Michael Knighton

The son of a baker, Knighton grew up in Derbyshire and was a footballer in his youth.{{cite book |last1=Domeneghetti |first1=Roger |title=Everybody Wants To Rule The World: Britain, Sport & The 1980s |date=4 May 2023 |publisher=Yellow Jersey Press |isbn=9781787290594 |page=344}} His great-grandfather, Willie Layton, was part of Sheffield Wednesday's 1903 and 1904 league championship-winning teams, and also the FA Cup-winning team of 1907.{{cite news|title=Football Enthusiast Takes Over Top Club |author=Patrick Haverson |date=19 August 1989 |work=Financial Times}} While still a schoolboy, Knighton trained with Derby County, and later spent a few months as an apprentice at Everton before leaving due to homesickness,{{Cite web|url=http://efcheritagesociety.com/michael-knighton-an-interview-by-steve-zocek/|title=Michael Knighton an interview|date=20 June 2020|website=Everton FC Heritage Society}} and then spent over a year as an apprentice at Coventry City. However, his football career was cut short due to a thigh injury. He studied at Durham University's Bede College, where he gained a degree in physical education, before returning to St Cuthbert's College, Durham, to study philosophy, politics, and Mandarin Chinese.{{Cite book|last=Vine|first=Phillip|title=Visionary, Manchester United, Michael Knighton and The Football Revolution 1989-2019|publisher=Pitch Publishing|year=2019|isbn=978-1-78531-577-0}} He became a teacher in physical education and geography, and took a position at St. David's School (now Huddersfield Grammar School) in 1976. He was appointed headmaster in 1980, and bought the school in 1983. He stopped teaching in 1984 to focus on property interests.

Knighton first came to the attention of the public in August 1989, when he made a takeover bid of £20 million for Manchester United. At the time, this was a record figure for a British football club and the offer was accepted by chief executive Martin Edwards.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/18/newsid_2499000/2499267.stm Man U Sold in Record Deal] BBC News, accessed 22 May 2006 Knighton promised to invest £10 million in the team's stadium, Old Trafford, as well as re-establish the club as England's top side. Knighton appeared on the pitch at Old Trafford before the opening game of the 1989–90 season against Arsenal, dressed in a full Manchester United football kit as a public relations exercise intended to convince the club's supporters that he was a genuine football fan.{{cite web|url= https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/nov/27/michael-knighton-manchester-united-keepie-uppies-interview|title=Michael Knighton: ‘I have been perceived as a charlatan or circus act|date=27 November 2019|work=Guardian|accessdate=29 May 2024}}

Famously, he showed off his football skills by completing a long series of "keepie uppies".[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3724/is_200101/ai_n8930782 Daydream believer] The Spectator, accessed 22 May 2006 United beat Arsenal 4–1 on the day. The vehicle for the takeover was a Knighton-controlled company, MK Trafford Holdings, based in the Isle of Man and set up specifically for the purpose.{{cite news|title=Who is Michael Knighton? |date=19 August 1989 |work=The Times}} A £10m contract for Edwards' 50.06% stake was signed, subject to an audit of the club's accounts,{{cite news|title=United warm to Knighton's example |date=21 August 1989 |work=The Times}} with a £20 per share offer submitted to the club's other shareholders. The MK Trafford investors comprised Knighton, former Debenhams executive Bob Thornton and Stanley Cohen of the Betterware home shopping company.{{cite news|title=Keeping Red Devils out of the red: Manchester United's new chairman |author=Paul Cheesewright |date=12 September 1989 |work=Financial Times}} However, Thornton and Cohen pulled out in mid-September.{{cite news|author=Peter Ball| title=Knighton takeover of United is put in doubt|date=18 September 1989 |work=The Times}} Knighton sought other backers, with David Murray and Owen Oyston among those approached.{{cite news|title=Rangers owner assists Knighton buy United |author=John Goodbody |date=7 October 1989 |work=The Times}}{{cite news|title=Suitors ready if Knighton fails in bid for Manchester United |author=Ian Hamilton Fazey|date=21 September 1989 |work=Financial Times}} Knighton proved to Martin Edwards and his legal team that he had secured funds to complete the deal, but as the deadline to complete the takeover loomed, Knighton abandoned his bid for control in exchange for a seat on the board.{{cite news|title=Knighton drops takeover but joins board |author=Peter Davenport|date=12 October 1989 |work=The Times}}

In 1992, Knighton left his job on the Manchester United board after buying out Carlisle United, a football club based in the Cumbrian city of Carlisle. At the time, Carlisle United were in the bottom division of the Football League and Knighton set about building up the club who he claimed he could return to the top league of English football, the Premier League (Carlisle had previously played at that level in the 1974–75 season).[https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/archive/1998/04/25/802667.html/ Carlisle wanted Beardo on trial] This is Lancashire, Accessed 22 May 2006

Initial success saw Carlisle win Division Three and achieve promotion in 1995 with a record number of 91 points, which remains a club record today, as well as reaching the final of the Football League Trophy; they were relegated the following season but promoted back again to Division Two in 1997. In 1997 they also reached a second Football League Trophy final, beating Colchester United on penalties.

In 1996, Knighton threatened to sue the local newspaper, the Evening News and Star, and resign from the football club after being "publicly humiliated" over claims he and his wife Rosemary had seen a UFO in 1976.[http://www.ufosoveramerica.com/html/ufo_stories.html Soccer chief who saw UFO is under the moon] UFOs over America, Accessed 22 May 2006

After a poor start to the 1997–98 season, Knighton dismissed popular manager Mervyn Day and took over the management and coaching of the team himself.{{Cite web|url=http://www.angelfire.com/dc/3games/halpin.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828031900/http://www.angelfire.com/dc/3games/halpin.html|url-status=dead|title=Knighton|archivedate=28 August 2009|website=www.angelfire.com}} The move proved unsuccessful, and Carlisle were relegated back to Division Three. He kept himself as head coach until December 1998, when he handed the job over to Nigel Pearson. Knighton remained chairman of the club, but no longer had the financial resources to achieve another promotion. Carlisle struggled in the bottom division, only avoiding relegation to the Football Conference with a last-minute goal by goalkeeper Jimmy Glass, in what is one of football's most famous comebacks.[http://iway.cumbria.ac.uk/informer.php?issue=issue_27§ion=5&subSection=0&storyNum=169 Working Glass Hero] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061128054031/http://iway.cumbria.ac.uk/informer.php?issue=issue_27§ion=5&subSection=0&storyNum=169 |date=28 November 2006 }} The Informer Online, Accessed 22 May 2006

Knighton became increasingly unpopular with fans, a group of whom formed an independent supporters' trust, known initially as CCUIST and today as The United Trust, to protest against his control and lobby for more fan involvement in the club. Brooks Mileson twice attempted to buy Knighton's stake in Carlisle, in 1999 and 2001, but the two were unable to reach an agreement.{{cite news |title=The life of Brooks Mileson |url=http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/news-archive/2006/03/31/the-life-of-brooks-mileson-61634-16885495/ |work=The Journal |publisher=ncjMedia |location=Newcastle upon Tyne |date=31 March 2006 |accessdate=26 June 2013 }} Irishman John Courtenay was later backed to take over, but negotiations were protracted and Knighton fired manager Roddy Collins for his comments over the deal. Eventually, after Carlisle were put into voluntary administration, Courtenay purchased the club from Knighton in July 2002 and reinstated Collins.[http://www.united-trust.org.uk/history/index.php United Trust History] Accessed 22 May 2006

On 25 June 2015, Knighton commented on the Carlisle United takeover bid from a reputed billionaire.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/carlisle-united/latest/michael-knighton-breaks-13-year-carlisle-utd-silence-1.1220258|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705151936/http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/carlisle-united/latest/michael-knighton-breaks-13-year-carlisle-utd-silence-1.1220258|url-status=dead|title=Ballet star shows off charity portraits | Bucks Free Press|archivedate=5 July 2015}} Knighton was quoted as saying "If this person is a genuine billionaire, or even if he’s just extremely wealthy, and if he’s legitimately interested, then this has now been going on too long. He needs to be transparent, to say that this is who I am and this is where the club will be at the end of my ownership. At the end of the day, the club is a community asset, and any owner should respect that"

Since leaving Carlisle United in 2002, Knighton has not returned to the city. However Knighton stated he would return if invited.

File:Michael-Knighton.jpg

Knighton is now retired from football and currently spends his time painting, sculpting and writing poetry.[http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/carlisle-united/latest/if-carlisle-united-ever-invite-me-back-i-ll-go-knighton-1.1220443 Invite me back I'll go, News & Star 2015]{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In 2008, Knighton exhibited some of his artworks, a mix of sculpture and painting, at King's College Chapel in Cambridge. The work consisted of three contrasting depictions of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. At the time, Knighton used the pseudonym and near-anagram of his name "Kongthin Pearlmich",{{cite web|url=https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/17728846.details-of-forthcoming-book-on-former-carlisle-utd-owner-michael-knighton-revealed/ |title=Details of forthcoming book on former Carlisle Utd owner Michael Knighton revealed |last=Colman |first=Jon |work=News and Star |date=25 June 2019 |access-date=14 September 2019}} as he did not want to attach his past links with his football career. Some coverage of the exhibition appeared in The Daily Telegraph newspaper stating "Canterbury Cathedral offered Christ sculpture 'worth £70 million". However, the value of the sculpture was unable to be verified as experts at Sotheby's and Christie's stated they did not recognise the artist's name.{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2977532/Canterbury-Cathedral-offered-Christ-sculpture-worth-70-million.html|title=Canterbury Cathedral offered Christ sculpture 'worth £70 million'|date=17 September 2008|website=The Telegraph}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.michaelknighton.co.uk Official website]
• {{soccerbase (manager)|1324}}

{{Carlisle United F.C. managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Knighton, Michael}}

Category:1951 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Derbyshire

Category:Alumni of St Cuthbert's Society, Durham

Category:English football chairmen and investors

Category:Manchester United F.C. directors and chairmen

Category:Carlisle United F.C.

Category:English football managers

Category:Carlisle United F.C. managers

Category:English Football League managers

Category:Alumni of the College of the Venerable Bede, Durham

Category:20th-century English educators