Gordon Strachan

Born and raised in Muirhouse, Edinburgh, Strachan supported Hibernian as a boy. His father, Jim, worked as a scaffolder, and his mother, Catherine, worked at a whisky distillery. At age 15, he damaged his vision playing football on the school playground when a pen in his pocket became lodged in his right eye; the pen came within "a thousandth of an inch" of permanently costing him the vision in his eye. He was offered a contract by Hibernian manager Eddie Turnbull, but his father decided against the offer after stating the club did not pay sufficient expenses for footwear.

Dundee

Strachan began his career with Dundee, having decided to sign with the Scottish club at age 14. In joining the club, he rejected an approach from Manchester United, reasoning he had a better chance to establish himself in the first team at Dens Park. His natural talent was immediately apparent, and he quickly earned a reputation as an outstanding player in the second team, twice winning the Scottish Reserve Player of the Year Award. He made his mark as an 18-year-old when he outplayed Alan Ball in a friendly with Arsenal in August 1975; The Sunday Post compared him to a young Billy Bremner. Strachan became a regular player in the 1975–76 season, the inaugural season of the Scottish Premier Division, featuring in 17 of the club's 36 league matches; however, David White's "Dee" were relegated on the last day of the season after rivals Dundee United edged ahead on goal average with an…

Strachan won his first cap for Scotland on 16 May 1980, in a British Home Championship defeat to Northern Ireland at Windsor Park. Strachan helped Scotland qualify for the 1982 FIFA World Cup and scored a crucial goal in qualifying by scoring the only goal against Sweden at the Råsunda Stadium in Stockholm. He did not feature in the 1982 British Home Championship, as Jock Stein wanted to rest him for the World Cup, held in Spain. The Scots cruised to a 5–2 victory over New Zealand at La Rosaleda Stadium, Málaga; Strachan was named Man of the Match. Scotland then lost 4–1 to a world-class Brazil side at the Estadio Benito Villamarín, Seville. In the third match, a 2–2 draw with the Soviet Union back in Málaga saw Scotland exit the tournament on goal difference.

Scotland also qualified for the 1986 FIFA World Cup. However, shortly after the draw with Wales at Ninian Park on 10 September 1985, Jock Stein died of a heart attack, and his assistant Alex Ferguson took charge for the World Cup campaign. To complete their qualification, they had to beat Australia in a play-off. Strachan played in the first leg at Hampden Park, but did not travel to Melbourne for the second leg. The Scots faced a tough draw in Mexico and lost their opening match 1–0 at the Estadio Neza 86 in the Mexico City suburb of Nezahualcóyotl to the unseeded – but highly fancied – Denmark. Strachan then scored in a 2–1 defeat to West Germany at the Estadio Corregidora in Queretaro; his goal celebration was…

Coventry City

When Ron Atkinson became Coventry City's director of football in November 1996, Strachan was promoted to a player manager position. He appointed Alex Miller as his assistant. After an upturn in results, Strachan was named Manager of the Month in December. However, 1 win in 12 matches in the New Year left the "Sky Blues" in the relegation zone. Late wins over Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur saved their season though, and relegation was avoided by a one-point margin. Strachan played in the win over Chelsea at Highfield Road at age 40, in what was at the time a record age for an outfield player in the Premier League. Strachan signed Swedish goalkeeper Magnus Hedman and defender Roland Nilsson, Dutch midfielder George Boateng, and Romanian striker Viorel Moldovan – all of whom would win international caps. Coventry rose to 11th place in 1997–98, and also reached the quarter-finals of the 1997–98 FA Cup. After Miller left the club, Strachan replaced him with Garry Pendrey, who would go on to spend many years as his assistant at various clubs. Strachan was again named Manager of the Month in February 1998. The club finished 15th in 1998–99 and 14th in 1999–2000, as Strachan spent £6 million on Irish striker Robbie Keane and £5 million on Moroccans Mustapha Hadji and Youssef Chippo, while selling Dion Dublin to Midlands rivals Aston Villa. Coventry were relegated at the end of the 2000–01 season, making Strachan unpopular with fans. New signing Craig…

Typically playing a traditional 4–4–2 formation, and very occasionally 4–5–1, Strachan is known for his rigorous management style. He also places great emphasis on player health and fitness, forbidding his players to drink alcohol excessively or regularly, and often giving dietary advice to his players, attributing his own longevity as a player to a strict and somewhat unusual diet involving seaweed. Players such as Scotland international Gary Caldwell have attributed their success at Celtic to lifestyle changes enforced by Strachan. Renowned for his deadpan humour in media interviews, quotes attributed to Strachan have become part of popular football culture.

Enmity with Alex Ferguson

As a manager Strachan continued an ongoing public feud with Alex Ferguson, that dated back to Strachan's playing days under Ferguson at two clubs. In his 1999 autobiography, Ferguson said, "I decided this man could not be trusted an inch – I would not want to expose my back to him in a hurry." Strachan's reaction to the attack, in his own 2006 autobiography, My Life in Football, was one of being "surprised and disappointed", although he suspected that Ferguson had helped to relegate Strachan's Coventry City in 2001 by fielding a weakened Manchester United team in a match against Derby County. In August 2006, after his Celtic team was drawn to play Ferguson's Manchester United in the Champions League, Strachan said that there was no longer any enmity between themselves anymore.…