Paul Sturrock
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Sturrockplayoff.jpg
Paul Sturrock (10 October 1956 - ) is a former Scotland international footballer, and is known by fans as "Luggy". He had a distinguished playing career at his favourite club, Dundee United; he played for them from from 1974 to 1989 and featured heavily in European competition. In 385 appearances he scored 109 goals for the club. Sturrock was a striker and won 20 caps for his country, scoring eleven goals and playing in the World Cup finals. He is renowned for his use of the slang word "pointage", which seems to mean the obtaining of points in a league competition.
He once held the record for most goals in a Scottish Premier League fixture, scoring five times for Dundee United against Dumbarton in 1984. Marco Negri equalled this in 1997, this time for Rangers against Dundee United.
Since retirement in 1989, he has become a coach and latterly a first team manager. He is one of the most qualified coaches in Europe, and he assessed current Chelsea manager José Mourinho at one point. In 1993, he became the manager of a First Division team, St Johnstone. During this time, he is reported to have suffered a heart attack, although he claims that he only suffered hyperventilation, brought on by tiredness and stress; nonetheless he guided them to promotion and was later appointed manager at Dundee United.
Sturrock shocked fans with resigning from the club in August 2000. Perhaps more shockingly, he made a bold move to manage Plymouth Argyle, a club which was struggling in the English Third Division. The following season, he guided them to the Division Three title with a record points total of 102. In October 2003, Sturrock had successfully taken Argyle back to the top of Division Two.
Sturrock was named as the successor to Gordon Strachan as manager of Southampton on 4 March 2004. On 23rd August 2004 it was announced that Sturrock was leaving the club 'by mutual consent', after a disappointing run of form and rumours of boardroom dissatisfaction with his management.
He was then appointed by League One club Sheffield Wednesday on September 23 2004, and he guided the club to the League One play-offs. After beating Brentford in the semi-final with an aggregate score of 3-1, Sturrock took Wednesday to the play-off final at the Millennium Stadium and beat Hartlepool United 4-2 after extra-time, winning promotion to the Championship.
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Honours
As a player
(All with Dundee United)
- Scottish League Cup - 1979/80, 1980/81
- Scottish Premier League - 1982/83
- UEFA Cup Runner-up - 1986/87
As a manager
- Scottish First Division - (St Johnstone) - 1996/97
- English Third Division - (Plymouth Argyle) - 2001/02
- English League One play-off winner - (Sheffield Wednesday) - 2004/05
Note: Paul Sturrock was in charge for the first 30 games of Plymouth Argyle's 2003/04 Division Two success.
He has won the English Manager of the Month award on six occasions, each time distributing the praise to everyone involved at the club.
- September 2001 - Third Division
- October 2001 - Third Division
- February 2002 - Third Division
- October 2003 - Second Division
- December 2003 - Second Division
- November 2004 - Second Division
In January 2004, Sturrock came top of the Tissot Managers Performance League, which is run by the League Managers Association.
Management record
| Club | From | To | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses |
| St Johnstone | 1 August 1993 | 5 September 1998 | 197 | 90 | 51 | 56 |
| Dundee United | 5 September 1998 | 7 August 2000 | 85 | 27 | 39 | 19 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 31 October 2000 | 4 March 2004 | 178 | 85 | 46 | 47 |
| Southampton | 4 March 2004 | 23 August 2004 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 23 September 2004 | - | 42 | 19 | 12 | 11 |
| Preceded by: Alan Rough | Scottish Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year 1982 | Succeeded by: Charlie Nicholas |