Dario Gradi MBE (born Milan, Italy, 8 July 1941) has become one of English football's most respected managers and coaches. Born to an Italian father (who died when Dario was a small child) and an English mother, he moved to London when his mother returned after the Second World War. Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire (Military division) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority... For the city in Texas named Milano, see Milano, Texas. ... July 8 is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 176 days remaining. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of an athletic team or of individual athletes. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000,000 Total dead: 50,000,000 Military dead: 8,000,000 Civilian dead: 4,000,000 Total dead 12,000,000 World War II (abbreviated WWII), or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict...

Playing career

As a footballer, he played for Sutton United, playing in the FA Cup tie against Leeds United in 1970, and Tooting & Mitcham before moving to Loughborough University to train as a teacher of physical education between 1960 and 1963. Sutton United Football Club is an English football team currently playing in the Conference South. ... Note: for the full results of all FA Cup finals, see FA Cup Final The FA Cup - this is the fourth trophy, in use since 1992, and identical in design to the third trophy introduced in 1911. ... Leeds United Association Football Club are the only professional association football club in the city of Leeds. ... Tooting & Mitcham United F.C. are an association football (soccer) club representing the London areas of Tooting and Mitcham. ... Loughborough University is a university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire in the East Midlands region of the United Kingdom. ...

Coaching career

After a period of teaching, Gradi turned to football coaching, becoming Assistant Coach at Chelsea in 1971 at the age of just 29. This was followed by coaching and management posts at Sutton United, Derby County, Wimbledon, and a 2 year spell as youth-coach at Orient. Chelsea Football Club, founded in 1905, are an English Premier League football club, nicknamed The Blues or previously The Pensioners, a reference to the Chelsea Pensioners. ... Sutton United Football Club is an English football team currently playing in the Conference South. ... Derby County Football Club are a football club based in Derby, currently playing in the Football League Championship. ... Wimbledon F.C. crest Wimbledon F.C. was the name of a now defunct football club that played in south London. ... Leyton Orient F.C. are an English football team recently promoted to League One of the Football League. ...

Management career

He took over as manager of Wimbledon in January 1978, and on leaving Plough Lane had a short spell as manager of Crystal Palace between February and November 1981. He eventually settled at Crewe, where he was appointed manager of Crewe Alexandra F.C. in June 1983. He took the club from the bottom of the then Fourth Division to the Second Division (since renamed The Football League Championship) by the late 1990s, becoming the League's longest-serving manager in the process, long outlasting the majority of others in such jobs. He has since joined the club's Board of Directors. Wimbledon F.C. crest Wimbledon F.C. was the name of a now defunct football club that played in south London. ... Crystal Palace Football Club is a professional football team based in Croydon in Surrey and playing in the Coca-Cola Football League Championship, the second level of English football. ... Map sources for Crewe at grid reference SJ705557 Crewe is a town in south Cheshire, in the north west of England. ... In sports, a coach or manager is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of an athletic team or of individual athletes. ... Crewe Alexandra Football Club are an English football team based at Gresty Road in Crewe, Cheshire, England and nicknamed The Railwaymen due to that towns links with the industry. ... The Football League Fourth Division or Division Four of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958-59 season until the creation of the FA Premier League prior to the 1992-93 season. ... From 1889 until 1992, this was the highest division overall of organized football in England. ... The Football League Championship (often referred to as The Championship for short or the Coca-Cola Football League Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the FA Premier League. ... In relation to a company, a director is an officer of the company charged with the conduct and management of its affairs. ...

His keen eye for spotting and rearing young talent is what has gained him some recognition in football. However he has never been head-hunted by a better club for his services. Proteges of his coaching at Crewe include many top players past and present, such as Dean Ashton, David Platt, Geoff Thomas, Rob Jones, Danny Murphy and Seth Johnson (all England Internationals), Welsh internationals Robbie Savage and David Vaughan and Northern Ireland internationals Neil Lennon and Steve Jones. A host of other players have achieved caps below full international status - e.g.: schoolboy, under-18, under-21, etc. Dean Ashton (born November 24, 1983 in Swindon, Wiltshire) is an English footballer who currently plays for West Ham United in the Premiership. ... David Andrew Platt (born June 10, 1966 in Chadderton, near Oldham, in Lancashire) is a former English footballer, who played in midfield. ... Geoff Thomas (born August 5, 1964) is a former English footballer who captained Crystal Palace to the F.A Cup final in 1990, where they drew 3-3 with Manchester United at Wembley before losing 1-0 in the replay. ... Rob Jones played at right back for Liverpool Football Club in England from 1991 until forced to retire through injury to 1999. ... Daniel Benjamin Murphy (born 18 March 1977 in Chester) is an English football player. ... Seth Art Maurice Johnson (born March 12, 1979 in Birmingham) is a former England international footballer, currently in his second spell as a player with Derby County. ... For the English footballer of the same name who was born in 1960, see Robert James Savage Robbie Savage (born October 18, 1974) is a professional footballer. ... David Vaughan (born February 18, 1983 in Rhuddlan, Denbighshire) is a Welsh professional football player. ... Neil Lennon (born June 25, 1971 in Lurgan, County Armagh) is a Northern Irish professional footballer, who currently plays for Celtic F.C. in the Scottish Premier League, and is now the club captain. ... Journeyman English footballer at Crewe Alexandra who was signed from Nationwide Conference outfit Leigh RMI for £75,000. ...

Tributes

Gradi was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2004 in recognition of his impact as a manager in the English game. The Hall of Fame is housed at The National Football Museum in Preston, England. ...

The British dance music group Dario G is named in his honour, as is a street in Crewe, Dario Gradi Close. In 2003 he was made an Honorary Freeman of the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich and in the same year was awarded an honorary doctorate by Loughborough University. Dario G is the name of a dance music trio from England. ... Loughborough University is a university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire in the East Midlands region of the United Kingdom. ...

Managerial stats

(Between 22 September and 17 October 2003 Neil Baker took temporary charge of the team while Gradi underwent heart surgery. The team did not win any matches during this period.) Wimbledon F.C. crest Wimbledon F.C. was the name of a now defunct football club that played in south London. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England_(bordered). ... January 5 is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Crystal Palace Football Club is a professional football team based in Croydon in Surrey and playing in the Coca-Cola Football League Championship, the second level of English football. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England_(bordered). ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 10 is the 314th day of the year (315th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 51 days remaining. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Crewe Alexandra Football Club are an English football team based at Gresty Road in Crewe, Cheshire, England and nicknamed The Railwaymen due to that towns links with the industry. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England_(bordered). ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 21 is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Crewe Alexandra Football Club are an English football team based at Gresty Road in Crewe, Cheshire, England and nicknamed The Railwaymen due to that towns links with the industry. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England_(bordered). ... October 18 is the 291st day of the year (292nd in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 22 is the 265th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (266th in leap years). ... October 17 is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Dario Gradi management career stats at Soccerbase
• English Football Hall of Fame Profile