Former Ireland assistant manager Maurice Setters dies, aged 83
Ireland manager Jack Charlton, right, and assistant manager Maurice Setters celebrate their team's Euro 88 victory over England at the Neckarstadion, Stuttgart, Germany. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Irish football’s most famous right-hand man, Maurice Setters, has died at the age of 83.
The FAI have led the tributes to the former assistant manager of the Irish senior men’s team, Maurice Setters, who was struggling with Alzheimer’s Disease for the past six years.
His death comes just four months after the death of his more illustrious managerial partner, Jack Charlton, who also bravely battled against the struggles of the mind in his latter days.
Ironically, Setters’ death was announced on the day that a movie documentary, Finding Jack Charlton, was officially released to the public.
Setters spent the last two years in a residential home but became ill a week ago and passed away at the Doncaster Royal Infirmary on Sunday.
Maurice Setters, centre, accompanied by Jack Charlton and Roy Keane, speaks at a press conference during the 1994 World Cup to confirm that there had been no difference of opinion between himself and Roy
FAI president Gerry McAnaney paid tribute to Setters, saying: "It is with a heavy heart that we learned today of Maurice’s death, another man so integral to the glory days of Irish football. Maurice was with Jack Charlton every inch of the way as they led Ireland to the 1988 European Championships and the World Cups in Italy in 1990 and the USA four years later.
"There were many greats nights along the way with Jack and Maurice and I know how much pleasure they took as honorary Irishmen in that 1988 victory over their own England in Stuttgart.
"This has been a tough year for Irish football. We saw how the nation mourned Jack Charlton earlier this year and I know I speak on behalf of everyone involved with the Irish football community when I pass on our deepest sympathies to Maurice's family. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam."
Setters was more prominently recalled in England as a player; he featured 194 times for Manchester United in the 1960s, winning the FA Cup in 1963 and captaining the team on a number of occasions.
Setters' playing career began with Exeter City in 1954, before moving on to West Bromwich Albion.
He went on to make 132 appearances for the Baggies, before earning a move to Manchester United in 1959.
Setters played with John Giles, Tony Dunne and Noel Cantwell in that 1963 FA Cup triumph, beating Leicester City 3-1 in the final. Setters played at left-half that afternoon at Wembley.
He later played for Stoke City, Cleveland Stokers and Coventry City before embarking on management, first at Doncaster and then striking up his partnership with Charlton at Sheffield Wednesday in 1977.
As Irish assistant, he was mostly a low-key influence but he was central to an infamous row during USA ’94.
Charlton frogmarched Setters and Roy Keane into a press conference to deny reports of a training-ground row between the pair.
Keane later claimed he was a "convenient patsy" in his autobiography, who "like a fool, I played the role, the anger only rising in me when I walked into the glare of the television lights."
