| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Manuel José Tavares Fernandes[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1951-06-05)5 June 1951[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Sarilhos Pequenos, Portugal | ||
| Date of death | 27 June 2024(2024-06-27) (aged 73) | ||
| Place of death | Lisbon, Portugal | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1967–1969 | Sarilhense | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1969–1975 | CUF | 132 | (34) |
| 1975–1977 | Sporting CP | 55 | (47) |
| 1977 | Rochester Lancers | ||
| 1977–1979 | Sporting CP | 52 | (24) |
| 1979 | New England Tea Men | ||
| 1979–1987 | Sporting CP | 218 | (120) |
| 1987–1988 | Vitória Setúbal | 28 | (16) |
| Total | 485 | (241) | |
| International career | |||
| 1975–1987 | Portugal | 31 | (7) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1988–1990 | Vitória Setúbal | ||
| 1990–1991 | Estrela Amadora | ||
| 1991–1992 | Ovarense | ||
| 1992–1994 | Sporting CP (assistant) | ||
| 1994–1995 | Campomaiorense | ||
| 1996–1997 | Tirsense | ||
| 1997 | Vitória Setúbal | ||
| 1998–2001 | Santa Clara | ||
| 2001 | Sporting CP | ||
| 2003–2005 | Penafiel | ||
| 2007–2008 | Atlético Aviação | ||
| 2008–2009 | União Leiria | ||
| 2009–2011 | Vitória Setúbal | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Manuel José Tavares Fernandes (5 June 1951 – 27 June 2024) was a Portuguesefootballstriker andmanager.
His playing career was mainly associated withSporting CP, which he later also coached. At 255 goals in all competitions, he was the second-highest goalscorer in the club's history.[2][3]
Over 19 seasons, in which he also represented two other teams, Fernandes amassedPrimeira Liga totals of 486 matches, an all-time record, and 241 goals.[4]
Born inSarilhos Pequenos,Moita,Setúbal District, Fernandes started his career with localG.D. Fabril, scoring 43 goals in five years.[5] In 1975 he got his first break, joiningPrimeira Liga (the only tier he competed in in a career which spanned almost two decades) clubSporting CP, netting more than 250 times in official matches and only trailing legendaryFernando Peyroteo who totalled over 500.[6][4]
Halfway through his career at Sporting, Fernandes accepted an offer from the United States to play for theRochester Lancers for a season in 1977. Two years later, he returned to North American soil to represent theNew England Tea Men, a team based in theGreater Boston area.[7][8][9][6]
In 1978, he won theTaça de Portugal with Sporting, scoring the second goal in a 2-1 win in a replay againstPorto. Two years later, he won thePrimeira Divisão. In the 1981-82 season, he won the Primeira Divisão, Taça de Portugal (scoring againstS.C. Braga in a 4-0 win in the final) and theSupertaça Cândido de Oliveira, scoring a hattrick in the second leg, also against Braga.[5]
In1985–86, aged 34/35, Fernandes produced his best individual season, scoring 30 goals – and winning theBola de Prata – for the eventual third-placed side, behindFC Porto andS.L. Benfica.[10][11] On 14 December 1986, he had arguably his finest moment as a professional, when he netted four to help to the 7–1 home demolition of Benfica.[12]
Afterthat season inLisbon, Fernandes closed out his career atVitória de Setúbal, reuniting with his former Sporting teammateRui Jordão,[13] adding a further 20 total goals to his tally and retiring at 37.[5] In hislast campaign he notably scored against Sporting in a 2–1 home win, mere minutes after kick-off, and theSadinos finished in a comfortable eighth place.[14][15]
Fernandes won 31caps forPortugal, scoring seven goals.[16] Even though he had that stellar campaign with Sporting, he was excluded from the1986 FIFA World Cup squad, with the tournament being marred by theSaltillo Affair; he still travelled to Mexico courtesy of his club, later telling the media: "But I wasn't in Saltillo. I watched the games and that was it. I went on vacation nearGuadalajara."[17]
Fernandes began his coaching career with Setúbal in 1988, and stayed with them a further year (several other spells there would befall in the future). Then, he went on to manage several teams:C.F. Estrela da Amadora,A.D. Ovarense,S.C. Campomaiorense,F.C. Tirsense,C.D. Santa Clara; theAzores club would be the first from the region to play in thePortuguese top division.[18][5]
With Sporting, Fernandes had already served as an assistant to England'sBobby Robson, leaving following the head coach's dismissal. In January 2001 he began a short managerial spell with theLions,[19]winning theSupertaça Cândido de Oliveira before quitting his post later that year.[20]
In October 2009, after a successfulpromotion from theSegunda Liga withU.D. Leiria, and having already started thefollowing top-flight campaign, Fernandes bought out his contract and returned to struggling Setúbal for a third stint,[21] which ended on 1 March 2011.[22]
Fernandes' sonTiago was also a football player and manager.[23] In December 2020, Sporting dedicated Gate 7 of theEstádio José Alvalade to him.[24]
In May 2024, Sporting chairmanFrederico Varandas and club footballerViktor Gyökeres visited Fernandes in hospital with theleague championship cup, before reception atLisbon City Hall.[25] He died on 27 June at age 73, three days after surgery for a tumour.[26]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition[27] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 November 1976 | Estádio da Luz (1954), Lisbon, Portugal |  Denmark | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1978 World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 9 October 1977 | Idrætsparken, Copenhagen, Denmark | Denmark | 3–1 | 4–2 | 1978 World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 29 October 1977 | Silesian Stadium, Chorzow, Poland |  Poland | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1978 World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 16 November 1977 | Estádio de São Luís, Faro, Portugal |  Cyprus | 4–0 | 4–0 | 1978 World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 18 November 1981 | Estádio da Luz (1954), Lisbon, Portugal |  Scotland | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1982 World Cup qualification |
| 6 | 18 November 1981 | Estádio da Luz (1954), Lisbon, Portugal | Scotland | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1982 World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 29 October 1986 | Wankdorf Stadium, Bern, Switzerland |  Switzerland | 1–1 | 1–1 | Euro 1988 qualifying |
Sporting CP
Individual
Sporting CP
