About the Author

Ron Atkinson was born in Liverpool in 1939, moving to Warwickshire as a child, where his football ability was recognised by Aston Villa; a club he would later manage. After ending his playing career at Oxford United where he was nicknamed 'The Tank', he entered coaching with Kettering Town in 1971, then moving to Cambridge United. Having developed his reputation at West Bromwich Albion as an advocate of expansive flair football, he would lead Manchester United to two FA Cup successes. He later won the League Cup twice, at Sheffield Wednesday and Villa and managed in Spain with Atletico Madrid. His last job was with Nottingham Forest in 1999 before he entered the world of punditry.