Roy McFarland

Roy McFarland

Roy McFarland (born 5 April 1948) is an football manager and previously a player for Tranmere Rovers, Derby County and Bradford City.

He was famous during the late 1960s and 1970s as a central defender in the Derby County side which won promotion to the First Division and followed this success with two league titles. In addition, he also won 28 caps for England. He was later assistant manager at the club during Arthur Cox's reign as manager, and was promoted to the manager's seat when Cox quit in October 1993.

McFarland lasted two seasons as Derby manager. In his first season, they reached the Division One play-off final but lost 2-1 to neighbours Leicester City. They missed out on the playoffs a year later and McFarland moved to Bolton Wanderers, taking his assistant Colin Todd with him.

Bolton had just been promoted to the Premiership under previous manager Bruce Rioch, and McFarland was unable to establish them at this level despite making several new signings. He was dismissed in January 1996 after just six months in charge, with Bolton bottom of the Premiership and heading for relegation.

McFarland's next management job came at Cambridge United, where he arrived just before Christmas in 1996. In his third season, 1998-99, they won promotion as Division Three runners-up. He remained in charge for two years before being replaced by John Beck.

Since June 2003, McFarland has been manager of Chesterfield and done well to keep the unfashionable club in the third tier of the league, with Chesterfield's severe lack of resources, when most pundits have tipped them for relegation.