Terry Mancini

Terence John "Terry" Mancini (born 4 October 1942 in Camden Town, London) is a former professional footballer. During his playing career, Terry appeared professionally (predominantly as a defender) for five different clubs and earned five international caps in the process for the Republic of Ireland.

Playing career

Mancini was born in London, and was originally named Terry Sealy. His father (who was Irish) died when Terry was seven and his mother remarried, changing his surname to that of his stepfather. He began his career with Watford, joining the club in 1960 before being released midway through the 1965-66 season. After a 20-month spell in South Africa playing for Port Elizabeth City, he returned to London in November 1967 to join Leyton Orient. He spent four seasons with Orient, winning a Third Division medal in 1969-70.

In October 1971 he signed for Queens Park Rangers, and helped them to promotion to the First Division in 1972-73. Although born and brought up in England, after a chance conversation with QPR team-mate Don Givens, Mancini found out that through his Irish father, he could play for the Republic of Ireland. He won his first cap against Poland in 1973 and went on to win five in total. Mancini later reported that when he first appeared for the Republic of Ireland, he did not realize that the band was playing the Republic's national anthem, having never heard the tune before. He got sent off on his last appearance, a 3-0 win over the Soviet Union national football team in October 1974.

He was signed by Arsenal in October 1974 for £20,000. He made his debut against West Ham United, on 26 October 1974 played for Arsenal for two seasons, recording 62 appearances. However, after Arsenal's worst performance in over forty years in the league (17th) in 1975-76, Arsenal manager Bertie Mee resigned. Mancini was deemed surplus to requirements (being nearly 34) by Mee's replacement Terry Neill, and he was released on a free transfer in September 1976. He joined Aldershot and played a single season with them. He ended his career in the NASL, playing one summer with the Los Angeles Aztecs before returning to England

As well as playing, during the early 1970s Mancini was an occasional presenter of London Weekend Television's The Big Match, when the programme, in an attempt to distance itself from the more staid Match of the Day, experimented with using current players as presenters. After retiring from the game in 1977, Mancini coached several teams, before eventually leaving football altogether and running a variety of businesses; he is now a manager in a travel company that specialises in holidays to Spain.

Honours

Leyton Orient

• Football League Third Division (1): 1969–70