Dick Duckworth was appointed manager of York City in March 1950, twelve years after captaining them all the way through to the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Dick Duckworth was appointed manager of York City in March 1950, twelve years after captaining them all the way through to the FA Cup quarter-finals.
The son of a former Manchester United star of the same name, Duckworth was a right-half who began his career at Oldham Athletic before then moving onto Chesterfield. For three seasons he was an ever-present for the Spireites and helped them to promotion to the Second Division in 1930-31. Spells followed at Southport, Chesterfield and Rotherham United until a move to Bootham Crescent in 1936.
He was to spend three seasons with York and later became player-manager at Newark and following the war coach at his former club Chesterfield. Duckworth was actually scouting for Birmingham City when being appointed into the hot-seat at York.
For two-and-a-half years he enjoyed a very successful time in the role, hoisting the club from the bottom of Division Three North and into the top four of the table, until departing to take over at Stockport County in October 1952. Four years at Edgeley Park preceded later periods in charge of Darlington and Scunthorpe United.
