Dave Merrington

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Dave Merrington

| fullname = David Robert Merrington

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1945|1|26}}

| birth_place = Newcastle, England{{hugman|13510|access-date=26 November 2018}}

| position = Centre back

| years1 = 1964–1971

| clubs1 = Burnley

| caps1 = 98

| goals1 = 1

| years2 =

| clubs2 = Bristol City

| manageryears1 = 1978

| managerclubs1 = Sunderland (caretaker)

| manageryears2 = 1980

| managerclubs2 = Leeds United (caretaker)

| manageryears3 = 1995–1996

| managerclubs3 = Southampton

}}

David Robert Merrington (born 26 January 1945) is an English former professional footballer, manager and commentator. He served as a caretaker manager at Sunderland in 1978, and Leeds United in 1980. Merrington was manager of Southampton from 1995 until his dismissal in 1996.

Before his career as a coach, Merrington played as a defender, spending the majority of his playing career at Burnley before moving to Bristol City. Merrington later worked as a commentator for BBC Radio Solent. He retired from commentating in 2022.

Playing career

Merrington played for Burnley, appearing in 98 league games (1 goal), including a spell as captain.{{Cite web |date=8 September 2004 |title=How Merrington made young Saints march |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5820343.merrington-made-young-saints-march/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Lancashire Telegraph}} Whilst at Burnley, he was blighted continually by serious injuries.{{cite web |url=http://www.ynw62.dial.pipex.com/burnley.htm |title=Burnley |access-date=22 May 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070219123140/http://www.ynw62.dial.pipex.com/burnley.htm |archive-date=19 February 2007}} He later played for Bristol City before retiring and going into coaching.{{Cite web |date=2 October 1971 |title=Swindon Town v Bristol City: Official Programme |url=http://www.stfcnewspapers.co.uk/images/Programmes/1971-1972/PDF/1971-10-02%20Swindon%20Town%20Vs%20Bristol%20City.pdf |access-date=7 June 2023}}

Coaching career

Merrington was a brief caretaker manager for Sunderland following the departure of Jimmy Adamson in 1978, and in 1980 he again took over from Adamson as caretaker manager (for 1 game only) at Leeds United.{{Cite web |last=Rayner |first=Stuart |date=3 November 2017 |title=Sunderland's post-War caretaker managers: Assessing the men who minded the shop |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/sunderlands-post-war-caretaker-managers-13850531 |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Chronicle Live}}{{Cite web |last=Scholes |first=Tony |date=15 June 2015 |title=Dave Merrington |url=https://www.clarets-mad.co.uk/feat/ed35/dave_merrington_343082/index.shtml |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Clarets Mad}}{{Cite web |date=19 May 1998 |title=CLARETS: Merrington relishes chance of Turf Moor return |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6153238.clarets-merrington-relishes-chance-turf-moor-return/ |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Lancashire Telegraph}}

He became youth coach at Southampton in 1983, before taking over as manager for the 1995–96 season.{{cite news |last1=Moore |first1=Glenn |title=Saint with an understanding of the sinners Southampton's trust in faith and reason |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/saint-with-an-understanding-of-the-sinners-southamptons-trust-in-faith-and-reason-1578710.html |access-date=24 November 2018 |work=The Independent |date=21 October 1995}} He was Premiership Manager of the Month in April 1996, his only full season in management. Despite securing Southampton's top flight status on goal difference, he was dismissed on 14 June 1996 and succeeded by Graeme Souness.{{Cite web |last=Duxbury |first=Nick |date=14 June 1996 |title=Merrington 'shocked' by Southampton dismissal |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/merrington-shocked-by-southampton-dismissal-1337226.html |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=The Independent}} During the final weeks of the 1995–96 season, he guided Southampton to two crucial wins which played a big part in their survival - they first beat Manchester United (champions that season) 3–1 at The Dell, and then won their penultimate game 1–0 at Bolton Wanderers, a result which confirmed the other side's relegation.{{cite web |url=http://www.southampton-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadtmrs.asp?ssnno=125&teamno=479 |title=Results Fixtures 1995-1996 Southampton - Southampton FC - Saints Mad |website=www.southampton-mad.co.uk |access-date=27 January 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912021200/http://www.southampton-mad.co.uk/footydb/loadtmrs.asp?ssnno=125&teamno=479 |archive-date=12 September 2012 |url-status=dead}}

A year later he returned to the club as a coach under next manager Dave Jones but left again three years later after Jones was succeeded by Glenn Hoddle. His next stop was a brief spell working as Walsall's first-team coach alongside manager Colin Lee in 2002, but later resigned for personal reasons.{{Cite web |date=31 July 2002 |title=Walsall assistant Merrington resigns |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-30062116.html |access-date=7 June 2023 |website=Irish Examiner}}

Media career

Merrington worked for BBC Radio Solent, commentating on Southampton matches.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21576543 |title = Rickie Lambert backed for England by Dave Merrington - BBC Sport| work=BBC Sport }} Merrington retired from commentary at the end of the 2021–22 season.{{Cite web |date=16 May 2022 |title=Merrington ready for "emotional" last commentary |url=https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2022-05-16/dave-merrington-final-bbc-solent-commentary-feature |access-date=17 May 2022 |website=Southampton FC}}{{Cite web |date=20 May 2022 |title=Southampton football pundit Dave Merrington retires |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-61513569 |access-date=23 May 2022 |website=23 May 2022}}

Honours

=Manager=

Individual

Premier League Manager of the Month: April 1996{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/managers/1104/David-Merrington/overview |title=Manager profile: David Merrington |publisher=Premier League |access-date=14 September 2018}}