Sheryl Lee Ralph to speak at General Mills’ NXT Speaker Series
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United Kingdom Ron Atkinson, known affectionately as "Big Ron", transitioned from a record-holding player for Oxford United to a highly successful football manager, leading teams like Manchester United and Aston Villa to major cup victories and shaping the landscape of English football for decades. He now continues to engage with the sport through broadcasting and ambassadorships, offering his experienced perspective to new audiences.
Ron Atkinson spearheaded a trade press campaign for Sun Life, promoting its Lifestyle pension to independent financial advisers.
Sky provided a £100,000 lifeline to Peterborough United for the documentary 'Big Ron Manager', which showcased Ron Atkinson's efforts as a troubleshooter at the club.
As a football speaker, Ron Atkinson is available to book via The Motivational Speakers Agency for corporate events, functions and conferences.
Atkinson worked as a pundit for ITV Sport, covering live matches as a studio guest or co-commentator for Champions League, European Championships, and World Cup broadcasts. He resigned from ITV in 2004 following a racist comment.
Atkinson was a columnist for The Guardian, leaving by mutual agreement in 2004 following a racist comment.
A BBC Radio documentary, 'Three Degrees West', featuring Atkinson's contributions, was cancelled in 2004 due to his racist comments.
Atkinson's temporary role at Swindon Town in 2005 was part of a Sky One documentary being filmed about the club.
Atkinson recorded an amateur video blog for the UK-based video sharing site SelfcastTV.com during the 2006 World Cup.
Atkinson provided commentary on the 2006 World Cup for the UK digital channel UKTV G2.
Atkinson participated in the BBC Two program 'Excuse My French' in 2006, immersing himself in French language and culture.
Atkinson briefly appeared as a pundit on 'Football Italia' broadcast on Bravo, until the channel lost broadcast rights.
Atkinson appeared on the Channel 4 reality show 'Celebrity Wife Swap' in 2009 and 'Celebrity Big Brother' in 2013.
Atkinson is currently a pundit on William Hill's 'The Punt' podcast.
Atkinson is currently a pundit on Manchester United's official channel, MUTV.
In 2018, Atkinson was announced as an ambassador for Leisure Leagues, a worldwide six-a-side football firm, and acts as Director of Football for the England six-a-side team.
Ronald Frederick Atkinson, born on March 18, 1939, in Liverpool, England, forged a distinguished career in English football as both a player and a manager. His early life saw him move to Birmingham at two days old, growing up with a passion for football. After beginning his career as a ground staff boy at Wolverhampton Wanderers, he joined Aston Villa at 17 but did not make a first-team appearance. He then transferred to Headington United (later Oxford United) in 1959, where he became a club legend, making over 500 appearances as a wing-half and captaining the team through several promotions, becoming the first player to lead a club from the Southern League through three divisions of the Football League.
Atkinson transitioned into management in 1971 as player-manager for non-league Kettering Town. His success there led him to Cambridge United in 1974, where he secured a Fourth Division title. His impactful managerial journey continued with West Bromwich Albion in 1978, where he made history by regularly fielding three black players in the top division, guiding them to a third-place league finish and a UEFA Cup quarter-final. This period notably included a 5–3 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford in 1978. He then took the helm at Manchester United in 1981, winning two FA Cups in 1983 and 1985 and securing five successive top-four league finishes, making him the most successful United manager since Matt Busby.
Following his impactful tenure at Manchester United, Atkinson had a brief stint with Atlético Madrid in 1988 before managing Sheffield Wednesday from 1989 to 1991, where he won the League Cup in 1991, defeating Manchester United. He then joined Aston Villa, leading them to a second-place finish in the inaugural Premier League season in 1992–93 and winning the League Cup in 1994, again over Manchester United. His later managerial roles included Coventry City and a return to Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest. Post-management, Atkinson became a prominent football pundit for ITV Sport and engaged in other media work, including reality television and music, showcasing his enduring presence in public life despite controversies.
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