7th of the Seventh

Football On 7th July 1982 Ipswich Town manager Bobby Robson was appointed manager of England, replacing Ron Greenwood (left). Greenwood was born in Bury, Lancashire, but moved to London in 1931 during the Depression. He was educated at the Wembley County Grammar School, leaving at the age of 14 to be an apprentice sign-writer. He served with an RAF mobile radio unit in Northern Ireland and later in France during WW2.

Greenwood played as a centre-half joining Chelsea  as an amateur whilst training as an apprentice sign-writer. During WWW2 he served in the RAF in Northern Ireland and guested for local club Belfast Celtic. In 1945, he left Chelsea for Bradford Park Avenue, in Yorkshire and made 59 league appearances over the next four seasons.

In 1949, Greenwood moved to the club he supported as a boy, Brentford, his £9,500 fee breaking the club's incoming transfer record. He made 147 appearances and scored one goal. After three years at Brentford, he returned to Chelsea, where he played 66 times and won a First Division winners' medal in 1954-5, under manager Ted Drake. That summer, he moved to Fulham, where he made another 42 league appearances before retiring at the end of the 1955–56 season. He was never capped for his country, though he did make a single 'B' international appearance, whilst at Brentford in a 1–0 victory against the Netherlands, on 23 March 1952, at the "Olympishe Stadion", Amsterdam. 

After retiring Greenwood moved into coaching at Eastbourne United and Oxford University, where he came to the attention of Sir Harold Thompson, president of the University football club. Thompson later became the President of the FA and Robson was made responsible for England youth teams. He then combined the England Under-23 post with being the assistant manager at Arsenal, under manager George Swindin, having moved to Highbury in December 1957. He remained there until April 1961, when he was appointed manager of West Ham United.

Greenwood's reign at West Ham brought them sizeable success. He oversaw the development of players such as the 1966 FIFA World Cup winning Hammers' trio of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin  Peters and under him the Hammers won the FA Cup in 1964 and the European Cup Winners Cup the following season– the first two major trophies of their history. West Ham's league form under Greenwood was less impressive, usually finishing in the lower half of the First Division table, though they did come 6th in 1972-3. In his final sedason, West Ham finished 18th, just one point from relegation.

He moved "upstairs" in 1974, becoming the club's general manager for the next three years, with John Lyall, being placed in charge of the first team. In the first season of this arrangement, West Ham won another FA Cup.

After England coach Don Revie resigned,  midst some controversy, Ron was appointed full-time manager, ending his 16-year association with West Ham United. Under Greenwood, England qualified for UEFA Cup where they were knocked out in the group stages. England also qualified for the 1982 World Cup, under Greenwood, their first World Cup in twelve years. England came through the tournament unbeaten, but were knocked out in the second group stage after 0–0 draws against West Germany and Spain.

Greenwood retired from football after the 1982 World Cup, with the national coach's job going to Bobby Robson!! One major landmark during Greenwood's tenure was the selection of the first black player for England, Viv Anderson in 1978. Greenwood stated "Yellow, purple or black – if they're good enough, I'll pick them".

On 7th July 1990, exactly 8 years after being appointed, another West Ham favourite, England manager Bobby Robson took charge of England for the last time. Hosts, Italy beat England 2-1 in the World Cup 3rd/4th place match, which saw Peter Shilton make his record 125th and final appearance for his country.