Bruce Rioch

Rioch was born in Aldershot, Hampshire: his father served there with the Scots Guards, eventually becoming a sergeant major. His father had been born in Kinneff, Aberdeenshire, and his mother in Skye, each qualifying him to play for Scotland. After moving to Luton, Bedfordshire, at the age of 14, he joined his local side, Luton Town, turning professional in September 1964. He made his first team debut later that month, and his league debut in November 1964 in a 1–0 defeat at home to Southend United. He spent a couple of years establishing himself and was a regular member of the Luton team, scoring 24 goals, that won the Fourth Division title in 1968. Rioch moved to Aston Villa in July 1969 for a fee of £100,000, then a record fee paid by a Second Division side. He won a League Cup runners up medal in 1971, Villa losing 2–0 to Tottenham Hotspur. He moved to Derby County in February 1974, winning a League Championship medal. He joined Everton in December 1976, but returned to Derby County in November 1977. After a dispute with the Derby manager, Tommy Docherty, Rioch had brief loan spells with Birmingham City in December 1978 and with Sheffield United in March 1979. He then left the Baseball Ground to play for NASL side Seattle Sounders. While playing with Seattle Sounders in 1980 he was named to the NASL First Team All-Stars. He returned to England in October 1980 when he joined Torquay United as player-coach, working at first under Mike Green and then under Frank O'Farrell.

Torquay United

In July 1982, Rioch became player-manager of Torquay United, but left in January 1984. In February 1985, after 13 months out of the game he was appointed manager of FC Seattle, of the US Western Soccer Alliance, but resigned in September 1985 to return to England.

Middlesbrough

He was appointed as manager of Middlesbrough in February 1986 and his first success in management came in 1987 when he guided Middlesbrough to runners-up spot in the Third Division and promotion to the Second Division at the end of a season which had started with them locked out of Ayresome Park by the official receiver and on the verge of bankruptcy. A year later they won a second successive promotion, this time as winners of the Second Division promotion/First Division relegation playoffs. Middlesbrough were relegated on the final day of the 1988–89 season (despite having not occupied a relegation place prior to that). He was dismissed the following March as the Teessiders hovered just above the Second Division drop zone but on the brink of their first ever Wembley final in the Zenith Data Systems Cup.

Millwall

Rioch made a swift return to management the following month with Millwall and guided them to a playoff place in the 1990–91 Second Division campaign, but left in March 1992.

Bolton Wanderers

Rioch was appointed manager of Bolton Wanderers in May 1992. In his first season they defeated FA Cup holders Liverpool 2–0 at Anfield in an FA Cup…

International

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

Managerial

Player

Luton Town

Football League Fourth Division: 1967–68 Aston Villa

Football League Third Division: 1971–72 Football League Cup runner-up: 1970–71 Derby County

Football League First Division: 1974–75 FA Charity Shield: 1975 Scotland

British Home Championship: 1975–76, 1976–77

Manager

Middlesbrough

Football League Second Division play-offs: 1988 Football League Third Division promotion: 1986–87 Full Members' Cup runner-up: 1989–90 Bolton Wanderers

Football League First Division play-offs: 1995 Football League Second Division second place automatic promotion: 1992–93 Football League Cup runners-up: 1994–95