DON HOWE DIES

Don Howe was a coach who was a deep thinker and way ahead of his time. Aspiring coaches in the 1970s, 80s and 90s would look to him as the bar to reach and above all he was an absolute gentleman who would not ever have been involved in any controversy.

Born in October 1935, in Wolverhampton, he joined the playing staff at West Bromwich Albion in 1950, signing forms in 1952  but having to wait until 1955 for his first team debut in 1955 against Everton. He played mainly as a right back.

He turned out 342 times for WBA, scoring 17 goals and he was involved in the 1958 World Cup for England, earning 23 caps. After the Baggies, in 1964, he went to Arsenal with manager and ex-England captain, Billy Wright, playing 66 games before breaking a leg against Blackpool. This ended his playing career.
In 2004 he was voted one of the greatest 16 players to play for for WBA.

He coached at Arsenal from 1971, then West Bromwich until 1975, Galatasaray for a year and then Arsenal again from 1983-6, with two years at QPR (1989-91) and a year at Coventry.

He was involved with the Crazy Gang at Wimbledon with Bobby Gould in 1987 and was instrumental in getting the club to win the FA Cup Final in 1988 against Liverpool.

Howe also worked for England international teams from 1981 under Ron Greenwood and Bobby Robson. 1994-6, he then worked with Terry Venables through to the European Championships, finally looking after Arsenal youth in 1997.

He was highly regarded by all those who knew him and without doubt must be considered one of our country's  best coaches. Arsenal will mark his passing on the match programme.