Leslie Knighton
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (March 2017) |
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Albert Leslie Knighton | ||
Date of birth | 15 March 1887 | ||
Place of birth | Church Gresley, Derbyshire, England | ||
Date of death | 10 May 1959 | (aged 72)||
Place of death | Bournemouth, England | ||
Managerial career | |||
Years | Team | ||
1912 | Huddersfield Town (caretaker) | ||
1919–1925 | Arsenal | ||
1925–1928 |
Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | ||
1928–1933 | Birmingham | ||
1933–1939 | Chelsea | ||
1945–1948 | Shrewsbury Town |
Albert Leslie Knighton (15 March 1887 – 10 May 1959) was an English
.Management career
Knighton was born in Church Gresley, Swadlincote, Derbyshire. His own playing career was cut short by injury, after which he moved into coaching and management. He first had spells as an assistant manager at Manchester City (1909–12) and Huddersfield Town (1912–19) – and was briefly caretaker manager of the latter in 1912. In 1919 Knighton was appointed secretary-manager of Arsenal, shortly after the club had been promoted to the First Division.[1]
He oversaw the club for six years, but Arsenal never finished higher than mid-table, their best finish during his tenure being ninth in
During his time at Arsenal, Knighton had numerous fallings-out with Arsenal chairman
Despite Norris's interfering, Knighton, thanks to an informal scouting system of his friends and former colleagues in the North, signed several high-quality players for Arsenal; these included
During his final season at Arsenal, Knighton was involved in one of the first recorded cases of
Norris dismissed Knighton in the summer of 1925 and replaced him with Herbert Chapman. Knighton later alleged that Norris has only sacked him to avoid paying him a bonus (estimated at up to £4,000) from a benefit match that he was due.[5] Norris denied this and instead cited Arsenal's poor record that season (having finished 20th and knocked out of the FA Cup first round), but later regretted his dismissal, stating it was the one mistake in his career[6] and in his will left Knighton £100.
After leaving the Gunners, Knighton went on to manage