Ben Knapper
{{Short description|English sporting director}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ben Knapper
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Ben Knapper
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|07|01|df=y}}
| birth_place = Macclesfield, England
| height =
| position =
| currentclub = Norwich City (Sporting director)
| manageryears1 = 2007–2009
| managerclubs1 = Scunthorpe United (Performance analyst)
| manageryears2 = 2009–2023
| managerclubs2 = Arsenal (Football Analyst)
| manageryears3 = 2019–2023
| managerclubs3 = Arsenal (Loans manager)
| manageryears4 = 2023–
| managerclubs4 = Norwich City (Sporting director)
}}
Ben Knapper is an English football executive who is the current sporting director of EFL Championship club Norwich City.{{cite news|url=https://www.canaries.co.uk/content/norwich-city-announce-ben-knapper-as-sporting-director|title=Norwich City announce Ben Knapper as Sporting Director|publisher=Norwich City F.C.|date=6 October 2023}} He was previously the loans manager at Arsenal.
Career
In 2008, Knapper graduated from the University of Hull with a degree in Sports Coaching and Performance.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hull.ac.uk/faculties/subjects/features/graduate-q-and-a-ben-knapper-sports-coaching-and-performance|title=Interview with Ben Knapper}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/how-university-hull-helped-launch-5267204|title=How University of Hull helped launch graduate's Premier League dream with Arsenal|date=6 April 2021 |publisher=hulldailymail.co.uk}} In 2007, he was appointed analyst of English second tier side Scunthorpe United.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehullstory.com/allarticles/hulluniversity-graduate-arsenal|title=From the University of Hull to Arsenal: The graduate inspiring today's students|publisher=thehullstory.com}}
In 2019, he was appointed loan manager of Arsenal in the English Premier League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/who-ben-knapper-arsenals-new-15642650|title=Who is Ben Knapper? Arsenal's new loan move manager hoping to repeat the success of Reiss Nelson|date=7 January 2019 |publisher=football.london}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/how-smith-rowe-and-more-have-been-boosted-by-ben-knapper-the-loan-manager-who-could-become-arsenal-s-next-technical-director/blt05d68fa443325d8d|title=How Smith Rowe and more have been boosted by Ben Knapper - the loan manager who could become Arsenal's next technical director|publisher=goal.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3359031/2022/06/13/arsenal-young-players-loan-trusted-clubs-coaches-dragons-den-style-presentations/|title=How Arsenal choose to send their young players on loan: trusted clubs, coaches and Dragons' Den-style presentations|publisher=theathletic.com (Archived)|access-date=2023-09-08|archive-date=2022-06-13|archive-url=https://archive.today/20220613074533/https://theathletic.com/3359031/2022/06/13/arsenal-young-players-loan-trusted-clubs-coaches-dragons-den-style-presentations/|url-status=bot: unknown}}{{Cite web|url=https://m.allfootballapp.com/news/EPL/Inside-Arsenals-impressive-new-loan-system/2077806|title=Inside Arsenal's impressive new loan system|publisher=m.allfootballapp.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/arsenal-transfer-news-loan-latest-ben-knapper-analyst-watch-video-reiss-nelson-a8715876.html|title=Arsenal promote football analyst Ben Knapper to newly created Loan Manager role|date=7 January 2019 |publisher=independent.co.uk}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.inkl.com/news/meet-the-23-people-in-unai-emery-s-first-team-staff-who-can-drive-arsenal-to-success-this-season|title=Meet the 23 people in Unai Emery's first-team staff who can drive Arsenal to success this season|publisher=inkl.com (Archived)|access-date=2023-09-08|archive-date=2023-02-17|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230217235753/https://www.inkl.com/news/meet-the-23-people-in-unai-emery-s-first-team-staff-who-can-drive-arsenal-to-success-this-season|url-status=bot: unknown}}
On 6 October 2023, Norwich City announced that Knapper would become the club’s new sporting director on 13 November 2023, replacing the outgoing sporting director Stuart Webber.
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knapper, Ben}}
Category:Arsenal F.C. non-playing staff
Category:Scunthorpe United F.C. non-playing staff
Category:Alumni of the University of Hull
Category:Sportspeople from Macclesfield
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