LONDON (AP) – Joe Kinnear, who won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup with Tottenham and went on to manage Wimbledon and Newcastle, has died. He was 77 years old.
Kinnear's death was announced by his family on Sunday.
“We regret to announce that Joe passed away peacefully this afternoon surrounded by his family,” the statement said.
Kinnear's wife Bonnie said in 2021 that Kinnear had been living with dementia since 2015.
“Everyone associated with Wimbledon is deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of our former manager Joe Kinnear,” his former club posted on X (formerly Twitter). “A true legend at the club, Joe has given us some great memories that we will cherish.”
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou paid tribute to Kinnear after his side's 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday.
“He will forever be remembered at this football club,” said Postecoglou. “A true gentleman, what an unfortunate loss.”
Kinnear managed clubs such as Luton and Nottingham Forest as well as Wimbledon and Newcastle.
He made 26 appearances for Ireland during his playing days and joined Tottenham as a teenager in 1963.
He won the FA Cup in 1967, the UEFA Cup in 1972 and the League Cup in both 1971 and 1973, making over 250 appearances for Spurs.
“The thoughts of everyone at the club are with his family and friends at this incredibly sad time,” Spurs said in a statement.
Kinnear began his coaching career in Asia, working in the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia, then India and Nepal.
He was appointed manager of Wimbledon in 1992 and led the club to sixth place in the top flight in the 1993-94 season and to the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and League Cup in 1997.
Kinnear suffered a heart attack before a league match against Sheffield Wednesday in March 1999 and was sidelined in June of that year.
He briefly returned to football as head of football at Oxford University, before taking up a similar role at Luton University, where he appointed himself manager and led the club to promotion from the Third Division during the 2001–02 season.
He took the Nottingham Forest job in February 2004 before replacing Kevin Keegan at Newcastle in 2008.
In February 2009, Kinnear felt unwell before a match and was taken to hospital, and it was later announced that he would require heart bypass surgery, with Alan Shearer taking over until the end of the season.
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