Dennis Viollet
Viollet in 1957
Personal information
Full name Dennis Sydney Viollet
Date of birth (1933-09-20)20 September 1933
Place of birth Fallowfield, Manchester, Lancashire, England
Date of death 6 March 1999(1999-03-06) (aged 65)
Place of death Jacksonville, Florida, United States
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Inside forward
Youth career
1949–1953 Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1953–1962 Manchester United 259 (159)
1962–1967 Stoke City 182 (59)
1967–1968 Baltimore Bays 34 (7)
1969 Witton Albion 8 (2)
1969–1970 Linfield 11 (5)
Total 494 (232)
International career
1960–1961 England 2 (1)
Managerial career
1971 Crewe Alexandra
1974–1977 Washington Diplomats
1978–1980 New England Tea Men (assistant)
1980–1982 Jacksonville Tea Men (assistant)
1983–1984 Jacksonville Tea Men
1990–1995 Jacksonville Dolphins
1995–1996 Richmond Kickers
1997–1999 Jacksonville Cyclones
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Dennis Sydney Viollet (20 September 1933 – 6 March 1999) was an English footballer who played for Manchester United and Stoke City as well as the England national team.[2][3] He was famous as one of the Busby Babes and survived the Munich air disaster. After his retirement as player, he became a coach and spent most of his managerial career in the United States for various professional and school teams.

Club career

Manchester United

Viollet (sixth from the left) lines up for the Busby Babes final match in February 1958.
Manchester United F.C. in 1960 – from the left, standing: Maurice Setters, Bill Foulkes, Ronnie Cope, Harry Gregg, Albert Scanlon, Bobby Charlton. Front row: Warren Bradley, Albert Quixall, Dennis Viollet, Shay Brennan and Joe Carolan.

Viollet joined Manchester United on 1 September 1949. He came through the junior ranks at United and turned professional in 1950. His first competitive game for the first team came against Newcastle United on 11 April 1953 and he was a key part of the United teams that won back to back First Division titles in 1956 and 1957. One of his most notable games came on 26 September 1956, in the second leg of United's European Cup preliminary round tie against Belgian champions Anderlecht, in which he scored four goals in a 10–0 win that remains United's biggest competitive victory.[4] In February 1958, Viollet was flying back from a European Cup match in Belgrade via Munich; attempting to take off in bad weather, the plane crashed, killing 21 people, including seven Manchester United players, in what would become known as the Munich air disaster. Viollet survived, suffering only injuries to his head and face, and he returned to action before the end of the season, less than three months later. He played in the 1958 FA Cup Final against Bolton Wanderers, which United lost 2–0, and less than a week later, he scored the equalising goal in a 2–1 win over Milan in the first leg of their European Cup semi-final; Milan won the second leg 4–0 to deny United a place in the final.

After scoring 21 goals in 37 league appearances in 1958–59, Viollet had his most prolific season to date in 1959–60, scoring 32 goals in 36 league appearances, a club record.[5] In recognition of his scoring exploits, Viollet received his first call-up to the England team in May 1960; after being left out for a 3–3 home draw with Yugoslavia and a 3–0 away defeat to Spain on 15 May, he was named at inside left for a 2–0 away defeat to Hungary a week later. Despite missing three months of the 1960–61 season, he still scored 15 goals, behind only Bobby Charlton and Alex Dawson as Manchester United's top scorer, and in September 1961, he was called up to the England squad again for a 1962 World Cup qualifier at home to Luxembourg; Viollet scored England's second goal in a 4–1 win. In January 1962, Matt Busby surprisingly sold the 28-year-old Viollet to Stoke City for £25,000 after scoring 179 goals in 293 appearances for United.[6]

Stoke City

He joined a team being re-built by Tony Waddington, containing experienced players such as Stanley Matthews, and Jackie Mudie and also emerging talent such as John Ritchie and Eric Skeels.[3] His signing was viewed as a coup for Stoke as at 28 Viollet was still in his prime.[3] He made a decent start to his Stoke career scoring five goals towards the end of the 1961–62 season meaning that hopes were high for 1962–63.[3] While six games without a win heralded another poor start for Stoke, Viollet kick-started Stoke's season with four goals against Charlton Athletic on 12 September.[3] That win gave Stoke the impetus to embark on an unbeaten run of 18, ended by Leeds United on 15 December.[3] The winter of 1962–63 saw no matches played for two months and once football resumed in March Stoke lost once in their next 13 matches and won the Second Division title with Viollet scoring 23 goals. With Stoke back in the First Division after a ten-year absence Waddington decided to move Viollet into midfield.[3] He played and scored in the 1964 Football League Cup Final as Stoke lost 4–3 to Leicester City. He continued to play for Stoke until the summer of 1967 when he announced his retirement after scoring 66 goals in 207 matches for the "Potters".[3] Shortly after his death in March 1999 he was honoured by the club having a street near the Britannia Stadium named 'Dennis Viollet Avenue'.[3]

Later career

Shortly after leaving the Victoria Ground, he came out of retirement to join NASL team Baltimore Bays in the United States for a season.[3] On returning to Britain, he played for non-league Witton Albion, before finishing his career at Linfield helping them to win the Irish cup in 1970. Once his playing career finished, he had spells coaching at Preston North End, and Crewe Alexandra briefly in 1971.[3]

International career

On 22 May 1960, at the end of his record-breaking season with Manchester United, Viollet won his first full England cap in a 2–0 friendly defeat to Hungary in Budapest. His second and final appearance came on 28 September 1961, in a qualifying game for the 1962 World Cup at Highbury, in which he scored in a 4–1 win over Luxembourg.[7]

Coaching career in the United States

In 1974, Dennis Viollet became the first Head Coach for the Washington Diplomats of the NASL. In 1978, Viollet was selected by his former United teammate, head coach Noel Cantwell, to serve as assistant coach of the New England Tea Men of the North American Soccer League. After three seasons in the Boston area, the team relocated to Jacksonville, Florida in 1981 where Viollet continued as assistant coach, ultimately becoming head coach, of the Jacksonville Tea Men of the NASL, ASL and United Soccer League. The Team Men won the ASL, bringing the City of Jacksonville its first ever professional sports championship. Viollet in 1985 coached the varsity boys soccer team at St. Johns Country Day School located in Orange Park, Florida. He also coached the Jacksonville Knights, a professional indoor soccer team, in 1989. In 1990, Viollet took the reins of the Jacksonville University Dolphins, where he stayed until 1995. Jacksonville University and their primary rivals, the University of North Florida, compete annually for the Dennis Viollet Cup. He then took the USISL Richmond Kickers to the 1995 American Double (USISL Premier League and US Open Cup titles). He stayed with Richmond for 2 seasons, then served as coach of the A-League Jacksonville Cyclones before his death from cancer on 6 March 1999, aged 65, in his adopted home of Jacksonville.[3]

In additional to his professional coaching career, Dennis Viollet made important volunteer contributions to youth soccer development in the Orange Park community near Jacksonville. He became an influential member of Orange Park Soccer Club in the early 1980s, helping to organize the club and volunteering to coach a number of youth teams. Over the years that club grew to become Clay County Soccer Club, and in recognition of Dennis' contributions in its early days they honored him by naming their primary soccer field complex after him (Dennis Viollet Soccer Complex) in Orange Park, Florida. Dennis also ran youth soccer camps every summer in Orange Park at St. Johns Country Day School, where he would invite players from teams he managed such as the Jacksonville Teamen or later Jacksonville University players, to act as instructors. Dennis coached and mentored numerous local youth players who later succeeded at various college and professional levels.

Personal life

Viollet was born in Fallowfield, Manchester, in September 1933, the youngest of three children born to Charles Sydney Viollet (1890–1961) and Hannah Tomlinson (1893–1992); he had two older sisters, Vera (born 1917) and Audrey (born 1930). He grew up as a Manchester City supporter.[8]

He married Barbara Mavis Southern at St Edmund's Church, Manchester, in 1951, when he was 17 years old. Their daughter Stephanie was born later that year, and they later had two sons, Roger (born 1957) and Malcolm (born 1961), and another daughter, Deborah (born 1958). They divorced in 1969, and in June that year, Viollet married Helen B. Greeph; they were married until his death nearly 30 years later.[9] Their daughter Rachel (born 1972) became the British number one ranked tennis player when she reached the second round of Wimbledon in 1996.[10][11] During her tennis career, she won one ITF singles tournament and one ITF doubles tournament.

Viollet died in March 1999 after a two-year battle against cancer, with a brain tumour first being diagnosed during 1997, despite treatment and surgery during that time to combat the illness.[12]

In 2010, Viollet was inducted into the Washington, D.C. Soccer Hall of Fame. Viollet was also inducted into the first class of the United Soccer League Hall of Fame in 2002. The annual University of North Florida/Jacksonville University soccer match has been contested for the Viollet Cup since 2001. The Dennis Viollet Soccer Training Center was dedicated in 2006 and located at the Complete Soccer Academy in Longwood, Florida.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[13]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester United 1952–53 First Division 3100——0031
1953–54 First Division 291111———3012
1954–55 First Division 342031———3721
1955–56 First Division 342010———3520
1956–57 First Division 271650—6[lower-alpha 1]91[lower-alpha 2]13926
1957–58 First Division 221633—6[lower-alpha 1]41[lower-alpha 2]03223
1958–59 First Division 372110———3821
1959–60 First Division 363230———3932
1960–61 First Division 24151021——2716
1961–62 First Division 13700———137
Total 25915918521121321293179
Stoke City 1961–62 Second Division 1350000——135
1962–63 Second Division 37231010——3923
1963–64 First Division 32103261——4113
1964–65 First Division 34133231——4016
1965–66 First Division 3261051——387
1966–67 First Division 3421010——362
Total 1825994163——20766
Baltimore Bays 1967 NPSL 124————124
1968 NASL 223————223
Total 347————347
Career total 475225279184121321534252
  1. 1 2 Appearances in European Cup
  2. 1 2 Appearances in FA Charity Shield

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[14]
National teamYearAppsGoals
England 196010
196111
Total21

Managerial statistics

Team From To Record
G W D L Win %
Crewe Alexandra 1 August 1971 1 November 1971 15 4 2 9 026.67

Honours

Manchester United

Stoke City

Linfield

Individual

References

  1. ↑ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Dennis Viollet (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  2. ↑ Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Stoke City 101 Golden Greats. Desert Islands Books. 2002. ISBN 1-874287554.
  4. ↑ "Duncan Edwards A prodigious talent cut down in his prime". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  5. ↑ "The tragedy of Munich Airport". thebusbybabes.com. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  6. ↑ "Dennis Viollet". Manchester United. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  7. ↑ "England match data 1960–1964". englandfc.com. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  8. ↑ "Career Bio". Dennis Viollet.com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2012. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  9. ↑ "Dennis Viollet". englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  10. ↑ Harris, Nick (26 June 2002). "Baltacha saves day as home players fall". The Independent. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
  11. ↑ Foster, Peter (26 June 2002). "Being on court is triumph for Busby babe's daughter". Telegraph.co.uk. Telegraph Media Group. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
  12. ↑ "Dennis Viollet". Manchester Evening News. MEN Media. 17 February 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  13. ↑ Dennis Viollet at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  14. ↑ Viollet, Dennis at National-Football-Teams.com
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