Bruce Rioch
{{short description|Scotland international footballer and manager}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Bruce Rioch
| image = Bruce Rioch.jpg
| upright = 1.1
| caption = Rioch in 2008
| fullname = Bruce David Rioch
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1947|9|6}}
| birth_place = Aldershot, England
| height = 1.81 m{{Worldfootball.net|bruce-rioch}}
| position = Midfielder
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1964–1969 | clubs1 = Luton Town | caps1 = 149 | goals1 = 47
| years2 = 1969–1974 | clubs2 = Aston Villa | caps2 = 154 | goals2 = 34
| years3 = 1974–1976 | clubs3 = Derby County | caps3 = 106 | goals3 = 34
| years4 = 1976–1977 | clubs4 = Everton | caps4 = 30 | goals4 = 3
| years5 = 1977–1979 | clubs5 = Derby County | caps5 = 41 | goals5 = 4
| years6 = 1978 | clubs6 = → Birmingham City (loan) | caps6 = 3 | goals6 = 0
| years7 = 1979 | clubs7 = → Sheffield United (loan) | caps7 = 8 | goals7 = 1
| years8 = 1980–1981 | clubs8 = Seattle Sounders | caps8 = 46 | goals8 = 4
| years9 = 1981–1984 | clubs9 = Torquay United | caps9 = 71 | goals9 = 6
| totalcaps = 608 | totalgoals=133
| nationalyears1 = 1975–1978 | nationalteam1 = Scotland | nationalcaps1 = 24 | nationalgoals1 = 6
| manageryears1 = 1982–1984 | managerclubs1 = Torquay United
| manageryears2 = 1985 | managerclubs2 = Seattle Storm
| manageryears3 = 1986–1990 | managerclubs3 = Middlesbrough
| manageryears4 = 1990–1992 | managerclubs4 = Millwall
| manageryears5 = 1992–1995 | managerclubs5 = Bolton Wanderers
| manageryears6 = 1995–1996 | managerclubs6 = Arsenal
| manageryears7 = 1998–2000 | managerclubs7 = Norwich City
| manageryears8 = 2000–2001 | managerclubs8 = Wigan Athletic
| manageryears9 = 2005–2007 | managerclubs9 = OB
| manageryears10 = 2008 | managerclubs10 = AaB
}}
Bruce David Rioch ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|iː|ɒ|k}}; born 6 September 1947) is a British football manager and former player for the Scotland national team. His last managerial post was at AaB in the Danish Superliga in 2008.
As a player, he made more than 550 appearances in the Football League and, by virtue of his parents' birthplaces, represented Scotland in 24 matches; he became the first player born in England to captain Scotland. As a manager, he has taken charge of clubs in England, including Arsenal, where he signed Dennis Bergkamp, and in the United States, and Denmark. His brother Neil, son Gregor and nephew Matty Holmes were also professional footballers.
Playing career
Rioch was born in Aldershot, Hampshire: his father served there with the Scots Guards, eventually becoming a sergeant major. His father had been born in Kinneff, Aberdeenshire, and his mother in Skye, each qualifying him to play for Scotland.{{cite web |title=Interview: Bruce Rioch on why he shouldn't have played against Peru |url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/interview-bruce-rioch-why-he-shouldnt-have-played-against-peru-288079 |website=The Scotsman|date=26 May 2018|access-date=3 June 2020}} After moving to Luton, Bedfordshire, at the age of 14, he joined his local side, Luton Town, turning professional in September 1964. He made his first team debut later that month, and his league debut in November 1964 in a 1–0 defeat at home to Southend United. He spent a couple of years establishing himself and was a regular member of the Luton team, scoring 24 goals, that won the Fourth Division title in 1968. He moved to Aston Villa in July 1969 for a fee of £100,000, then a record fee paid by a Second Division side. He won a League Cup runners up medal in 1971, Villa losing 2–0 to Tottenham Hotspur.
He moved to Derby County in February 1974, winning a League Championship medal. He joined Everton in December 1976, but returned to Derby County in November 1977. After a dispute with the Derby manager, Tommy Docherty, Rioch had brief loan spells with Birmingham City in December 1978 and with Sheffield United in March 1979. He then left the Baseball Ground to play for NASL side Seattle Sounders. While playing with Seattle Sounders in 1980 he was named to the NASL First Team All-Stars.{{cite web|url=http://nasljerseys.com/Players/R/Rioch.Bruce.htm|title=NASL-Bruce Rioch|website=nasljerseys.com}}{{cite web|url=http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/nasl/naslallstar.html|title=NASL All-Star Teams, all-time|website=homepages.sover.net|access-date=18 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413194036/http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/nasl/naslallstar.html|archive-date=13 April 2018|url-status=dead}} He returned to England in October 1980 when he joined Torquay United as player-coach, working at first under Mike Green and then under Frank O'Farrell.
Managerial career
=Torquay United=
In July 1982, Rioch became player-manager of Torquay United, but left in January 1984. In February 1985, after 13 months out of the game he was appointed manager of FC Seattle, of the US Western Soccer Alliance, but resigned in September 1985 to return to England.{{cite web|url=http://www.goalseattle.com/museum/FCupdates/bruce_rioch_seattle.htm|title=FC Seattle puts Rioch in as head mentor|access-date=18 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711104100/http://www.goalseattle.com/museum/FCupdates/bruce_rioch_seattle.htm|archive-date=11 July 2011|url-status=dead}}
= Middlesbrough=
He was appointed as manager of Middlesbrough in February 1986 and his first success in management came in 1987 when he guided Middlesbrough to runners-up spot in the Third Division and promotion to the Second Division at the end of a season which had started with them locked out of Ayresome Park by the official receiver and on the verge of bankruptcy. A year later they won a second successive promotion, this time as winners of the Second Division promotion/First Division relegation playoffs. Middlesbrough showed great promise in the first half of 1988–89, but fell away badly and were relegated on the last day of the season (despite having not occupied a relegation place prior to that). He was sacked the following March as the Teessiders hovered just above the Second Division drop zone but on the brink of their first ever Wembley final in the Zenith Data Systems Cup.
=Millwall=
Rioch made a quick return to management the following month with Millwall and guided them to a playoff place in the 1990–91 Second Division campaign, but left in March 1992.
=Bolton Wanderers=
Rioch's next stop was at Bolton Wanderers, becoming manager in May 1992. In his first season they beat cup holders Liverpool 2–0 at Anfield in an FA Cup replay which many fans feel was the start of Bolton's resurgence. They finished runners-up in Division Two and won promotion to Division One. The following year Bolton finished in a respectable mid-table position as well as beating Premier League opponents Arsenal, Everton and Aston Villa in the F.A cup. In the 1994/95 season they were League Cup losing finalists to Liverpool and beat Reading 4–3 in extra time in the Division One playoff final after being 2–0 down at half time.
The playoff final victory was Rioch's last game as Bolton manager. A few weeks later he accepted the Arsenal manager's job and was replaced at Bolton by Roy McFarland. He is considered to be the best Bolton manager of all time by the club's supporters.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}
=Arsenal=
In 1995–96, his only season at Arsenal, Rioch guided Arsenal to a UEFA Cup place, finishing fifth in the Premiership. It was achieved on the last day of the season, at the expense of Everton, Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur. Arsenal also reached the League Cup semi-finals, but lost on away goals to Aston Villa,{{cite news |title=Yorke is equal to Bergkamp's best |first=Glenn |last=Moore |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/yorke-is-equal-to-bergkamps-best-1319149.html |work=The Independent |publisher=Independent Print Limited |date=15 February 1996 |access-date=18 April 2012 }}{{cite news |title=Villa hold out to book place at Wembley |first=Glenn |last=Moore |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/villa-hold-out-to-book-place-at-wembley-1320421.html |work=The Independent |publisher=Independent Print Limited |date=22 February 1996 |access-date=18 April 2012 }} and were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round by First Division side Sheffield United.{{cite news |title=Whitehouse exposes Arsenal |first=Matt |last=Tench |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/whitehouse-exposes-arsenal-1322911.html |work=The Independent |publisher=Independent Print Limited |date=8 January 1996 |access-date=18 April 2012 }}{{cite news |title=Veart veers past static Arsenal |first=Guy |last=Hodgson |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/veart-veers-past-static-arsenal-1324649.html |work=The Independent |publisher=Independent Print Limited |date=18 January 1996 |access-date=18 April 2012 }}
Just before the beginning of the 1996–97 season, Rioch was sacked, after a dispute with the club's board of directors over transfer funds.
Rioch was also known for his intensive training methods, according to former Arsenal player Adrian Clarke.{{cite web|url=http://thesetpieces.com/features/bruce-rioch-one-wenger/|title=Bruce Rioch: The One Before Wenger|date=15 January 2015}}
=Queens Park Rangers=
After leaving Arsenal, he worked as assistant manager under Stewart Houston (his former assistant at Arsenal) at Queens Park Rangers, but was sacked along with Houston after just over a year at Loftus Road.{{cite web|url=http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/History |title=A potted history of QPR (1882–2011) |publisher=Queens Park Rangers F.C |date=9 January 2012 |access-date=17 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917014851/http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/History |archive-date=17 September 2011}}{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-queens-park-rangers-dismiss-houston-and-rioch-1293477.html |title=Football: Queen's Park Rangers dismiss Houston and Rioch |newspaper=The Independent |date=11 November 1997 |access-date=17 January 2012}}
= Norwich City =
In May 1998, Rioch was appointed manager of Norwich City in Division One. He resigned after less than two seasons at the helm after failing to get the Canaries anywhere near the promotion and playoff places that the club had long been hoping for. He cited a perceived lack of ambition at the club as the main reason for his decision to resign (he correctly predicted that the club's star player Craig Bellamy would inevitably be sold), however he also acknowledged that the club's uncertain financial position meant that the transfer funds available to him were limited.
= Wigan Athletic =
Rioch made a swift return to management with Wigan Athletic for the 2000–01 season. He won the Manager of the Month award for November 2000,{{cite news
| title=Megson bags award
| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1047987.stm
|publisher=BBC Sport
| date=30 November 2000
| access-date=28 October 2007}} but left the club the following February, as they occupied the Division Two play-off zone.{{cite news
| title=Rioch's resignation rocks Wigan
| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wigan_athletic/1192912.stm
|publisher=BBC Sport
| date=27 February 2001
| access-date=28 October 2007}} The club said that Rioch had resigned, but he said he was dismissed.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}
=Odense Boldklub (OB)=
Rioch was intent on returning from management, and was linked with the Derby County manager's job after John Gregory was sacked at the end of the 2002–03 season. But it was four years before he made his return to management. He was appointed as head coach of Danish Superliga side OB in June 2005. He led OB to a third place in his first season in charge, but decided to leave the club on 12 March 2007 due to his wife's illness, as the official explanation. The media, however, reported that the actual cause was a dispute between Rioch and the management of OB.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}
=Aalborg BK (AaB)=
In June 2008, Rioch returned to management with Danish champions AaB after former head coach Erik Hamrén moved to Rosenborg BK.{{cite news
| title=Bruce Rioch præsenteret i AaB
| url=http://www.bold.dk/nyt/?vis=84901
| publisher=Bold.dk
| date=11 June 2008
| access-date=11 June 2008}} His first priority was to try to qualify AaB for the Champions League which they entered in the second qualifying round. He guided them into the group stage after defeating FK Modriča and FBK Kaunas. By beating Celtic, AaB came third and thus entered the UEFA Cup. Rioch, however, did not witness this victory from the bench: On 23 October 2008 he was dismissed as AaB had only two victories from ten games and were second from bottom of the Danish league.{{Cite news
| url = http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/football/10/23/denmark.aalborg/index.html
| title = Danish side Aalborg sack Rioch as coach
| publisher=CNN
| date = 23 October 2008
| access-date =24 October 2010
}}
=Later career=
In November 2009, Rioch was linked with a return to football as manager of the Scotland national team, this following the departure of George Burley.{{cite news |title=RIOCH SOLID CASE FOR AN OLD HEAD SCOTLAND |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20091129/ai_n42479987/|publisher=The Sunday Herald|date=29 November 2009 | first=Stewart | last=Fisher}} In March 2010, he took training sessions at Cornish non-League club Falmouth Town, near his home.{{cite news|url=http://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/sport/falmouthcountysport/5050021.Bruce_Rioch_at_Falmouth_Town/ |title=Bruce Rioch at Falmouth Town |newspaper=Falmouth Packet |date=10 March 2010 |access-date=16 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002183730/http://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/sport/falmouthcountysport/5050021.Bruce_Rioch_at_Falmouth_Town/ |archive-date=2 October 2011 }} He later became involved with coaching at another Cornish club, Penryn Athletic of the South West Peninsula League.{{cite news |url=http://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/sport/11390241.FOOTBALL__Penryn_ready_thanks_to_Rioch/ |title=FOOTBALL: Penryn ready thanks to Rioch |first=George |last=Thorpe |newspaper=Falmouth Packet |date=7 August 2014 |access-date=13 August 2016}}{{cite news |url=http://www.westbriton.co.uk/football-penryn-line-friendlies-july-2/story-26813598-detail/story.html |title=Football: Penryn line up friendlies |newspaper=West Briton |date=2 July 2015 |access-date=13 August 2016 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Career Statistics
=International=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year{{cite web|title=BRUCE RIOCH|url=https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/players/?pid=113822&lid=1|website=Scottish FA|access-date=17 July 2024}} | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="4"|Scotland
|1975 | 8 | 4 | |
| 1976 | 6 | 2 | |
| 1977 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1978 | 4 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!24 | 6 |
:Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Rioch goal.
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Bruce Rioch |
| scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition !scope="col" class="unsortable"|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| style="text-align:center"|1
|{{dts|17 May 1975}} |Ninian Park, Cardiff, Wales |{{fb|Wales}} |style="text-align:center"|2-2 |style="text-align:center"|2-2 |
| style="text-align:center"|2
|{{dts|24 May 1975}} |Wembley Stadium, London, England |{{fb|England}} |style="text-align:center"|1-2 |style="text-align:center"|1-5 |1974–75 British Home Championship |
| style="text-align:center"|3
|{{dts|29 October 1975}} |Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland |{{fb|Denmark}} |style="text-align:center"|2-1 |style="text-align:center"|3-1 |
| style="text-align:center"|4
|{{dts|17 December 1975}} |Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland |{{fb|Romania}} |style="text-align:center"|1-0 |style="text-align:center"|1-1 |UEFA Euro 1976 qualification |
| style="text-align:center"|5
|{{dts|6 May 1976}} |Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland |{{fb|Wales}} |style="text-align:center"|2-0 |style="text-align:center"|3-1 |
| style="text-align:center"|6
|{{dts|8 September 1976}} |Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland |{{fb|Finland}} |style="text-align:center"|1-0 |style="text-align:center"|6-0 |
=Managerial=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" | |||||
| rowspan="2"|Team
!rowspan="2"|Nat !rowspan="2"|From !rowspan="2"|To !colspan="5"|Record | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | |
| align=left|Torquay United{{cite web|url=https://www.managerstats.co.uk/managers/bruce-rioch/|website=managerstats.co.uk |title=Managers }}
|{{flagicon|England}} |align=left|1 July 1982 |align=left|14 January 1984 | 78 | 28 | 17 | 33 | |{{#expr: 28/78*100 round 2}} |
| align=left|Seattle Storm
|{{flagicon|USA}} |align=left|February 1985 |align=left|February 1986 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 6 | {{#expr: 6/13*100 round 2}} |
| align=left|Middlesbrough
|{{flagicon|England}} |align=left|2 February 1986 |align=left|9 March 1990 | 205 | 82 | 52 | 71 | {{#expr: 82/205*100 round 2}} |
| align=left|Millwall
|{{flagicon|England}} |align=left|1 April 1990 |align=left|17 March 1992 | 100 | 36 | 24 | 40 | {{#expr: 36/100*100 round 2}} |
| align=left|Bolton Wanderers
|{{flagicon|England}} |align=left|29 May 1992 |align=left|8 June 1995 | 172 | 83 | 42 | 47 | {{#expr: 83/172*100 round 2}} |
| align=left|Arsenal
|{{flagicon|England}} |align=left|8 June 1995 |align=left|12 August 1996 | 47 | 22 | 15 | 10 | {{#expr: 22/47*100 round 2}} |
| align=left|Norwich City
|{{flagicon|England}} |align=left|1 July 1998 |align=left|13 March 2000 | 93 | 30 | 31 | 32 | {{#expr: 30/93*100 round 2}} |
| align=left|Wigan Athletic
|{{flagicon|England}} |align=left|26 June 2000 |align=left|27 February 2001 | 43 | 19 | 15 | 9 | {{#expr: 19/43*100 round 2}} |
| align=left|Odense Boldklub (OB){{cite web|url=http://danskfodbold.com/traener.php?ligaid=2001&coachid=4011|title=danskfodbold.com - DBU's Officielle Statistikere|website=danskfodbold.com}}
|{{flagicon|DEN}} |align=left|July 2005 |align=left|March 2007 | 52 | 27 | 12 | 13 | {{#expr: 27/52*100 round 2}} |
| align=left|Aalborg Boldspilklub (AaB)
|{{flagicon|DEN}} |align=left|June 2008 |align=left|October 2008 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | {{#expr: 2/10*100 round 2}} |
| colspan=4|Total
||813||335||211||267||{{#expr: 335/813*100 round 2}} |
Honours
=Player=
Luton Town
Aston Villa
- Third Division: 1971–72
- League Cup runners-up: 1970–71
Derby County
- First Division: 1974–75
- FA Charity Shield: 1975{{cite news |url=http://www.footballsite.co.uk/Statistics/CommunityShield/1975-76CharityShield.htm |title=1975/76 Charity Shield |website=footballsite.co.uk |access-date=23 March 2020}}
Scotland
= Manager =
Middlesbrough
- Second Division play-offs: 1987–88
- Third Division promoted: 1986–87
- Full Members Cup runners-up: 1989–90
Bolton Wanderers
- First Division play-offs: 1994–95
- Second Division promoted: 1992–93
- League Cup runners-up: 1994–95
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Bruce Rioch}}
- {{soccerbase (manager)|id=257|name=Bruce Rioch}}
- [https://archive.today/20130103163503/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/manager/history-42.html Profile] at the League Managers Association
- [http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/rioch.htm Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk]
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards
| bg = gold
| fg = navy
| list =
{{1973–74 Football League Second Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{1980 NASL All-Stars}}
}}
{{Scotland squad 1978 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Managerial positions
|list1=
{{Torquay United F.C. managers}}
{{Middlesbrough F.C. managers}}
{{Millwall F.C. managers}}
{{Bolton Wanderers F.C. managers}}
{{Arsenal F.C. managers}}
{{Norwich City F.C. managers}}
{{Wigan Athletic F.C. managers}}
{{OB managers}}
{{AaB managers}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rioch, Bruce}}
Category:Footballers from Aldershot
Category:English men's footballers
Category:English people of Scottish descent
Category:Scottish men's footballers
Category:Scotland men's international footballers
Category:Luton Town F.C. players
Category:Aston Villa F.C. players
Category:Derby County F.C. players
Category:Birmingham City F.C. players
Category:Sheffield United F.C. players
Category:Seattle Sounders (1974–1983) players
Category:Torquay United F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players
Category:1978 FIFA World Cup players
Category:English football managers
Category:Premier League managers
Category:Torquay United F.C. managers
Category:Middlesbrough F.C. managers
Category:Millwall F.C. managers
Category:Bolton Wanderers F.C. managers
Category:Arsenal F.C. managers
Category:Queens Park Rangers F.C. non-playing staff
Category:Norwich City F.C. managers
Category:Wigan Athletic F.C. managers
Category:Western Soccer Alliance coaches
Category:Odense Boldklub managers
Category:Seattle Storm (soccer) coaches
Category:Expatriate football managers in Denmark
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Scottish expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
Category:Scottish expatriate men's footballers
Category:Scottish expatriate football managers
Category:English expatriate sportspeople in the United States