The Honourable Arthur Cox | OneFootball

I couldn’t think of a better title for this article and was inspired by an old episode of Dads Army, where Sergeant Arthur Wilson (played by the dapper and laid back John Le Mesurier), is left a peerage by his late Uncle entitling him to be called the ‘Honourable’ Arthur.

Arthur Cox never played professional football after suffering a career ending leg break at Coventry City as a youngster.

With admirable determination though, an undeterred young Cox, stayed as close to the game as was possible, eventually becoming a coach.

Bob Stokoe saw his potential and took him on board at Sunderland, he became Stokoe’s right-hand man as Sunderland produced the greatest upset in FA Cup final history in 1973, by defeating Don Revie’s Leeds United.

Arthur Cox cut his teeth as a manager at Chesterfield, staying there for four years before accepting a return to the North East at Newcastle United.

He replaced the mundane Bill McGarry at a bleak time for the club.

Newcastle were stuck in the Second Division with an average squad and in Cox’s first season, the club scored a paltry 30 league goals, our all time lowest total to this day.

During this season in the doldrums, Arthur had introduced new record signing John Trewick, plus a young lad signed for £1,000 from Tow Law called Chris Waddle – who had sparkled sporadically.

However, a goalscorer was urgently needed and luckily for Newcastle, Arthur Cox had an eye for one.

After only a handful of games for Everton, Imre Varadi arrived and was to be the first of Cox’s inspirational signings for the Toon.

The fans were now back on side and Varadi became the club’s talisman, regularly scoring sometimes incredible goals.

By the end of the 1981/82 season though, the club were still in the second tier and in need of a thorough overhaul.

Call it divine inspiration or whatever but after the World Cup in 1982, Arthur Cox heard on the grapevine that Kevin Keegan was possibly open to a move to Newcastle United, if the terms were right and if the club could meet his expectations.

What happened next is part of Geordie folklore and our first match programme of the 1982/83 season featured a front cover with a satisfied looking Cox standing over Keegan as he was signing on the dotted line.

The excellent Jeff Clarke had also arrived from Sunderland on a free transfer, soon joined by the legendary Terry McDermott (coming back for his second spell at the club), and the tenacious Northern Ireland midfielder David McCreery.

Keegan and Varadi helped themselves to 43 goals but it still wasn’t enough to get Newcastle into the promotion places.

However, 1983/84 was to be Arthur Cox’s most memorable season in his managerial career, also his last as manager of the club he had fallen in love with.

Although fan favourite Varadi was sold on the eve of the new season, he was soon replaced by Peter Beardsley.

Arthur had also negotiated a fine deal with QPR to bring their captain Glenn Roeder to the North East.

The entertainment provided in the 1983/84 promotion season was exhilarating at times and wouldn’t be repeated again until a decade later.

With Kevin Keegan retiring into the sunset and Newcastle back in the big league, in the pre-season the fans were then hit with the bombshell news that Arthur Cox would be leaving Newcastle United.

After the slog, the spills, the great signings and eventually the wonderful football, the Honourable Arthur wouldn’t be getting the chance to manage Newcastle in the top flight.

No one knows what actually happened, but it was believed that after financially backing Cox to get promoted, the club weren’t prepared to push the boat out again in the top flight.

Arthur Cox went on to to manage Derby County and took them up as Second Division champions. He even finished fifth in the old first division with a team that included Dean Saunders and Mark Wright.

This was his last managerial job but he wasn’t finished doing what he always loved, which was bringing through and coaching players at all levels.

Kevin Keegan wanted to make him England’s assistant manager but the FA said Arthur was too old, although he did coach the national side for Keegan.

Keegan soon quit and took his old manager with him to Manchester City instead.

In 2008, Arthur Cox took up his last ever position in the dug-out at Newcastle United, once again stood next to the man that he had miraculously signed for us back in 1982.