Former Republic of Ireland defender Joe Kinnear has died at the age of 77, has family have announced in a statement.
Dublin-born Kinnear played 26 times for Ireland and won the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and two League Cups during a 10-year spell with Tottenham Hotspur as a player.
As a manager, he was perhaps best known for managing Wimbledon, during the now-defunct club’s ‘Crazy Gang’ era of the 1990s.
Kinnear led the London outfit to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League in 1993/94, and helped to maintain their status in the top division before he left in the summer of 1999 after suffering a heart attack before a match against Sheffield Wednesday.
Everyone connected with Wimbledon was deeply saddened to hear the news that our former manager, Joe Kinnear, has passed away.
A true legend of the Club, Joe gave us some amazing memories that we treasure.
Our deepest condolences go to his family at this difficult time 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/goeKQbS935
— AFC Wimbledon (@AFCWimbledon) April 7, 2024
He later went on to manage Luton Town and Nottingham Forest, as well as Newcastle United for part of a 2008/09 campaign that would end in relegation under caretaker manager Alan Shearer.
Kinnear returned to St James’ Park as director of football under the ownership of Mike Ashley for part of the 2013/14 season.
In 2021, his wife revealed that her husband had been living with dementia since 2015.
A family statement on Sunday said: “We are sad to announce that Joe passed away peacefully this afternoon surrounded by his family.”
(Additional reporting: PA)
