Ken Knighton

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Ken Knighton (born in 1944) is a former football manager, most notably at Sunderland A.F.C.

Already at the club as a coach, he succeeded caretaker Billy Elliott as manager in the summer of 1979. Sunderland achieved promotion back to the First Division under Knighton at the first time of asking but subsequent disputes with the club's then new chairman, Tom Cowie, resulted in the departure of both Knighton and his assistant, Frank Clark, towards the end of the 1980-81 season. Most supporters recognised the achievements of what was a talented young managerial partnership and believed that both Knighton and Clark had been very hard done by.

Knighton was succeeded at Sunderland by Mick Docherty on a caretaker basis. Knighton went on to manage Leyton Orient.

Preceded by: Billy Elliott (Caretaker)	Sunderland Manager 1979–1981	Succeeded by: Mick Docherty (Caretaker)
Preceded by: Paul Went	Leyton Orient Manager 1981–1982	Succeeded by: Frank Clark