Ronald Maurice Wylie (6 August 1933 – 14 April 2020) was a Scottish football player, coach and manager. Born in Glasgow, he established a long career in English football as a hardworking right half and inside forward noted for his consistency and football intelligence. After retiring as a player he became a respected coach and manager, spending much of his later life involved in the professional game.
Playing career
Wylie began his professional career in the early 1950s with Notts County, where he made his name as a dependable midfield presence. He moved to Aston Villa in the mid-1950s and spent the bulk of his playing years at Villa Park, becoming a regular first-team figure. In the mid-1960s he finished his league playing career with Birmingham City. Throughout his playing days he was valued for positional awareness, work-rate and adaptability between midfield and more attacking inside forward roles.
Coaching and managerial career
Following retirement from playing, Wylie remained in the professional game in coaching and backroom roles. He maintained a lengthy association with Aston Villa in coaching capacities and at times assumed responsibility for first-team duties. Later he moved into senior management and was appointed manager of West Bromwich Albion, a post he held from 1982 to 1984. Beyond that spell he continued to serve clubs in technical and scouting roles, offering experience and continuity to several Midlands sides.
Style, reputation and legacy
As a player Wylie was not primarily known for flamboyance but for reliability, discipline and an ability to read the game—traits that served him well in coaching. Those who worked with him have recalled his calm approach and tactical understanding. He is remembered particularly in Birmingham and the West Midlands as part of the footballing community that bridged playing, coaching and talent development over several decades.
Clubs and roles
- Notts County — early professional club
- Aston Villa — principal playing years and later coach
- Birmingham City — later playing spell and subsequent roles
- West Bromwich Albion — manager (1982–1984)
Wylie was born in Glasgow and remained connected to Scottish roots though his professional life was based in England. He died on 14 April 2020 after a prolonged illness, aged 86, leaving a reputation as a steady professional who contributed to English football as both player and coach.
For further reading on individuals and clubs associated with his career see club histories and archived profiles of his playing and managerial spells. Contemporary tributes and obituaries at the time of his death noted his long service to the sport and the esteem in which he was held by players and colleagues.