Viv Busby dies: York City stalwart who formed a formidable partnership with Denis Smith

Born in Slough, Busby had the longest and most prolific spell of his career as a Fulham striker from 1973 to 1976, scoring 38 goals in 155 appearances and playing alongside Bobby Moore and Alan Mullery in the 1975 FA Cup final. George Best would also be a Craven Cottage team-mate.

He also had notable stints with Wycombe Wanderers, Luton Town and Stoke City, and even a very short loan spell at Sheffield United which brought one goal in 1980 before joining the North American Soccer League.

But his move to Fourth Division York as player-coach in 1982 would have a big bearing on the next stage of his career.

Busby's playing career had only 21 more appearances and four goals to run but he remained on the coaching staff for five years, playing his part in the rise to and consolidation in Division Three, and two famous runs to the FA Cup fifth round, taking the scalp of Arsenal and facing Liverpool four times as Denis Smith's assistant.

Sign up to our Sports Editor’s TeamTalk newsletter

The pair left for Sunderland in 1987, taking the Rokerites from the Third to First Division during their four-year stint.

After nine months as Hartlepool United manager – his only full-time managerial post – he became youth-team coach at Swindon Town, where he fought off leukaemia.

Busby returned to Bootham Crescent in September 2004 as assistant manager to Chris Brass, and was put in temporary control in November for three months before leaving by mutual consent to be replaced by Billy McEwan after winning four and drawing two of his 14 games in charge of a club who had by then dropped into non-league.

A return to Fulham as coach and spells working with Grenta during their fairytale rise, Everton and Workington followed before emigrating to Spain.