Willie Ormond

This article is about the former Scotland player and manager. For the former Oldham Athletic and Barrow player, see Willie Ormond (footballer born 1926).
Willie Ormond
Personal information
Full name William Esplin Ormond[1]
Date of birth (1927-02-23)23 February 1927
Place of birth Falkirk, Scotland
Date of death 4 May 1984(1984-05-04) (aged 57)
Place of death Musselburgh, Scotland
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Playing position Outside left
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1946 Stenhousemuir 9 (0)
1946–1961 Hibernian 335 (147)
1961–1962 Falkirk 27 (4)
Total 371 (151)
National team
1947–1958 Scottish League XI 10 (3)
1952 Scotland B 1 (0)
1954–1959 Scotland 6 (2)
Teams managed
1967–1973 St Johnstone
1973–1977 Scotland
1977–1980 Heart of Midlothian
1980 Hibernian

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


William Esplin "Willie" Ormond OBE (23 February 1927 – 4 May 1984) was a Scottish football player and manager. As a player, Ormond was well known as one of Hibernian's Famous Five forward line, winning three league championships in the late 1940s and early 1950s. He then returned to prominence as a manager, first with a successful spell at St Johnstone, and then taking Scotland to the 1974 World Cup. Scotland were unbeaten at that World Cup, but were eliminated on goal difference.

Playing career

Born in Falkirk, Ormond signed for Hibernian in November 1946 from Stenhousemuir. An outside-left, he played for Hibs over a fifteen-year period. He was one of the "Famous Five" forward line, one of the strongest front fives ever in Scottish football . The other forwards were Bobby Johnstone, Lawrie Reilly, Gordon Smith and Eddie Turnbull, who each scored over 100 goals for the club. Ormond scored a total of 193 goals in all competitions for Hibs. During his playing career, he won the Scottish League Championship three times (all with Hibs) and won six Scotland caps. Ormond also represented the Scottish League XI 10 times.[2] He was the last member of the Famous Five to leave Hibs, signing for hometown Falkirk in 1961.

Managerial career

After he retired from playing, Ormond became assistant trainer at Falkirk.

St Johnstone

In 1967, he was appointed as manager of St Johnstone. He led the club to the 1969 League Cup final and third in the League one year, ahead of Rangers. This league finish meant that Saints qualified for European competition for the first time, a major achievement for a Scottish club outside the major cities. Ormond's contribution to the club was recognised by the club naming the South Stand at McDiarmid Park in his honour.

Scotland National Team

When the Scottish Football Association wanted someone capable of bringing stability to the job of Scotland manager after Tommy Docherty left, Ormond was a natural choice and he was appointed in 1973. He was blessed with a talented squad and steered them to the 1974 World Cup Finals in West Germany. Although Scotland didn't lose any of their games and came back as the only unbeaten team in the tournament, they were eliminated after the first round. This was actually the best ever performance by a Scotland team in a World Cup.

Later, minor breaches of player discipline accumulated and after four years the SFA came to believe it wanted a more forceful and charismatic figure as manager.

Heart of Midlothian

In May 1977 he resigned and was appointed as manager of Hearts – the arch rivals of his old team, Hibs. Many Hearts fans at the time were less than happy given Ormond's background but he soon won them over before being sacked in 1980.

Hibernian

He moved to Hibernian as assistant to his old Famous Five colleague Eddie Turnbull. When Turnbull resigned, Ormond took over but his health was not good and forced him to retire soon after.

Personal life

His brother Gibby also played league football, for Airdrie, Dundee United, Cowdenbeath and Alloa.[3] Gibby also represented the Scottish League.[4] Another brother, Bert Ormond, emigrated and represented New Zealand at international level in 1962.[5]

Managerial statistics

As of 28 March 2015

Team Nat From To Record
GWDLWin %
Scotland Scotland 1973 1977 38 18 8 12 47.37

Notes

  1. ↑ "Willie Ormond". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club.
  2. ↑ "Scotland FL Players by Appearances". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  3. ↑ "Gibby Ormond". www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  4. ↑ "Gibby Ormond". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  5. ↑ "Peter Lorimer, Leeds and Scotland Hero"
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