George Herd unlikely to slow down

Oct 2 2011 by Steve Brown, Sunday Sun

AS it suggests in the Sunderland RCA matchday programme, George Herd could be forgiven for thinking about hanging up his boots.

He is 75, after all.

Yet burning with the same passion and enthusiasm that illuminated a playing career which saw him make almost 300 appearances as a cultured inside-forward for the other Sunderland, the Scotsman shows no signs of slowing down.

Though he insists it cannot compare to playing, Herd subsequently went into coaching with Newcastle United, Sunderland – where he oversaw the emergence of Rob Hindmarch, Micky Horswill and Barry Venison – and Darlington, and briefly managed Queen of the South.

For the last 11 years, however, he has found a new love.

Having settled in Sunderland following his professional days, he – along with fellow Black Cats legend Jimmy Montgomery on occasion – has helped friend Neil Hixon embark on his own managerial career.

So when Nixon took the reins at RCA – the surprise package of the Northern League this season – Herd was happy to become his head coach.

At the very least, it keeps him sharp.

And while lacking modern-day coaching certificates – “If I don’t know the game now,” he argues, with a fair point, “I never will” – Herd knows his vast experience is more than plenty to show Ryhope’s best a thing or two.

“When you get older, I think if you’re doing nothing, the brain does nothing,” Herd said.

“My memory’s a bit dodgy at times so this helps keep me sharp, and I love it. I love still doing a wee bit of coaching.

“I’ve been coaching since I stopped playing, so it’s in my blood.

“I come here and help out Neil, who’s a mate. I just bumped into him one day and he was talking about taking over as a manager, and I said ‘Well, I’ll do a bit for you’.