Cecil Irwin

Cecil Irwin 17/06/1972 - xx/xx/1975

Played 179, Won 81, Drew 53, Lost 45, Win Rate 45.25%

Cecil Irwin played for Sunderland, a club he joined at 15, and made over 300 Football League appearances before he was appointed player-manager of Yeovil Town. The full back was only 30 years old when appointed, and intended to play the whole season alongside the other 9 players that the board had already signed before his appointment. Unfortunately he slipped whilst playing in a losing cause against Bath City in the Southern League Cup and suffered a cartilage injury in October 1972. This put him out of action for almost the rest of the season.

Born in Ellington, Northumberland, in April 1942 he joined Sunderland, a reasonably local club for his upbringing. He did well during his time in Somerset, so it was a surprise on 3^rd April 1975 when it was announced that his contract would not be renewed. Yeovil Town had finished as Runners-up and in 6^th place in the two previous seasons in the Southern League. He continued to carry out his duties with great dignity and even scored in a Western Counties Floodlit League game only 5 days after being informed of his dismissal. He returned to his native North-East to play for, and later manage Ashington.