Johnny Carey Manchester United football player Date of Birth: 23.02.1919 Country: Ireland

1. Johnny Carey - Irish Footballer and Football Coach
2. Early Career
3. Career at Manchester United
4. International Career
5. Career as a Coach
6. Later Life

Johnny Carey - Irish Footballer and Football Coach

Johnny Carey, also known as "Gentleman John" in football and "Cairo" in the army, was born on February 23, 1919, in Dublin, Ireland. Standing at 180cm tall and weighing 78.5kg, Carey had an impressive career as a player for Manchester United and the Irish national team.

Early Career

At the age of 17, Carey played for "St. James Gate" in Ireland and caught the attention of Manchester United scout Billy Behan and later the legendary Louis Rocca, who brought him to Manchester. Despite having only played three full games for his Dublin club, Carey's talents impressed Rocca so much that he immediately paid a record-breaking fee of £250 for the Irish player. Upon his arrival in Manchester, Carey was disappointed to find out that a newspaper headline announcing a sensational transfer was actually about another player, and his own transfer was mentioned only briefly.

Career at Manchester United

Initially, Carey played as a left inside forward for Manchester United, competing with the famous Stan Pearson. Interestingly, the decision to field a player often depended on the condition of the pitch - the worse the pitch, the more valuable Pearson became! Carey's career, like many others, was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II. During the war, he served in the Middle East and Italy, playing as a guest player for various clubs. In 1945, he returned to Manchester United and established himself as a central defender.

Carey played in various positions for Manchester United, including right-back, central midfielder, and halfback. He even played as a goalkeeper in one match when Jack Crompton fell ill just before an away game. The only position he never played was right-wing forward. Carey was regarded as one of the best defenders of his time. As captain of Manchester United, he led the team to victory in the 1948 FA Cup and the 1952 First Division title.

International Career

Carey regularly represented both the Irish national team and the Northern Ireland national team. He played 27 matches for the Republic of Ireland and 9 matches for Northern Ireland. In 1947, he captained a Rest of the World team against England at Wembley Stadium. In 1949, he was named Footballer of the Year by journalists, and in 1950, he was named Sports Personality of the Year.

Career as a Coach

In 1953, Carey decided to retire as a player and pursue a coaching career. He was immediately offered a coaching role at Manchester United, but he chose to work independently. He went on to coach Blackburn Rovers, Everton, Leyton Orient, and Nottingham Forest. Although he did not achieve significant success as a coach, he was highly respected in the football community.

Later Life

In 1958, Carey was called back to Manchester following the tragic Munich air disaster. He later worked as a club scout and managed a small office in Sale, Cheshire. He enjoyed playing golf, which eventually became his primary passion over football. However, Carey always maintained that football was an incredible game and that there was nothing else like it in the world.

Unfortunately, no photographs were found of Carey, but his legacy as a talented player and coach, as well as his contribution to Manchester United's history, will always be remembered.