JoeKinnear, who won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup as a player with Tottenham, went on to manage Luton, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle among others; a statement from his family said: "We are sad to announce that Joe passed away peacefully this afternoon surrounded by his family"
Sunday 7 April 2024 20:58, UK
Joe Kinnear, the former Tottenham defender and Wimbledon manager, has died at the age of 77.
Dublin-born Kinnear, who won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup as a player with Tottenham, went on to manage Luton, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle among others.
A statement from his family said: "We are sad to announce that Joe passed away peacefully this afternoon surrounded by his family."
His wife Bonnie revealed in 2021 that her husband had been living with dementia since 2015.
Wimbledon paid tribute to their former manager in a statement, reading: "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."
Tottenham said in a statement: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former player, Joe Kinnear.
The thoughts of everyone at the club are with his family and friends at this incredibly sad time."
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou added: "It's very sad. Our thoughts and love go to his family and those closest to him.
"He's one of those players who will be remembered forever at this club, and a distinguished manager as well.
"Everyone I've spoken to about him said he was a real gentleman and he will never be forgotten at this football club."
Kinnear, who won 26 caps with the Republic of Ireland, joined Tottenham as a teenager in 1963 before making his debut in 1966.
He spent the next decade at White Hart Lane, lifting the FA Cup in 1967, the UEFA Cup in 1972 and the League Cup in both 1971 and 1973, making more than 250 appearances for the club before spending the final season of his playing career at Brighton.
Kinnear began his coaching career in Asia, working in the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia, before spells with India and Nepal.
He returned to England to become Dave Mackay's assistant at Doncaster and was named Wimbledon boss in 1992.
Kinnear led the Dons to a sixth-placed finish in the top flight in the 1993-94 season and guided them to the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and League Cup in 1997.
Kinnear suffered a heart attack before a league game against Sheffield Wednesday in March 1999 and stood down in June of that year.
He returned to football with a brief spell as director of football at Oxford before taking on a similar role at Luton, where he would appoint himself as manager and guide the club to promotion from the Third Division during the 2001-02 season.
He took the Nottingham Forest job in February 2004 and later replaced Kevin Keegan at Newcastle in 2008.
In February 2009, Kinnear was taken to hospital after feeling ill ahead of a match against West Brom and it was later announced he needed a heart bypass operation, leading to Alan Shearer taking the job until the end of the season.
