Last week marked 25 years since the passing of Tottenham and England fullback Cyril Knowles, who also enjoyed a successful managerial career with Darlington, Torquay United and Hartlepool United.
After making his debut for Middlesbrough in 1963, the young defender caught the eye of Tottenham Hotspur under Bill Nicholson, as a potential long-term replacement for Ron Henry. For 12 years until his career was ended prematurely by knee problems, Knowles was a fixture for Spurs at left-back and was renowned for his classy play contributing to the team’s attacking game.
In his time at Spurs, the club won the FA Cup in 1967, two League Cups in 1971 and 1973, and the UEFA Cup in 1972. He won only four England caps, and while he would hardly be alone in terms of receiving scant recognition at international level, Knowles was behind Terry Cooper in the pecking order for the Three Lions. In this period he even inspired the hit song “Nice One Cyril”, the tune of which (with different words) would be sang by football fans in the years that followed.
Knowles moved into football management after he retired from playing. He would manage, and successfully, two rival north-east clubs in Darlington and Hartlepool United. The two sides, with Stockton-on-Tees and Middlesbrough separating the two towns, are some 27 miles, or 43 kilometres apart. Until Darlington’s relegation from the Football League in 2010 (they would be reformed in non-league football as Darlington 1883 in 2012), the two clubs’ league histories are rather similar – both labouring in the lowest level, which has been the Fourth Division (now League Two) since 1958, occasionally having to apply for re-election to the Football League, and occasionally reaching the Third Division. Derbies between the two clubs have had their moments as well.
When Knowles took over at Darlington in 1983, the club could boast such players as Kevan Smith, Alan Walsh and David McLean, who had taken the Quakers to respectable, if unspectacular finishes in previous seasons. While Knowles’ first campaign in charge was more of the same, despite losing Walsh to Bristol City, his second would deliver Darlington’s first promotion in nearly two decades, with players such as Steve Tupling and Carl Airey added the mix. A place in the Third Division was achieved comfortably, which Darlington lead at one stage but finished 1984-85 in a strong third place. After initially struggling the following season, the team found their feet. Bottom in November, a run of strong results would see them climb into mid-table and finish 1985-86 in 13th – which remains the high mark of the club in recent decades. However, the departure of key players was followed by relegation the following season.
1986-87 was the first for automatic relegation from the Football League and led to a tightly contested battle for survival in the Fourth Division. While Burnley’s escape is legendary (and certainly symbolic), that of Torquay United was equally, if not more dramatic, including an incident with a police dog and an injury time equaliser to preserve the club’s League status. Knowles’ appointment brought an instant improvement in the fortunes of a club that had struggled in the previous few seasons. With last day goal hero Paul Dobson, as well as Derek Dawkins among the players, Torquay finished in fifth and made the play-offs after missing out on automatic promotion. They lost out to Swansea City, and failed to repeat their success the following time around. However, Knowles gave a debut to teenager Lee Sharpe, who would go on to join Manchester United.
In November 1989, Knowles became manager of Hartlepool United. Like arch-rivals Darlington, its fortunes fluctuated through the 1970s and 80s between re-election struggles and promotion challenges. In 1989-90, even bigger trouble appeared on the cards with the team bottom of the Fourth Division, which would mean relegation from the League (although this only happened if the Conference winner had a stadium that met requirements). From December onwards, Hartlepool’s form was such that they managed to escape the drop before the end of the season. With Paul Baker, Joe Allon, John MacPhail, Brian Honour, Paul Dalton, Steve Tupling, Paul Olsson, John Tinkler and future Scotland international Rob McKinnon, the Pools would find themselves in an intense promotion battle in 1990-91. However, in February of that season, Knowles was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Alan Murray was appointed to take charge with the then 46-year-old unable to continue in his role. Murray took Hartlepool to promotion on the last day of the season, a fitting tribute to the team Knowles had turned into winners.
Cyril Knowles died on August 30, 1991. His legacy was of a classy fullback in some heady days for Tottenham Hotspur and a man whose managerial career brought some of the high points of the histories of Darlington and Hartlepool United.
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