Gregor Abel (born 9 April 1949)[1] is a Scottish former football player and manager. Abel played for Falkirk, Clydebank and Alloa Athletic.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 9 April 1949 | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Bo'ness United | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1969–1972 | Falkirk | 70 | (0) |
| 1972–1980 | Clydebank | 235 | (0) |
| 1980–1981 | Alloa Athletic | 25 | (0) |
| Total | 330 | (0) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1983–1984 | Falkirk | ||
| 1987–1990 | Alloa Athletic | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
After retiring as a player, he became a coach at Alloa Athletic and then Falkirk, assisting Alex Totten.[1][2] Abel was appointed Falkirk manager in November 1983, after Totten left the club to become assistant manager of Rangers.[2] He resigned in February 1984 due to the pressures of combining that job with working as a schoolteacher.[1] Abel assisted Jim Leishman as Dunfermline Athletic rose from the Scottish Second Division to the Scottish Premier Division with successive promotions in 1985–86 and 1986–87.[3] Abel left Dunfermline in July 1987 after the club converted to fully professional status, however, because he wanted to retain part-time status and continue his teaching career.[3]
After leaving Dunfermline, Abel became assistant manager of Forfar Athletic.[4] Later that year, Abel was appointed manager of Alloa Athletic. The club won a promotion under his management[5] and reached the quarter-finals of the 1988–89 Scottish Cup.[6] Abel was sacked by Alloa Athletic in February 1990 as the club struggled in the Scottish First Division, having won promotion the season before.[7]
Abel then worked as a reserve team and youth coach for Aberdeen for eight years. He then had five years with Rangers as a youth coach. He continued to teach at Alva Academy until his retirement in 2006.
References
edit- ^ a b c Traynor, Jim (14 February 1984). "Pressure too much for Abel". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- ^ a b Traynor, Jim (19 November 1983). "Totten leaves behind an able replacement manager". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- ^ a b "Falco may be on the bench". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. 21 July 1987. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- ^ Reynolds, Jim (29 July 1987). "Walker hits treble as Celtic tame Swedes". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- ^ Sutherland, Bill (15 May 1989). "By the left, Alloa march on". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- ^ Traynor, Jim (24 February 1989). "Scottish Cup saga is working to advantage of Rangers – McLean". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- ^ McKinlay, Hugh (3 February 1990). "Bad-boy Kasule suffers the wrath of Lambie". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 21 September 2012.