Ivor Powell
Title >
President of TeamBath FC and Assistant Coach
Date and Place of Birth >
1916, South Wales
Athletes Coached >
TeamBath Football Club
Biography >
Ivor was the seventh son of a seventh son, he started his working life down the mines and was spotted by Queen’s Park Rangers playing for South Wales League side Bargoed aged 17.
Worked as an RAF physical trainer during the Second World War when he struck up a lasting friendship with the legendary Sir Stanley Matthews, who went onto be Ivor’s best man at his wedding to Joan Browell in 1943. Ivor and Sir Stanley played in the same side at Blackpool. A tough-tackler, Ivor set a record transfer fee for a halfback of £17,500 when he moved to Aston Villa in 1948.
Ivor played for Wales 14 times and had stints as player/coach at Port Vale and Bradford City. He was one of Bill Shankly’s successors as manager at Carlisle and was trainer/coach to Don Revie’s Leeds United side, where he worked with the likes of Billy Bremner, Jackie Charlton and Norman Hunter.
He had spells coaching at Bath City and also with PAOK in Greece, before joining the University of Bath as football coach in the early 1970s.
In 2004 Ivor was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame, along with Wales’ other sporting greats, including Gareth Edwards, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and Ian Rush.
Ivor was awarded an MBE for services to sport on Saturday December 2007 and collected his award from the Palace on Wednesday 25th June 2008. Read the full story – Ivor honoured to receive MBE.
Ivor was assistant football coach at the University of Bath and had a full role in coaching the university side TeamBath FC, who gained promotion to the Blue Square Conference South league.
Statue unveiled of football legend Ivor Powell MBE
Soldiering on at 91 – Sir Stan’s pal still coaching and happy to pass on his football tips Daily Mail 2008
Competitive Record >
Ivor played for Wales 14 times. In 2004 Ivor was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame, along with Wales’ other sporting greats, including Gareth Edwards, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and Ian Rush.
