Freddie Goodwin dies aged 82
Monday 22 February 2016 14:43, UK
Former Manchester United and Leeds player Freddie Goodwin has died at the age of 82.
Goodwin won back-to-back league titles with Manchester United in seven years at Old Trafford, during which he also managed to make 11 first-class appearances for Lancashire County Cricket Club.
He helped Sir Matt Busby's United battle back from the Munich air disaster in 1958, but was not on the plane as he had been left out of the squad for the quarter-final tie with Red Star Belgrade.
"Manchester United is sad to hear of the death of former player Freddie Goodwin, a member of the club's 1956 and 1957 title-winning squads," said a statement on the Premier League club's website.
"Goodwin died peacefully on 19 February 2016 at Gig Harbor in Washington in the United States, following a long battle with cancer.
"Everybody at the club would like to pass on our sincere condolences to his family and friends."
Goodwin left for Leeds in 1960 and made 120 appearances for the club before suffering a triple leg fracture which would eventually end his playing career.
He joined Scunthorpe as player-manager in 1964, featuring in only six games due to his injury, and handed England legend Ray Clemence his debut.
Clemence posted on Twitter: "So sad to hear about my first manager @SUFCOfficial passing. Started my career."
Following a stint with New York Generals he returned to the UK to take charge of Brighton and Hove Albion before taking over at Birmingham in 1970.
He led the Blues to promotion to the First Division in 1972 and gave City Trevor Francis his first league start in 1971.
In 1976 he returned to America to become the first coach and president of the Minnesota Kicks where he remained until the early 1980s before retiring.
He settled in the US and lived there until his death in Gig Harbour, Washington.
