James Patrick Murphy (8 August 1910 – 14 November 1989) was a Welsh footballer who made over 200 appearances for West Bromwich Albion and won 15 caps for the Wales national team, which he later managed. Murphy is most famous for being an influential figure at Manchester United from 1946 until the 1970s, as assistant manager, first-team coach, reserve team manager and a full-time scout, although he disliked the limelight and preferred to work quietly behind the scenes. Following the Munich air disaster on 6 February 1958, Murphy temporarily took over as Manchester United manager until the end of the 1957–58 season, steering the club through its greatest crisis while Matt Busby recovered from his injuries, and Murphy put together a makeshift team in place of the players who had died or were recovering from their injuries. Murphy had not been on the Munich aeroplane, as he had missed the trip in order to take charge of Wales in a 1958 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Israel in Cardiff on the same night as Manchester United's match against Red Star Belgrade in Yugoslavia. Wales won the match and qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time. Playing career Born in Ton Pentre, Glamorgan, Murphy attended the local village school, Ton Pentre School. As a boy, he played the church organ. As a youth he played football for Ton Pentre Boys, Treorchy Thursday F.C., Treorchy Juniors and Mid-Rhondda Boys and in 1924 represented Wales in a schoolboy international against England in Cardiff. He turned professional in February 1928 when he joined West Bromwich Albion as a 17-year-old. Murphy made his debut in a 1–0 defeat away to Blackpool on 5 March 1930 and played one further league game during his first season. In the following season, 1930–31, West Bromwich Albion won the FA Cup and promotion from the Second Division, but Murphy had yet to establish himself in the team and again made just two appearances. He became a regular in the Albion side upon the club's return to the First Division; from 1931–32 to 1934–35 he appeared 149 times in league and cup, helping his team to achieve four consecutive top ten finishes, including fourth place in 1932–33. The 1934–35 season saw Murphy miss just one match all season, and he helped Albion to reach the 1935 FA Cup Final, which they lost 4–2 to Sheffield Wednesday.