RIP Joe Kinnear

[80sChav]

Joe who was a Footballer most famous for playing for Tottenham in 1970s and more so as Wimbledon (original) Wimbledon club - not AFC or MK Dons) manager has sadly passed on. Joe was 77 and had been suffering from Dementia since 2015

AS well he had spells as Luton, Doncaster, Nottingham Forest and as famously as when he was Wimbledon boss also being Newcastle boss much later on - but I don't think from what I read he was that much liked by their fans and was nicknamed the cruel nickname JFK with the F being a swear-wear as like in who on earth is this geezer we have taken on. As well as this highlight, Joe also had a "Graham Taylor Style Moment", by swearing frequently in an interview

Probably Joe's finest hours though are how he worked wonders for the original Wimbledon FC in the 1990s after they started the decade quite bad and looked like they might go out of D1/Premier League because they had to ground-share Selhurst Park and got beyond laughable attendances back in the day. Joe though got them to 6th Place one Season in the Prem -in the mid 90s which has been said they'll never match - which I totally agree with and can see why. As well as this in 1997 Joe got them to both Main Cup (League and FA Cup Semis) which was un-heard of for a team surviving as Wimbledon did - almost like Wigan beating Man City years later.

Sadly the "Wimbledon dream" ended after he had Heart trouble in 1999 and they just slumped quietly to Relegation after Joe quit. As I have said elsewhere ( I think) that that day in 2000 was such such a strong memory Wimbledon needing to win and hope Bradford City could beat Liverpool at home. It is quite obvious you'd think after Bradford's first Season of constantly battling the odds in the Prem - who would win and stay up as a result, but no Bradford was the ones who "kidde the kidders of Wimbledon" who had defied the odds for 12 years in the top-flight!

RIP Joe Kinnear a great Manager who could get "blood out of a stone" and I gladly would have loved to see be England Manager even though he was'nt English born and bred

[darren]

This is sad to hear.
Id no o idea he was suffering from dementia terrible disease.

Never realised he played the game. R i p joe

[80sChav]

This is sad to hear.
Id no o idea he was suffering from dementia terrible disease.

Never realised he played the game. R i p joe

Of course Darren - I had forgot he was from the land of the Green like your good-self

As I say though he was Irish he'll always be English too in my book - a really nice chap I think he was and for certain he was a "Honourary Englishman"

80sChav

BTW I see your on here at the mo - PM Me!

[Cartimand]

As a Dons' fan, Joe was always something of a hero.

[80sChav]

As a Dons' fan, Joe was always something of a hero.

You mean Wimbledon Cartimand?, not the franchised one in MK I hope lol

I think though that it is fair to say though - Joe belonged to that last "Great Breed of England/Irish Bosses of the late-mid 90s to early 2000s" where any of these could have taken on the England Job.

It sure was the end of an era when he had to quit from Wimbledon and as a result their 12 year spell was over in the Top Flight, even though as a Northern-er I was pleased Bradford achieved Mission Impossible in May 2000 - it was just a shame both could not stay up.

[Cartimand]

Yes - the real "Crazy Gang" Dons!
Glad to see the resurrected Wimbledon FC holding their own in div 2 and not far off a play-off spot.
Maybe next season!