Our original series on Knighton is called Leslie Knighton – the complete story, and this of course remains on the site. Details of the articles are below.
However since then the Arsenal History Society has published its major research project “Henry Norris at the Arsenal” which contains much more information on Knighton.
Knighton became part of Arsenal in August 1919 and so to get a full indication of what he was like as a manager, and how he performed you can follow the history of Arsenal from that point onwards in the “Henry Norris at the Arsenal” series. Below are the relevant articles, and then after that some other articles that were written before the in-depth review of Henry Norris at the Arsenal was written.
Here are the articles (for the articles before this point in section 10, click on the Henry Norris at the Arsenal link above.
Section 10, 1919
- August 1919: Arsenal return to the First Division for the next 99 years
- Arsenal establish themselves in the Division 1 amidst scandal, profiteering and strikes.
- October 1919: Chapman banned for life, Leeds kicked out, Whittaker joins
- November 1919: Arsenal solid but in debt, Labour advances, another goalscorer, Norris honoured.
- 1919: The first Christmas for the new expanded league
Section 11: 1920 – the second half of the first post-war season and onward (part 78 to 86
- January 1920: Arsenal’s solid start as a 1st division team falters
- February 1920: the press discuss Arsenal (and gets it totally wrong.)
- March 1920: Henry Norris threatened at Parliament, Arsenal win 2 lose 2.
- April 1920 Arsenal gain mid-table security in their first season back.
- The FA thanks Norris, the League expanded again. May 1920.
- Exposing the second libel against Henry Norris: the summer of 1920.
- Arsenal hire a music hall star as their new centre forward. October 1920
- When Arsenal were willing to criticise the press; Arsenal in November 1920.
- Arsenal meet the king, Ireland split in two, Scotland says no. December 1920.
Section 12: 1921 (part 87 to 97)
- The first north London derbies, Knighton gets another star; Highbury’s top crowd: Jan 1921
- The 3rd Knighton allegation against Norris: did he sell much-needed Fred Pagnam just for profit?
- Arsenal’s worst home defeat, but a quick recovery pulls things around. March 1921
- April 1921: Strikes, the best run of the season, and a film of a 1921 game.
- May/June 1921: Knighton the fantasist. The fourth allegation.
- Arsenal and the League 1920/1: the crowds and Arsenal’s team
- Why did Arsenal manager Knighton turn down Man City but not buy players? Summer of 1921.
- The Arsenal collapse of autumn 1921: Knighton’s curious positional strategy
- When Arsenal hit rock bottom of the League. October 1921
- Arsenal in November 1921: the fog, the goal rush, the resignation.
- Man U take over from Arsenal at the foot of the league
Section 13: 1922 (part 98 to 106)
- Arsenal in January 1922. Norris returns, progress resumes
- Arsenal in Feb 1922. Norris missing, Cup success, relegation threatens, and a monkey
- March 1922: Desperate times for Arsenal, Norris returns and the £2000 transfer limit allegation overturned
- April 1922: Arsenal and Man U fight against relegation. Only one survives.
- 1922: Arsenal’s end of the season tour and summary of games
- Norris breaks free, transfer fees spiral, terrorism returns, fixtures look awful. Arsenal – Summer of 1922.
- Arsenal Sept 1922: the first Hill-Wood arrives, Spurs seriously warned, Arsenal debts reduced
- October 1922: Henry Norris withdraws, Arsenal in dire straits
- Arsenal descend to the depths and miraculously rise from the abyss
Section 14: 1923 (part 107 to 109)
- Jan/Feb 1923. A settled Arsenal and the victories finally start coming.
- March 1923: The curious case of Henry White; March 1923
- Spring 1923: Arsenal clear of relegation; real progress at last?
- Arsenal in the Summer 1923: another Knighton allegation but the evidence is against him.
- Anticipation a plenty but another terrible start to the season: August 1923
- Arsenal in September 1923: recovery after a terrible start; a new insight into Henry Norris
- October 1923: Arsenal learn variable tactics as the vultures circle over Henry Norris
- Arsenal to beat the world record transfer fee? The club’s history: November 1923
- Arsenal in Dec 1923. Misreporting in the press, Chapman appears, Norris’ political career
Section 15: 1924 (part 110 to 119)
- Jan 1924: Arsenal slip dangerously while Cardiff, Bolton and Huddersfield march upwards
- Arsenal in February 1924: Under Knighton’s guidance the club is sinking fast
- Arsenal closer and closer to relegation but Ramsay comes to the rescue March 1924
- Arsenal in the spring of 1924. Relegation is avoided; Chapman wins the League
- Arsenal in the summer: 1924: the tour, and a review of the transfers.
- 1924/5: Knighton’s best start and a look back to Norris’ work at Fulham
- Oct 1924. The press attack Knighton (wrongly), an Arsenal star is born, and changing the offside law
- Arsenal in November 1924: transfer funds are found, recovery seems likely, rules are changed.
- Arsenal manager in fantasy land; bidding for Charlie Buchan. The truth revealed.
Section 16: 1925 (part 120 to 129)
- Managerial fantasies about West Ham, as a deep rot sets in. Arsenal in January 1925.
- Experimenting with the offside law as Arsenal lose six in a row.
- Arsenal in March 1925: The run of consecutive defeats ends, but recovery is slight
- April 1925: the end is nigh; Arsenal escape, experiments continue, a new dawn approaches
- Arsenal in the summer of 1925: Knighton out and the club advertises for a manager
That is, I believe the most in-depth series on Knighton ever written.
Here are the earlier articles which take occasional themes…
1: How the story of Arsenal after the first world war is not quite as we’ve been led to believe.
2: Height and cost restrictions
3: The manager who started the AAA
5: The money and the performance
6: What do we learn about post-war Arsenal?
Did Henry Norris forbid Knighton to make signings and give Chapman an open cheque book?
Pagnam – the forgotten man who blows up the Knighton mythology
Andrew Kennedy, bought by Knighton, sold by Chapman
Andrew Neil, bought by Knighton sold by Chapman
- From Failure to Excellence: Knighton to Chapman
Other articles:
- Arsenal managers analysed by top four finishes
- Arsenal’s managers analysed by history, games and success
- Arsenal v Bradford 1921
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