Powell Ivor Image 4 Aston Villa 1949

Description

Gilfach Goch, Rhondda Valley born right half (who also played across the half back lime) Ivor Powell began his football career with Bargoed, playing for Bangor City in 1935 and Barnet in 1936, from where he signed for Third Division (South) club Queens Park Rangers in August 1937, making his Football League debut against Walsall in January 1939, the first of 10 matches he played before the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, which severely interrupted his career. After the War he returned to QPR, and missed only one match a season in the first two post war seasons, helping them to win the Third Division (South) Championship in 1947-48. While at Queens Park Rangers he was first capped by Wales in 1946, having already won 4 unofficial wartime caps, and won a total of 8 caps through to 1950.

On 15th December 1948, the tough tackler commanded a £17,500 transfer fee; this was a record for a half back and for both the buying and selling clubs when he moved to Aston Villa after a pair of goals in 124 matches for Rangers either side of the War. An ever present during Villa’s 1949-50 campaign, Powell lost his place in December 1950 and transferred to Port Vale in July 1951 becoming their player-manager after 5 goals in 86 matches for Villa. As player-manager he played just the 6 times, restricted on the field by a knee injury. As a manager, he tried to ‘rule by fear’ and was not well liked by the players; with the club bottom of the Third Division (South), his contract was terminated in November 1951. Roy Sproson later said that “everything seemed to go wrong for him at Vale” and that “he used to treat players like kids” Powell stated that all of the club’s funds had been spent on completing Vale Park but that “I thought if I increased the fitness of the squad and worked on their diet I could knock them into shape”.

He joined Barry Town immediately after his resignation from Vale before being appointed the new Bradford City manager, again as player-manager, in May 1952, In September 1954 he was carried off with knee ligament damage against Wrexham at Valley Parade, an injury that finished his playing career after 9 goals in 88 matches for The Bantams. However Bradford City had a very poor season and he was sacked in February 1955. Powell became a trainer-coach at Don Revie’s Leeds United, and also had a coaching spell at PAOK in Greece, before he returned to management with Carlisle United in May 1960, succeeding Andy Beattie. He led The Cumbrians to their first promotion when they finished fourth in the Fourth Division in 1961-62. He instilled discipline at Brunton Park, and signed players such as Peter McConnell, Reg Davies, Terry Caldwell, and Jack Marsden. He left the following season in February 1963, with the club struggling in the league and knocked out of the FA Cup by Southern League side Gravesend & Northfleet. Powell became manager of Bath City in 1964 and then a member of the coaching staff at Team Bath (University of Bath) in 1967, where he worked for over 30 years, before becoming a coach at the same club. At the age of 93, Powell announced his retirement as the “world’s oldest football coach” in May 2010!!