Joe Armstrong (1894–1975) succeeded Louis Rocca as chief scout of Manchester United F.C. after World War II. Many of the youth players that made their debut from the early 1950s onwards are a tribute to his scouting skills. United's teamsheet at that time consisted of such players as Eddie Colman, Liam Whelan, David Pegg and Albert Scanlon. Whelan and Pegg both gained international recognition, but along with Colman died in the Munich air disaster on 6 February 1958. Scanlon, meanwhile, survived and continued his playing career until well into the 1960s.
Early in 1953, Joe Armstrong signed 15-year-old Bobby Charlton, who went on to become one of the greatest players in the world, being part of Manchester United's European Cup winning team of 1968 and the 1966 England World Cup winning team.
Another notable signing was Duncan Edwards, who broke into the Manchester United first team at the age of 17, was capped for the England team at 18, and gained two Football League championship medals as well as 18 England caps before he died two weeks after being injured in the Munich crash.
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Armstrong, Joe |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | English football scout |
| Date of birth | 1894 |
| Place of birth | |
| Date of death | 1975 |
| Place of death | |
Famous quotes containing the words joe and/or armstrong:
“While we were thus engaged in the twilight, we heard faintly, from far down the stream, what sounded like two strokes of a woodchopper’s axe, echoing dully through the grim solitude.... When we told Joe of this, he exclaimed, “By George, I’ll bet that was a moose! They make a noise like that.” These sounds affected us strangely, and by their very resemblance to a familiar one, where they probably had so different an origin, enhanced the impression of solitude and wildness.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“But Jonnë had a bright sword by his side,
And it was made of the mettle so free,
That had not the king stept his foot aside,
He had smitten his head from his faire bodde.”
—Unknown. Johnie Armstrong (l. 45–48)