Brian Kidd
A Manchester football institution who scored in a European Cup final as a teenage player and later became the trusted tactical brain behind the city's modern dynasties.
Born 1949 (age 77)·English football manager·Birthday: May 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Brian Kidd's life is woven into the fabric of Manchester football, a thread connecting its historic past to its glittering present. He exploded onto the scene as a prodigiously talented striker for Manchester United, forever etching his name in lore by scoring on his 19th birthday in the 1968 European Cup final, a victory that cemented the club's place among Europe's elite. A successful playing career followed, with notable spells at Arsenal and Manchester City, but his true legacy was forged on the training ground. Transitioning into coaching, Kidd became the meticulous organizer, the trusted lieutenant. His most celebrated partnership was with Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, where his coaching acumen helped cultivate the famed 'Class of '92' and secure multiple Premier League titles. In a move that underscored his pure football intellect, he later crossed the city to become a key architect of Manchester City's rise, serving as assistant manager during their first Premier League triumphs. Kidd embodies the quiet, indispensable expertise that builds champions.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Brian was born in 1949, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1949
#1 Movie
Samson and Delilah
Best Picture
All the King's Men
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Brian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1949Born
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1954Started school
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
1962Became a teenager
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
1965Could drive
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1967Could vote
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Turned 21
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1979Turned 30
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 40
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 50
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 60
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 70
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 77 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored a goal for Manchester United in the 1968 European Cup final victory against Benfica at Wembley.
- Served as assistant manager to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United during a period of dominant success in the 1990s.
- Was a key assistant coach at Manchester City during their first Premier League title wins in 2012 and 2014.
- Had a long professional playing career spanning over 500 league appearances for clubs including Manchester United, Arsenal, and Manchester City.
Did You Know?
He scored his famous European Cup final goal on his 19th birthday.
He briefly served as manager of Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League during the 2008-09 season.
His nephew is former professional footballer and manager Gary Neville.
He turned down a chance to join Liverpool as a player in the 1970s, choosing to stay in Manchester with United.
“You have to earn the right to play.”
