Joe Kinnear, a former Tottenham Hotspur defender who managed Wimbledon, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, passed away at the age of 77.
Even though the Irishman had dementia since 2015, it wasn’t until 2021 that the ailment was publicly acknowledged.
He resigned from his last football position as director of football at Newcastle United in 2014.
A family statement revealed that, on Sunday afternoon, nine years after being diagnosed with dementia, the 77-year-old passed away in the company of his loved ones.
“We are sad to announce that Joe passed away peacefully this afternoon surrounded by his family,” Kinnear’s family said, as reported by Sky Sports.
“Joe, who was 77, had been suffering from dementia having been diagnosed in 2015.
“He will be remembered fondly by many – both as a player and a manager. His Wimbledon team finishing sixth in the 1993-94 Premier League was a phenomenal achievement.”
He will be fondly remembered by Tottenham fans
Originally from Dublin, Kinnear moved to England when he was eight years old.
He started playing football with St Albans City before moving to Tottenham in 1965, where he had a prosperous career as a defender.
The Irishman played professional football with Tottenham for eleven years, scoring two goals in 258 appearances in all competitions and taking home five major trophies, including two League Cups, an FA Cup, a UEFA Cup, and a Charity Shield.
Joe Kinnear stepped into management after long career with Tottenham
After quitting Tottenham in 1975, Kinnear played for Brighton & Hove Albion for a year before hanging up his boots.
He then started his management career in Asia, managing Sharjah FC in addition to Nepal and India.
Though he would return to England in 1987 to become assistant manager at Doncaster Rovers, Kinnear is most renowned for his seven-year tenure as Wimbledon’s manager, which spanned from 1992 to 1999.
Kinnear played for the senior Republic of Ireland team in friendlies, the European Championship, and World Cup qualifying, earning 25 caps overall.
His debut came in a 2-1 victory against France in the 1974 World Cup qualifying round.