CONTRARY to popular belief Ray Harford was a successful manager before coming to Ewood Park as an essential part of the Kenny Dalglish "dream ticket" in October 1991.

Acknowledged as one of the finest coaches in the country his first senior experience came at Fulham when he became assistant manager in 1982 to Malcoln Macdonald.

Under his guidance, Fulham played fine flowing football with a team that included the likes of Ray Houghton and Gordon Davies and they should have claimed promotion to the First Division.

For the first - but not last - time he moved up to become manager in 1984, following Macdonald's departure. But, with a selling policy in place, Harford never had a chance of success, resigned two years later and went to Luton as John Moore's assistant. After taking over - again! - as manager in June 1987, he became Luton's most successful boss. In his first season they finished ninth in Division One, won their first major trophy by beating Arsenal in the final of the League Cup, lost to eventual winners Wimbledon in the semi finals of the FA Cup and also reached the final of the Sinod Cup.

The following season, Harford again took Luton to Wembley, where they lost the League Cup final and he was controversially sacked in January 1990.

Within a month, Harford had teamed up with Bobby Gould at Wimbledon and took charge from within once more when Gould resigned.

Harford took Wimbledon to seventh place in the First Division before leaving to join Dalglish in his new venture at Ewood.

Three times previously he had stepped up from number two to the manager's chair and vowed it was a move he would not make again. But, when Dalglish decided to quit in the wake of the title triumph, the club wanted Harford to take the job. Out of loyalty to the people who had looked after him so well, he accepted - with reservations

Born in Halifax, on June 1, 1945, Harford the player was a centre half from the old school.

His career began with Charlton and continued via Exeter, Lincoln, Mansfield, Port Vale and Colchester United, where he was given his first staff job as youth coach.

Harford's repuation is such in the game that he is unlikely to be out of work for long.

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