Alan Mullery
A tough, commanding midfielder who captained Tottenham to European glory and infamously became the first England player ever sent off.
Born 1941 (age 85)·English footballer and manager·Birthday: November 23·The Silent Generation
Biography
Alan Mullery's career is a study in combative English football. He began at Fulham, sharing a midfield with the graceful Johnny Haynes, but it was his 1964 move to Tottenham Hotspur that defined him. Under Bill Nicholson, Mullery transformed into the hard-nosed engine of the team, a leader who lifted the FA Cup in 1967 and, as captain, the UEFA Cup in 1972—Spurs' first European trophy. His England career was both distinguished and marked by a notorious first: in a 1968 clash against Yugoslavia, his frustration boiled over, resulting in a red card that made him the first Englishman dismissed in an international. This moment oddly cemented his reputation as a fiercely competitive, no-nonsense player. After management spells with several clubs, including a return to Fulham, he transitioned into television punditry, his authoritative voice a direct echo of his commanding presence on the pitch.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Alan was born in 1941, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1941
#1 Movie
Sergeant York
Best Picture
How Green Was My Valley
Alan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1941Born
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1946Started school
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1954Became a teenager
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Could drive
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1959Could vote
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Turned 21
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1971Turned 30
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 40
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 50
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 60
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 70
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 80
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 85 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Captained Tottenham Hotspur to victory in the 1972 UEFA Cup, the club's first major European trophy.
- Won the FA Cup with Tottenham Hotspur in 1967, playing a central role in the midfield.
- Earned 35 caps for England and was selected for the 1968 European Championship squad.
Did You Know?
He was the first ever England national team player to be sent off in an international match, against Yugoslavia in 1968.
Mullery began his professional career at Fulham, where one of his teammates was World Cup winner George Cohen.
After retiring, he had a long career as a television analyst for ITV's 'The Big Match' and other broadcasts.
“You don't win anything with talent alone; you need a bit of bite.”
