Matt Gillies

Matthew Muirhead Gillies (12 August 1921 – 24 December 1998) was a Scottish football player and manager who played for, captained, coached and managed Leicester City for a total of 15 years between 1952–1955 and 1956–1968. He is the club's longest serving manager, lasting a decade in the manager's seat between November 1958 and November 1968. He took charge of Leicester for a club record 508 matches, after making 111 appearances for the club as a player.

He was manager of the Leicester side nicknamed the "Ice Kings", which chased the double in 1962–63.

Playing career Gillies played for R.A.F. Weeton, Bolton Wanderers and Leicester City, making a total of 248 appearances in the Football League.

Managerial career

Leicester City Gillies took a brief break from football after finishing his playing career at Leicester in the summer of 1955, but returned to the club less than a year later to become part of the club's coaching staff under Dave Halliday in April 1956, before being made the club's manager on 1 November 1958. He brought in Bert Johnson as his assistant and head scout and the pair would embark in arguably the most successful period in the club's history. In the final itself Len Chalmers received an injury early in the game and had to hobble for the remaining 70 minutes or so, meaning Leicester were effectively down to ten men, and Leicester lost 2–0 as Tottenham clinched the double. Though this did mean Leicester had qualified for Europe for the first time in their history. The club were knocked out in the first round of the European Cup Winners' Cup though, losing 3–1 on aggregate to eventual winners Atlético Madrid after beating Glenavon 7–3 on aggregate in the preliminary round.

Two seasons later, in 1962–63, in what is considered Gillies' and often the club's peak, Leicester remarkably chased the double themselves, not only did they reach the FA Cup final but they also sat top of the First Division with just five games to go. The worst winter for two decades led to a plethora of games being postponed. During these postponements Leicester quietly climbed the league in a then club record eighteen-match unbeaten run earning them the nickname in the national press of "the ice-kings".

However, there was some consolidation a season later to club's disappointment in missing out on the FA Cup and the league title, albeit in a less prestigious guise. The club won its first major trophy after beating Stoke City in the 1964 Football League Cup final 4–3 on aggregate. Though they tasted yet another cup final defeat a year later as they reached the League Cup final for the second season running, but lost 3–2 on aggregate to Chelsea.

Contract disputes with several of the club's star players however marred the 1964–65 season. Though most of the disputes were resolved, the loss of hugely influential Frank McLintock to Arsenal for a then club record incoming fee of £80,000 and the unrest over pay saw Leicester slump to 18th in the league. The illness took its toll on Gillies though and saw his managerial abilities wain and on 28 November 1968, with the club sitting 17th in the league the board sacked his assistant Bert Johnson and first team coach George Dewis. Gillies resigned in protest. His resignation was officially announced at 16:00 on 30 November 1968, exactly ten years and 21 days after taking the job.

Nottingham Forest In 1969, he became manager of Nottingham Forest and remained in charge of the club until 1972. Though his spell at Forest was ultimately disappointing and ended shortly after relegation in October 1972, he did sign John Robertson and Martin O'Neill for the club, both of whom would star for Forest in their European triumphs under Brian Clough.

Death He died in Nottingham on Christmas Eve 1998 at the age of 77. A minute's silence was held in his honour before Leicester's following home fixture with Blackburn Rovers. Shankly later copied this trick as his Liverpool side were promoted to the First Division and went on to win First Division titles.

Honours

As a player Leicester City Second Division: 1953–54

As a manager Leicester City FA Cup runners-up: 1961, 1963 League Cup: 1964; runners-up 1965