LONDON (Reuters) – Former England defender and respected coach Don Howe has died, aged 80, the Football Association said on Wednesday.
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Howe earned 23 international caps and played at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden where he was part of the defence that shut out eventual champions Brazil in a 0-0 draw.
After finishing his club career, during which he played 379 times for West Bromwich Albion and 74 times for Arsenal, Howe established himself as one of the country’s top coaches.
He was assistant manager to Bertie Mee when Arsenal won the ‘Double’ in 1971 and he also helped steer the Gunners to three FA Cup finals, losing in 1978 and 1980 and winning in 1979.
Howe managed Arsenal from 1983-86 and was then assistant manager to Bobby Gould when Wimbledon stunned Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final. He was also part of the England coaching set-up under Ron Greenwood, Bobby Robson and Terry Venables.
“It is terribly sad news and our thoughts are with Don’s family at this time,” FA chairman Greg Dyke said.
“He is widely regarded as being in the vanguard of coaching in England, and I know that his loss will be keenly felt amongst the coaching fraternity in particular and not least by (current manager) Roy Hodgson, who was close to Don.”
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
