Ian Andrew Wallace (born 23 May 1956) is a Scottish former football player and manager. He played as a striker in the 1970s and 1980s for Dumbarton, Coventry City, Nottingham Forest, Brest, Sunderland, MarÃÂtimo and Melbourne Croatia. Wallace played in three international matches for Scotland in the late 1970s.
Born in Glasgow, Wallace started at Scottish Junior club Yoker Athletic. He then joined the senior ranks with Scottish Football League club Dumbarton.
Wallace was purchased for ã70,000 by the then Coventry manager Gordon Milne in 1976. Milne paired his small frame with his larger strike partner Mick Ferguson. He emerged from a car accident whilst at the club sporting a deep scar on the forehead. He also suffered a detached retina whilst playing for Coventry at Norwich. Coventry finished 7th in the 1977-78 Football League, their second best ever placing after the team of 1969âÂÂ70. Unlike in 1969-70 they missed out on a UEFA competition place. Wallace played that season alongside Ferguson, Tommy Hutchison, Terry Yorath, Graham Oakey, Bobby MacDonald and Jim Blyth. Wallace scored 23 goals that season, his first of three in a row as Coventry's top scorer. He was later inducted in to the Coventry City Hall of Fame.
Wallace moved to then-reigning European champions Nottingham Forest in July 1980 for ã1.25 million, making him one of the world's most expensive players. Wallace went on to be Forest's top scorer for the first three of the four seasons he played there, scoring 13 goals in each season he top scored.
Wallace moved to French club Brest for a short spell in 1984. He returned to English football with Sunderland around New Year in season 1984âÂÂ85.
In 1986 he joined Portuguese club MarÃÂtimo. In 1987 he signed for Melbourne Croatia in Australia, where he ended his playing career.
Wallace scored his on his full international debut, a 2âÂÂ1 win against Bulgaria in February 1978. Coventry team-mate Jim Blyth was in goal for Scotland. He then came on as a substitute in a 1âÂÂ0 defeat in Portugal in November 1978 and started in a 3âÂÂ0 loss in Wales in May of the following year. All three of his caps came when he was playing for Coventry City.
Wallace returned to Dumbarton as manager in November 1996 replacing Jim Fallon. He was dismissed from this job in October 1999 and was replaced by Jimmy Brown.