Danny Bergara
Daniel Alberto de Medina Bergara Date of Birth: Jul 24, 1942 Share "Danny Bergara" on FacebookDanny moved from Montevideo with his brother to play for Mallorca in 1962 and enjoyed a decade long career in Spain before deciding to move to England, and specifically St Albans, with his English wife Jan in 1973.
Initially intending to open a travel agency, a discussion with Town's chief scout Paddy Sowden led to the Uruguayan traning at Kenilworth Road, impressing manager Harry Haslam with his knowledge of the game. Seeing his potential, the Hatters' boss circumnavigated prohibitive laws for employing foreign nationals as a player or coach by instead first appointing Bergara as a driver's assistant for one of the directors!
Given a job coaching the youth team that included future Town greats such as Ricky Hill, Andy King and Lil Fuccillo, Bergara's sides lost infrequently and such was his growing reputation that an attempt came to lure him to Sheffield United in 1975 by new Blades' boss Jimmy Sirrell. Though unsuccessful, he would eventually move to Bramall Lane anyway in 1978 in following Harry Haslam as his assistant, turning down a similar offer from new Town manager David Pleat out of loyalty to the man who'd given him his opportunity in the UK.
Bergara would go onto a long career in management, most notably with Stockport County where a stand at Edgeley Park is named for him. Sadly he passed away in 2007, aged just 65.
