Leslie Lievesley

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Leslie Lievesley (23 June 1911 – 4 May 1949) was an English football player and later a manager. He mainly played as a full-back.

He was born in Staveley, Derbyshire, and started his career as an amateur with Rossington Main Colliery, where his father Joe Lievesley played. He also had spells with Sheffield United and Arsenal before turning professional with Doncaster Rovers in 1929. He later played for Manchester United, Chesterfield, Torquay United and Crystal Palace.

During World War II, Lievesley served in the Royal Air Force as a parachute trainer and dispatch officer. After the war he became a coach in the Netherlands with Heracles Almelo. In 1947 he moved to Italy to work with Torino as a youth coach, after turning down an offer from Marseille.

He also coached the Italy national team at the 1948 Summer Olympics. In 1948 he became Torino’s first‑team coach. In 1949 he had been offered a contract to coach Juventus, but he died on 4 May 1949 in the Superga air disaster, which killed almost the entire Torino squad.

Football ran in his family: his father Joe Lievesley, his brothers Ernest and Harold, and his uncle Wilf were all professional players. His son Bill became a professional cyclist.