Mike Carey, son of former Manchester United captain Johnny [BBC Sport]When former Manchester United skipper Johnny Carey's playing career ended, he went into management, first with Blackburn and then Everton.Carey was sacked by the Merseyside club when he was in a taxi travelling to an FA meeting.He went on to manage Leyton Orient, a job he had to take as part of the legal process around getting the compensation he was owed by Everton, and then Nottingham Forest.Although he no longer played for Matt Busby, the Scot was still a major influence on his life."When they were deciding which club my dad should go to, Sir Matt used to say 'you have to go to a club where the management doesn't interfere with the team'," Carey's son Mike told BBC Sport."That is very hard given it was other people's money and everyone has a view on football."Sir Matt ended up interviewing clubs on my dad's behalf."That was the thing about Manchester United. The club has always been there in the background."Sir Matt came to my first wedding.
Sir Alex Ferguson came to dad's funeral."Carey won the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 1949. He also had the notable distinction of captaining the Republic of Ireland national team and also the Ireland team, that represented the whole island until 1950.He died in 1995, aged 76. He had been suffering from dementia.Mike Carey does not look back on his dad's latter years with bitterness or regret.
He is just thankful for what he had."My father developed it when he was about 70," he said."I remember taking him to Macclesfield General Hospital to give my mum a break for a day a week. It was very sad. Some of the guys would be marching as though they were still in the Army."Less was known about dementia in those days.
They weren't saying at that point it was definitely caused by football and I don't think there was ever a feeling of blame."I am a very rational person. That is life. Life is different for everyone."If he had not played football, he might still have got Alzheimer's. The point was he had a great life and all the family are hugely proud of him."