John Duncan (footballer)

{{short description|Scottish footballer and manager (1949–2022)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = John Duncan

| fullname = John Pearson Duncan{{Hugman|5545|access-date=19 March 2017}}

| birth_date = {{birth date|1949|2|22|df=y}}

| birth_place = Dundee, Scotland

| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|10|8|1949|2|22|df=y}}

| height =

| position = Forward

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Broughty Athletic

| years1 = 1968–1975

| clubs1 = Dundee

| caps1 = 121

| goals1 = 64

| years2 = 1975–1979

| clubs2 = Tottenham Hotspur

| caps2 = 103

| goals2 = 53

| years3 = 1979–1981

| clubs3 = Derby County

| caps3 = 36

| goals3 = 12

| years4 = 1981–1983

| clubs4 = Scunthorpe United

| caps4 = 9

| goals4 = 0

| totalcaps = 269

| totalgoals = 129

| nationalyears1 = 1973

| nationalteam1 = Scottish League XI{{cite news|url=http://www.londonhearts.com/SFL/players/johnduncan.html|title=John Duncan|access-date=18 December 2011 |publisher=London Hearts Supporters' Club}}

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 2

| manageryears1 = 1981–1983

| managerclubs1 = Scunthorpe United

| manageryears2 = 1983

| managerclubs2 = Hartlepool United

| manageryears3 = 1983–1987

| managerclubs3 = Chesterfield

| manageryears4 = 1987–1990

| managerclubs4 = Ipswich Town

| manageryears5 = 1993–2000

| managerclubs5 = Chesterfield

| manageryears6 = 2007–2011

| managerclubs6 = Loughborough University

| image = John Pearson Duncan.jpeg

}}

John Pearson Duncan (22 February 1949 – 8 October 2022){{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63187788|title=Legendary Chesterfield boss Duncan dies, aged 73|via=BBC |date=8 October 2022 }} was a Scottish football player and manager. He guided Chesterfield to the FA Cup semi-finals in 1997.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/oct/08/john-duncan-manager-of-chesterfields-run-to-fa-cup-last-four-in-1997-dies-at-73|title=John Duncan, manager of Chesterfield's run to FA Cup last four in 1997, dies at 73|date=8 October 2022|website=The Guardian}}

Playing career

Born in Dundee, Duncan played as a forward for Dundee, Tottenham Hotspur, Derby County, Scunthorpe United, and also represented the Scottish League XI.{{cn|date=October 2022}}

Managerial career

Duncan managed Scunthorpe United, Hartlepool United, Chesterfield and Ipswich Town.{{cite web|url=https://chesterfield-fc.co.uk/club-news/john-duncan-remembered|title=John Duncan remembered|publisher=Chesterfield FC|date=9 October 2022|accessdate=12 October 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012170005/https://chesterfield-fc.co.uk/club-news/john-duncan-remembered |archive-date=12 October 2022 }}

Duncan's first managerial role was at Scunthorpe United. After a brief spell at Hartlepool United, Duncan was appointed Chesterfield manager in the summer of 1983 and led them to the Fourth Division title in 1985. After keeping the club in the Third Division the following season, he was appointed Ipswich Town manager in the summer of 1986 following their relegation to the Second Division.

Duncan led Ipswich to top-half finishes in the Second Division but was dismissed in 1990 after failing to lead promotion challenges. After leaving Ipswich, Duncan became a teacher at a Suffolk school before returning to Chesterfield in February 1993. In his second spell at the club, Chesterfield won the Division Three playoffs in 1995 and reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 1996–97, losing to Middlesbrough in a replay.

Duncan was dismissed by Chesterfield in April 2000 after their relegation back to Division Three.{{cite web |url-status=dead |url=http://www.chesterfield-fc.co.uk/page/PastPlayersDetail/0,,10435~1332295,00.html |website=Chesferfield FC |date=22 Jun 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004123237/http://www.chesterfield-fc.co.uk/page/PastPlayersDetail/0%2C%2C10435~1332295%2C00.html |archive-date= 4 October 2011 |access-date=23 April 2009 |title=THE MANAGERS: John Duncan }} He was awarded a testimonial by Chesterfield in 2002.

Duncan spent four seasons managing Loughborough University from 2007, winning the Midland Combination League Cup in 2008 and the League title and promotion to the Midland Football Alliance in 2009.{{Cite web|url=http://www.loughboroughfootball.co.uk/staff/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104185223/http://www.loughboroughfootball.co.uk/staff/|url-status=dead|title=Loughborough University Football Club website, Staff page|archivedate=4 November 2011}}

Duncan joined the League Managers Association in 2009, eventually becoming technical manager.

Legacy

The League Managers Association named an award in honour of him in 2023, the LMA John Duncan Award.{{Cite web |date=30 May 2023 |title=Pep Guardiola wins the Sir Alex Ferguson Trophy for the LMA Manager of the Year |url=https://leaguemanagers.com/news/lma-latest/pep-guardiola-wins-lma-manager-year-23/ |access-date=3 June 2023 |publisher=League Managers Association |archive-date=3 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603072240/https://leaguemanagers.com/news/lma-latest/pep-guardiola-wins-lma-manager-year-23/ |url-status=dead }} The award is given to an individual chosen by the LMA board who has either accomplished something significant in the field of football or stands for the values of passion and service to football that he embodied. The inaugural award winner was Lou Macari.