Lennie honoured by LMA at lunch today for 1000th game.

55 year old Lennie will be honoured today by the League Managers Association at a special lunch where he will be presented with a specially engraved Waterford crystal award by the association. He will also recieve a specially labelled commemorative magnum of champagne from league sponsors Nationwide.

The home game against Bristol City before Christmas is officially recognised as Lennie's 1000th game as a manager. The historians at the club have worked out that Lennie has managed more games than that with his 1000th game being passed last season but the LMA do not recognise games like the FAW Premier Cup and old competitions like the Anglo Italian Cup.

In his career Lennie has managed Cardiff, Grimsby Town, Luton Town, Bradford City, Middlesbrough, Charlton Athletic, Plymouth Argyle. Lennie had a non league playing career before joining the coaching staff at Plymouth in 1977 and taking over as caretaker manager at Home Park in 1977. He was then assistant to Malcom Allison before leaving in 1979. He then went to Lincoln as assistant manager before taking over at Charlton in 1982. He managed their for 9 years taking the Addicks into the old first division. He was in charge when Charlton played their football at Selhurst Park while the Valley was renovated.

In 1991 Lennie left Charlton for Middlebrough. In his first season (91/92) Lennie took 'boro into the newly formed Premiership. They only lasted one season and Lennie only lasted one season more. He left in 1994 and had a 15 month spell with Bradford before joing Luton Town where he managed from late 1995 to 2000 when he was sacked. Lennie returned to the North East to manage Grimsby but despite beating Liverpool in the Worthington Cup a poor run of form saw Grimsby fighting relegation and Lennie out of work. Not for long though, Sam came in for Lennie and made him Director of Football at Ninian Park at the turn of 2001/2002 and within a couple of months he was manager after the dismissal for Alan Cork.

Lennie took the Bluebirds on an unbeaten run until the end of the season, missing promotion by 1 point. Then the heartbreak of the play offs where City were 1 minute from the Millennium Stadium.

This season City are currently in 4th place with games in hand to go second. Lennie has taken Charlton and Middlesboro in the past into the top league, what chance of doing it again with Cardiff?

Lennie joins Crewe boss Dario Gradi, Villa's Graham Taylor, Dave Bassett as well as legends like Sir Matt Busby and Brain Clough in the 1000 game managers club.

Congratualations to Lennie Lawrence.