Bill Nicholson. Brian Scovell
stay on top for three years before they decline. That might well be true about Nicholson’s Double side too, which followed the same pattern. But with Rupert Murdoch’s billions poured into the bigger clubs since 1992, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea are all set to stay ahead unless the banks foreclose on them.
With coaching taking up so much time, Bill retired as a player in the 1954/5 season: he had a record of 306 Football League appearances and just six goals. He would have passed 550 appearances and maybe he might have reached double figures with goals, but for six years serving his country. Eddie Baily said: ‘He was a very reliable player and when he started putting his boots on, we didn’t have any worries about him. We knew he wouldn’t let us down. I asked him, “Who was the player who gave you most trouble?” and he said, “Jimmy Logie of Arsenal. He used to turn me inside and out.”’
After months of recuperation, Rowe declared himself fit and resumed his managerial duties. He consulted Bill about buying a creative midfield player and was keen to sign Danny Blanchflower as his replacement. ‘Get him,’ advised Bill. ‘He’s a highly intelligent and skilful footballer.’
Though he had played his last senior game, Bill volunteered to play in the reserves and ‘A’ team to help the younger players – another unselfish act – and missed the FA Cup defeat at York at Bootham Crescent on 19 February when Spurs were humiliated 3-1 on a pitch covered in snow and ice. Blanchflower described it as the worst atmosphere he had experienced at a football club. The defeat affected Arthur Rowe so badly that he was sent home, suffering another breakdown. Jimmy Anderson, who always wore plus-fours (a way of tucking the trouser into the sock), was appointed manager.
I became a good contact of Arthur Rowe in his later life with Crystal Palace and he was a very kindly, cheery but sensitive man who loved talking about the game, encouraging young players and infusing them with his passion. He recovered and went on to become coach at West Bromwich Albion, and between 1958 and 1971 he took a number of posts at Crystal Palace, from manager to secretary. He had yet another breakdown in the 1962/3 season and briefly returned as manager in 1966. Well into his seventies, he was still acting as a consultant with Millwall.
During his last years he was showing signs of Alzheimer’s, the disease that seems to particularly affect ex-footballers after years of heading the heavy leather balls used in previous decades. Olaf Dixon, assistant chief executive of the League Managers’ Association, told a very sad story about him: ‘Chris Hassall, who was Crystal Palace’s secretary for many years, told me once that a police officer was crossing one of the bridges over the Thames in the middle of winter and saw an old man in a short-sleeved shirt and no jacket, and he asked, “Are you all right, sir? Can I help?” The old man said, “My old club is in trouble and I’ve got to see them and sort them out.” He was Arthur Roswe and he was talking about Tottenham.
‘The policeman made the arrangements to take him back to his residential home. Arthur’s wife couldn’t look after him and she lived some miles away and found it difficult to visit him by bus. The League Managers’ Association don’t have large reserves, but they have a fund to help out in these circumstances and we paid for her taxi visits until Arthur died at the age of 87.’
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