Cyril Knowles

In the summer of 1981, he was appointed assistant manager of Middlesbrough, where he started his career, but resigned two years later to become manager of Fourth Division strugglers Darlington. His second season, 1984–85, was a great success as he transformed the club's playing fortunes and guided them to third place in the Fourth Division, ensuring promotion to the Third Division. Knowles guided Darlington to 13th place in the Third Division for 1985–86, and remains the only manager to have preserved their third-tier status in the modern era. He resigned as Darlington manager in 1987 following relegation to the Fourth Division, but soon returned to management with Torquay United. As manager of Torquay, Knowles developed the talent of Lee Sharpe, the young winger who would star for Manchester United in the early 1990s and later play for Leeds United and Sampdoria. He transformed a poor side that had almost been relegated from the League the previous season, taking them to the brink of play-offs in his first season and the final of the Associate Members' Cup the following year. He resigned as manager of Torquay in October 1989 after a disappointing start to the 1989–90 season but returned to management in December, at Fourth Division basement club Hartlepool United. He revived Hartlepool and they finished 12 points clear of relegation. Their form in 1990–91 was even better, and they eventually gained promotion in third place. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour in February…

Early career

Knowles was born in Fitzwilliam, West Yorkshire, and started his career as a left winger with local side Hemsworth before rejection from three of the country's leading sides – Manchester United, Blackpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers – left him questioning his future prospects as a professional footballer.

Middlesbrough

However, Middlesbrough recognised his talents as a potential left-back and Knowles was accepted into their amateur squad. He made his debut late in the 1962–63 season and after just 39 first team appearances legendary Spurs manager Bill Nicholson signed Knowles in 1964 for £45,000.

Tottenham Hotspur

Knowles was seen as a young replacement for Ron Henry, a member of the Spurs team that famously won the Double in 1960–61, the FA Cup in 1962 and the European Cup Winners Cup in 1963. His first competitive match for Spurs was in a 2–0 win over Sheffield United at White Hart Lane on the opening day of 1964–65 First Division campaign. Knowles would spend 11 years at White Hart Lane, where he was famed for his crossing ability, creating countless opportunities from open play as well as set pieces. He is also remembered for his excellent partnership with Irish right-back Joe Kinnear and his valuable contribution towards the acceptance of the overlapping, attacking full-back in modern football. A stalwart of the Spurs first team, he missed only one league match between 1965 and 1969 and represented England four times, making his…

Knowles married Betty Grundy in 1967, with whom he had a son, who died in a freak traffic accident when a stone was thrown up from the road and crashed through the window of the car he was in and hit him in the head. Knowles was a Labour Party supporter.

As a player

Tottenham Hotspur

FA Cup: 1966–67 Football League Cup: 1970–71, 1972–73 FA Charity Shield: 1967 (shared) UEFA Cup: 1971–72; runner-up: 1973–74 Anglo-Italian League Cup: 1971

As a manager

Darlington

Football League Fourth Division third-place promotion: 1984–85 Torquay United

Associate Members' Cup runner-up: 1988–89 Hartlepool United

Football League Fourth Division third-place promotion: 1990–91