Well alright that might be a bit of an exaggeration but it can’t be denied that Doug Fraser was a great manager and the man who masterminded our success against the giants of Newcastle and Manchester United in the 1975 FA Cup.
Like Ferguson, Fraser was an old fashioned Scottish manager that liked things done in a particular way- his way. His playing career had seen him shine for both West Brom and Scotland and he took over at Fellows Park in early 1974.
He was originally installed as caretaker manager but held the job for 3 years.
During this time, Walsall didn’t exactly shine in terms of league performances but the passion and pride Fraser managed to help to put into his players for those two FA Cup matches makes him a truely great manager.
Of course, it helps when you have players like Alan Buckley and Mick Kearns in your team but that can’t take away the fact that this was Fraser’s team.
When Fraser left Walsall in 1977 he left football altogether. He joined the prison service and only ever got involved with the game again for a number of charity matches.
According to the official Walsall website Fraser left the prison service in 1997.
If you have any memories of Doug Fraser let us know on our forum.
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