The manager who turned Dundee United FC from a struggling second division club into a top-flight European team has died suddenly in hospital at the age of 87.
Jerry Kerr was the longest-serving manager in Scottish
football through the sixties and
was credited with laying the foundations which saw United reach two European finals in
the 1980s.
He left the club in 1971 after nearly 13 years at Tannadice.
Originally from West Lothian, Mr Kerr, a full-back, started his playing career with his native Armadale at the age of 15 and played with Rangers, Alloa, and St Bernard's before joining Dundee United in 1939.
However, the outbreak of the Second World War disrupted his United playing career, resulting in him making only four league and five Emergency War Cup appearances for the club before being called up at the end of 1939 to serve with the 9th Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers, based at Ulverston.
After taking part in the
Normandy landings, Mr Kerr was demobbed in July, 1946,
and immediately rejoined Rangers for the 1946-47 and 1949-50 seasons.
From then on he decided to try his hand at coaching and took his first steps towards a highly
successful managing career when he joined Peebles Rovers as a player/manager.
He stayed with the East of Scotland League club for five years, playing until the age of 41, before joining Berwick Rangers as manager during a spell when they famously knocked Dundee out of the Scottish Cup.
A short time as manager of Alloa between 1956 and 1959 was followed by an approach to become full-time manager at Tannadice in 1959 - a then struggling second division club who had gone through five managers in as many years.
In less than a year under the direction of Mr Kerr they were in Division One and their crowd attendances had doubled.
He insisted the players go full-time and they retained their place in the first division with attendances doubling again. The improvements in the early period laid the foundations which led to European qualification in 1966,1969, and 1970.
During his time in charge, Mr Kerr was credited with starting the Scandinavian era at Tannadice, bringing in Orjan Persson, Finn Dossing, Mogens Berg, and Lennart Wing.
In 1971 he resigned as manager - being replaced by Jim McLean - and took on a post as general manager for two years.
After a brief spell as a scout with West Bromwich he returned to management in 1974 with Forfar Athletic, and later as a youth coach with Dundee FC.
Mr Kerr, who lived in Broughty Ferry, married
Barbara in 1936. She died several years ago.
He is survived by his son Gil, daughter Rhona, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Current United chairman, Jim McLean, said: ''We are very
sad to learn of Jerry's death. He was an outstanding football
club manager.
''His record speaks for itself, he will be remembered as the man who took Dundee United from the lower leagues of Scottish football to a position where the club was able to challenge for top honours.''
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