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McLeish factfile

Image: Alex McLeish: Has been sacked by Aston Villa after miserable season

We look back on Alex McLeish's career so far following his sacking at Aston Villa.

We look back on Alex McLeish's career so far following his sacking at Aston Villa.

1959: Born January 21, Glasgow. 1976: Joins Aberdeen to begin his professional career. 1980: Helps the Pittodrie club win Scottish championship and wins first Scotland cap against Portugal. 1982: Aberdeen win the Scottish Cup, beating Rangers 4-1. Plays as a second-half substitute in 4-1 defeat by Brazil in the World Cup finals. 1983: Aberdeen retain Scottish Cup, this time beating Rangers 1-0, and defeat Real Madrid 2-1 in Gothenburg to lift European Cup Winners' Cup. 1984: Aberdeen win the Scottish league and cup double - their third successive cup triumph - for the first time. 1985: The Dons retain the championship and win the League Cup. 1986: Aberdeen win Scottish Cup against Hearts. 1989: Aberdeen win the League Cup after extra time against Rangers. 1990: Wins Scottish Cup again with the Dons in penalty shoot-out with Celtic and is voted player of the year. Plays for Scotland in all three World Cup group games - against Costa Rica, Sweden and Brazil. 1993: Makes 77th and final Scotland appearance against Malta. 1994: Takes over from Tommy McLean as manager of Motherwell after 17 years at Pittodrie. 1995: Guides the Fir Park club to second place in the top flight in his first season. 1998: Appointed manager of Hibernian but cannot prevent the club being relegated to Division One. 1999: Wins First Division title at first attempt. 2001: Leads Hibs into the Scottish Cup final against Celtic and to UEFA Cup after finishing third in the SPL. 2001: December - Replaces Dick Advocaat as manager of Rangers. 2002: February - Defeats Celtic 2-1 in first Old Firm clash in the CIS Insurance Cup semi-final. March - Clinches first trophy as Rangers boss with 3-0 CIS Cup final win over Ayr United. May - Celebrates cup double when Peter Lovenkrands' last-minute winner secures 3-2 Scottish Cup win over Celtic. 2003: May - Rangers pip their Old Firm rivals to the SPL championship on goal difference before Scottish Cup win over Dundee gives McLeish a clean sweep of all three domestic honours. September - Signs new four-year deal with Rangers. 2005: February - Becomes first Rangers boss to win at Celtic Park for five years with 2-0 victory. March - Claims sixth trophy in three years with the Light Blues as Motherwell are defeated 5-1 in CIS Cup final. May - Guides Rangers to second SPL title in three years. December - Becomes first manager to guide an SPL club to last 16 of the Champions League. 2006: February 9 - With Rangers 18 points behind SPL leaders Celtic and eight behind second-placed Hearts, Rangers announce McLeish is leaving at end of season. March - Rangers defeated by Villarreal on away goals in the Champions League. May - Last game in charge of Rangers ends in a 2-0 win over Hearts at Ibrox. 2007: January 29 - Confirmed as new Scotland manager, replacing Walter Smith. Handed a contract until the end of the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign. September 12 - Scotland stretch winning run to five games with famous 1-0 victory over France in Paris. November 17 - Scotland lose 2-1 to Italy at Hampden and fail to qualify for Euro 2008. November 27 - Resigns as Scotland manager after the SFA turn down an official approach from a club to hold talks with him. November 28 - Unveiled as new manager of Birmingham on a three-and-a-half-year deal. 2008: May 11 - Relegated from Premier League despite last-day 4-1 win over Blackburn. 2009: May - Guides Birmingham back to top flight at first attempt. December - Becomes first Birmingham boss to be named Premier League manager of the month. 2010: May - Blues finish ninth. September - Signs new three-year deal. 2011: February 27 - Leads Birmingham to Carling Cup triumph, beating Arsenal 2-1 in final at Wembley. May 22 - Blues relegated from Premier League after 2-1 final-day defeat at Tottenham. June 12 - McLeish resigns in an email to acting chairman Peter Pannu. June 14 - League Managers' Association chief executive Richard Bevan says McLeish resigned because the Birmingham board made his position untenable. Birmingham rivals Aston Villa then release a statement saying they intend to interview the Scot "imminently" over their vacancy. Birmingham respond by announcing their intention to lodge a complaint against Villa over their "tapping up" of McLeish. June 17 - Villa confirm his controversial appointment as manager five days after resigning at Birmingham. His arrival is met by fan protests. October 22 - Suffers a first league defeat at the hands of Manchester City after seven matches unbeaten. March 10 - Villa beat Fulham 1-0. It is their last league success of the campaign, followed by a sequence of five defeats and four draws as they finished just two points off relegation. May 14 - Villa confirm his contract has been terminated with immediate effect.

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