Stewart Houston Explained

Stewart Houston
Fullname:Stewart Mackie Houston
Birth Date:20 August 1949
Birth Place:Dunoon, Argyll, Scotland
Position:Left back
Youthclubs1:Port Glasgow Rangers
Years1:1967–1972
Clubs1:Chelsea
Caps1:9
Goals1:0
Years2:1972
Clubs2:Brentford (loan)
Caps2:15
Goals2:2
Years3:1972–1973
Clubs3:Brentford
Caps3:62
Goals3:7
Years4:1973–1980
Caps4:205
Goals4:13
Years5:1980–1983
Caps5:94
Goals5:1
Years6:1983–1986
Caps6:107
Goals6:5
Totalcaps:492
Totalgoals:28
Nationalyears1:1975
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Manageryears1:1995
Managerclubs1:Arsenal (caretaker)
Manageryears2:1996
Managerclubs2:Arsenal (caretaker)
Manageryears3:1996–1997
Managerclubs3:Queens Park Rangers

Stewart Mackie Houston (born 20 August 1949) is a Scottish former football player and coach who played as a left-back. Born in Dunoon, he began his professional career in 1967 with Chelsea, before moving to Brentford and then Manchester United, where he spent seven years. He also made one appearance for the Scotland national team in 1975.

He was George Graham's assistant at Arsenal and caretaker manager after the sackings of Graham and his replacement Bruce Rioch, and later manager of Queens Park Rangers. He then had spells as the first-team coach at Ipswich Town, Tottenham Hotspur and Walsall. Houston later worked as a scout for Arsenal.[1] [2]

Career

A left back, Houston's first professional club was Chelsea, but he failed to break into the first team and only made 14 appearances in five years. He was sold to Brentford in 1972. A year later he signed for Manchester United for £55,000, where he made 250 appearances (plus two as substitute) and scored 16 goals.

While he was at Old Trafford, Houston helped United win the Football League Second Division in 1975 and the 1976–77 FA Cup, although he did not feature in the 1977 FA Cup Final. He joined Sheffield United in 1980, before ending his playing career with Colchester United in 1986. He also played international football for Scotland, making one appearance in 1975 against Denmark.

Houston was assistant manager to George Graham at Arsenal in 1990, and was twice the club's caretaker-manager: first for three months in 1995 after Graham's sacking in February 1995. Houston took his team to the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup, but the Gunners lost to a last-minute goal from Nayim.[3]

Arsenal appointed Bruce Rioch in the summer of 1995, but Houston stayed on as his assistant. Just over a year after his appointment, Rioch was sacked, and Houston was reappointed as caretaker. Arsène Wenger was identified as Rioch's successor in August, but Arsenal were forced to wait as Wenger was contracted to Japanese club Grampus Eight.[4] [5] Houston left Arsenal in mid-September to become manager of Queens Park Rangers,[6] where he appointed Bruce Rioch as his assistant. QPR had just been relegated to the First Division and were aiming for a return to the Premier League. Houston and Rioch were sacked by QPR in November 1997, with the club sitting 13th in the First Division.[7]

Houston then went to Ipswich Town as George Burley's first team coach, but was later reunited with George Graham in March 1999 when Graham appointed him assistant manager at Tottenham Hotspur. Houston was fired two years later. News: Spurs show Houston the door . 30 March 2001 . after Graham was sacked in March 2001. He then spent a brief period as first-team coach of Walsall. Houston also worked as a scout for Arsenal from 2008 to 2020.Web site: Pat Rice and Stewart Houston lose scouting roles at Arsenal . [1] [2]

Honours

Player

Brentford

Manchester United

1974–75

Sheffield United

Individual

1974–75

Notes and References

  1. News: Dare to dream, Arsenal fans, momentum has to start somewhere . Evening Standard . 25 February 2015 . 18 June 2015 . Patrick . Barclay . I was at the Stade Louis II in 2004 and afterwards, in a hotel nearby, met the former Arsenal manager Stewart Houston, who was one of two scouts Wenger had sent — one to watch Monaco and the other their opponents, Real Madrid..
  2. https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/danny-in-gunners-sights-729754 Haynes in Arsenal's sights
  3. News: Extraordinary Nayim strike denies Arsenal . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/extraordinary-nayim-strike-denies-arsenal-1619106.html . 25 May 2022 . subscription . live . Glenn . Moore . The Independent . 11 May 1995 . 18 June 2015.
  4. News: Arsenal made to wait for Wenger . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/arsenal-made-to-wait-for-wenger-1310660.html . 25 May 2022 . subscription . live . The Independent . 21 August 1996 . 18 June 2015.
  5. News: Arsenal still waiting on Wenger . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/arsenal-still-waiting-on-wenger-1362864.html . 25 May 2022 . subscription . live . The Independent . 11 September 1996 . 18 June 2015.
  6. News: Houston has new mission as Wenger replaces him . The Herald . Herald & Times Group . 17 September 1996 . 18 June 2015.
  7. News: Football: Queen's Park Rangers dismiss Houston and Rioch . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-queens-park-rangers-dismiss-houston-and-rioch-1293477.html . 25 May 2022 . subscription . live . The Independent . 11 November 1997 . 18 June 2015.
  8. Book: 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. 1989. 0951526200. White. Eric. 391.
  9. Book: Leslie . Jack . Vernon . Rollin . Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78 . 1977 . Brickfield Publications Ltd . London . 0354 09018 6 . 491.
  10. News: Sporting Digest: Football . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/sporting-digest-football-1233378.html . 25 May 2022 . subscription . live . The Independent . Independent Print Limited . 1 October 1997 . 29 August 2012.