hungarian defender Joseph Toth at Wembley in November 1981. Although he managed to carry on playing for another 14 months despite his injured knee, he wasn't the same player and eventually gave up playing on medical advice.
An articulate and intelligent man, Steve became chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association towards the end of his playing days and it was no surprise when he became the League's youngest manager (at age 28) when he took over at Crystal Palace in June 1984. In 1989 the Eagles won promotion to the First Division via the play-offs (behind champions Chelsea and runners-up Manchester City) and in 1990 reached their first F.A. Cup final. The following season they won their first Wembley trophy (the Zenith Data Systems Cup) and finished third in the First Division, the highest the club had ever finished.
However, the successful Palace side was broken up, most noticeably with the departure of striking partnership Ian Wright (to Arsenal) and Mark Bright (to Sheffield Wednesday) and the club were relegated from the Premiership at the end of the 1994-95 season, albeit with 49 points, the highest ever for a relegated top division club. Steve resigned as manager and was out of the game for some time before rejoining the club as Technical Director. He was regularly linked with management jobs which became available, reaching the shortlist of 3 when Terry Venables was chosen as the England manager. Finally, on 7th October 1996, he returned to management by agreeing a three-year deal at City.
Coppell's return to management was to be extremely brief. as on 8th November the same year he resigned on medical advice, thus becoming the most short-lived manager in the club's history. The pressure of the job had "completely overwhelmed" him and made him ill. He appeared at a news conference with chairman Francis Lee to say: "I'm not ashamed to admit that I have suffered for some time from huge pressure I have imposed upon myself, and since my appointment this has completely overwhelmed me to such an extent that I cannot function in the job the way I would like to. As this situation is affecting my well-being, I have asked Francis Lee to relieve me of my obligation to manage the club on medical advice. I am therefore resigning for personal reasons. I'm extremely embarrassed by the situation and I would like to apologise first and foremost to Francis Lee and his board, who have done everything in their power to help me."
Fortunately for Steve, he made a miraculous recovery and at the end of February 1997, was re-appointed as Crystal Palace manager, looking none the worse for his Maine Road experience.
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