Brian Kidd

Kidd was born in Manchester, and started playing for Manchester United as a youngster, joining the club's academy in August 1964. Two years later, he went on to become a professional player with the club. Kidd had the distinction of scoring on his 19th birthday for Manchester United in their 4–1 victory over Benfica in the 1968 European Cup Final. All in all, he scored 52 times in 203 league appearances for Manchester United. Following United's relegation to the Football League Second Division in 1974, Kidd was transferred to Arsenal for £110,000. Kidd scored on his debut for Arsenal against Leicester City at Filbert Street. He then scored a brace at home against Manchester City. He was by far Arsenal's top goalscorer during the 1974–75 season, scoring 19 goals in 40 appearances. In the following season Kidd, on 20 March 1976, scored a hat-trick against West Ham United in a 6–1 win at Highbury. Altogether Kidd scored 34 times for Arsenal from 90 appearances. In July 1976, he was sold to Manchester City for a fee of £100,000. With Manchester City, Kidd scored three times against rivals Manchester United, in a 3–1 win at Maine Road and a 2–2 draw at Old Trafford during the 1977–78 season. He would play 98 times for Manchester City, netting 44 goals. He then moved to Everton in March 1979 for £150,000. With the Toffees, Kidd netted 12 times in 44 appearances and was sent off in an FA Cup semi final against West Ham United. Kidd then joined Bolton Wanderers in May 1980 for…

1984–2008

In 1984, Kidd began his coaching career at Barrow. He briefly managed Preston North End for several games in 1986. Kidd then became involved in coaching young players before being brought back to Manchester United as a youth team coach by Alex Ferguson in 1988. Over the next three years Kidd helped to bring through a host of talented players like Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and others in the Class of '92. When Ferguson's assistant Archie Knox moved to a similar capacity at Rangers in the summer of 1991, Kidd was promoted to the role of assistant manager. He helped Ferguson guide United to a Football League Cup win in 1992, the Premier League title in 1993, the double in 1994 and again in 1996, as well as another Premier League title in 1997. Kidd left United to take charge at Blackburn Rovers in December 1998, replacing Roy Hodgson who had been sacked after Blackburn's poor start to the season left them in the relegation zone. Despite Kidd having a promising start with Rovers, which saw him voted Premier League Manager of the Month and having also spent nearly £20 million on new players in his first four months in charge he was unable to save them from being relegated from the Premier League (just four years after being champions) and Kidd was dismissed on 3 November 1999 with Rovers standing 19th in Division One. In 1999, a rift developed between Kidd and Alex Ferguson after Kidd was strongly criticised in Ferguson's autobiography…

Kidd was capped twice for the England national football team with both of those appearances coming in 1970.

International

Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kidd's goal.

Player

Manchester United

European Cup: 1967–68 FA Charity Shield: 1967

Manager

Individual

Premier League Manager of the Month: December 1998