William Arthur Ronald Burgess

1959-1963

Manager

An outstanding attacking wing-half and international captain, Ronnie Burgess made ten wartime appearances for Wales before winning 32 peacetime caps, and also represented Great Britain v The Rest of Europe. At club level he led Tottenham Hotspur on the field for eight years which included an exhilarating period in which they won the Football League Second and First Division championships in successive years. He was Watford's manager in the memorable 1959/60 season, but was less influential as a figurehead than his charismatic captain, Cliff Holton, and this was to lead to the latter's grotesquely ill-judged transfer. Burgess was eventually sacked with the club in serious decline.

League Managerial Career With Watford: Overview

First competitive match at Watford

2-3 v York City (H)
Football League Division 4 (Tier: 4), 14 February 1959

Note: Multiple spells as manager, first games as follows:

  1. 2-3 home defeat v York City , Football League Division 4, 14 Feb 1959

Final (or most recent) competitive match at Watford

1-2 v Port Vale (H)
Football League Division 3 (Tier: 3), 18 May 1963

Note: Multiple spells as manager, final games as follows:

  1. 1-2 home defeat v Port Vale, Football League Division 3, 18 May 1963

League Managerial Career With Watford: Season by Season

SeasonPWDLFALeague Status and Final Position
1958/1959165382528Football League Division 4
- 15th of 24 (Manager for the last 16 games, of which the first 7 as acting-manager)
1959/196046249139267Football League Division 4
- 4th of 24 (Promoted)
1960/1961462012148572Football League Division 3
- 4th of 24
1961/1962461413196374Football League Division 3
- 17th of 24
1962/196346178218285Football League Division 3
- 17th of 24
Total200804575347326

Date of birth

9 April 1917

Place of birth

Cwm, Monmouthshire, Wales

Date of death

14 February 2005

Place of death

Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales

Career path