Ipswich Town: Tony Garnett on Bill McGarry's reign as boss

Bill McGarry was a rough diamond who ruled his players by fear. His bark was worse than his bite.

He was nevertheless capable of biting hard. He was a disciplinarian. The Ipswich dressing room needed a serious shake-up after the Jackie Milburn era.

McGarry had no airs and graces and few drawing room manners. His industrial language came as a shock to the old timers who had won Second and First Division Championship medals. They were coming towards the end of their careers.

Bill McGarry, right meeting some Ipswich Town directors on his first day at Portman Road in 1964 (Image: Dave Kindred)

He worked on a theory that a successful team must have a strong spine. He signed goalkeeper Ken Hancock from Port Vale and tough-tackling Welshman Cyril Lea from Leyton Orient whom he made captain.

He inherited Bill Baxter and Gerry Baker and signed Dave Harper, another tough guy, from Millwall. He also brought back Ray Crawford and saw the club thrive on the emergence of Colin Viljoen and Danny Hegan.

It was in 1967-68 that the signing of striker John O’Rourke completed the jigsaw needed to win promotion back into the First Division.

Then, amazingly, he left East Anglia for supposedly greener pastures in the Black Country at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Bill’s best playing days were as a no-nonsense half-back with Huddersfield Town. He gained four England caps but considered himself to be a better midfield player than his midfield rival Jimmy Dickinson of Portsmouth who gained 48 England caps. The England selectors preferred “Gentleman Jim” to rough and ready McGarry.

Bill McGarry brought Ray Crawford back to Town in March 1966 (Image: Dave Kindred)

Bill started his managerial career at Bournemouth and then moved to Watford where I first met him when news of his appointment at Portman Road broke.

Early dealings, often through his wife Connie, were strained. It was not until he discovered that I played golf that our relationship changed.

I could see McGarry in his office at Portman Road any time I wanted. When the phone rang there was none of the modern “please leave the room while I take this call.”

It was often Basil Hayward, a friend of Bill’s from his Port Vale days, seeking advice on how to deal with problems he was facing at Gillingham.

McGarry had no respect for directors. Once he slammed the door in the face of Harold Smith who was later to serve on the FA Disciplinary committee.

I asked him why. His reply was: “I don’t like directors at the ground when we are training.” I pointed out to him that an insulted director would be sure to recall such incidents in unsuccessful times.

Bill McGarry talks to his Town squad in July 1967 (Image: Dave Kindred)

McGarry asked me, or should I say told me, to teach him to play squash.

I was able to show him the basics at Ipswich Airport where both courts had a leaking roof. It then became part of training for young professionals like Mick Mills and Derek Jefferson.

There was a squash club close to Molineux. It was there that he met a young lady  which led to his divorce. He tried to impress her by wearing a ginger toupee.

One Saturday, when Ipswich were at Molineux, Bill invited me to lunch with Connie at his home at Tettenhall.

He took me to the ground. In his office he opened a bottle of whisky. He poured some for me and some for himself as we discussed old times, mainly cricket and golf.

He glanced at his watch saying: “I’d better go to the dressing room. I won’t be too long. Pour me out another drink for when I get back. Pour one for yourself.” I was mindful that I had a running report to complete for the Green’Un.

Bill McGarry and the Blues prepare to fly to Manchester from Wattisham for a game against Bury in March 1965 (Image: Dave Kindred)

I might have been suspected of giving away team secrets by lunching with the opposition manager. We never mentioned football. We had enough in common with cricket and golf.

One day McGarry rang me on a religious matter. Peter Knowles, one of Wolves best players, had become a Jehovah’s Witness.

He fitted in both football and religion for a while but then walked out of training to study the Bible. Bill seemed convinced he would return to Molineux after a few days. I didn’t like to disillusion him.

McGarry was tough but so was youth coach Ken Malcolm. One day they came to blows on the touchline of the practice pitch. Whoever won on points was of little consequence. McGarry was the boss. Malcolm’s long service at Portman Road came to an end.

Soon after his appointment McGarry introduced Reg Tyrrell from Bournemouth as chief scout.

Tyrrell was petrified of McGarry but did great service by bringing in good players. I suspected that some of the youth players in the Mercia League were well over age.

Tyrrell was also a cricket umpire. I was a substitute fielder at square leg standing next to Tyrrell at Shotley against HMS Ganges. McGarry was run out by a good yard but Tyrrell had to give the decision.

Bill McGarry's Ipswich Town side in July 1968 - by the end of October, McGarry had left (Image: Dave Kindred)

“Can I give the boss out? What will he say? I am sure Reg was trembling. “Of course you must,” I said. All this was going on before he raised his finger fearful of repercussions.

McGarry arrived in Bournemouth to join Saxmundham for a cricket weekend like a bear with a sore head. 

He had been booked for speeding along The Embankment in the early hours of the morning.

Golf was another of McGarry’s passions. He used me as cannon-fodder in a practice round before a tournament.

“My name’s McGarry. I don’t give putts and I don’t hunt for golf balls,” was his daunting introduction to an opponent he had never met.

I had many enjoyable times with him including golf at Woodsome Hall, a superb course where he used to play when a Huddersfield player.

Ipswich Town were drawn to play Fourth Division Southport at Haig Avenue in the third round of the FA Cup in 1966 which gave McGarry the chance to organise a club golf day at Southport and Ainsdale.

When McGarry was manager of Newcastle United the Ipswich Town party stayed at Gosforth Park Hotel.

Bill McGarry signing Colin Viljoen in 1967 (Image: Dave Kindred)

I played golf with director Ken Brightwell on the morning of the match. Our opponents were two directors of Newcastle United, one of whom was Dr Salkeld.

So as not to cause embarrassment I was introduced as an Ipswich director. I soon began to realise that McGarry’s days at St James Park were numbered.

In the changing room afterwards Salkeld said: "Keep your voices down gentlemen. A journalist has just come in."

I never asked how Brightwell explained my absence from the board room.