Norman Low

Norman Harvey Low (23 March 1914 – 21 May 1994) was a Scottish football player and manager.

He was the son of Scottish international footballer, Wilf Low.

A central defender, he played for Newcastle United between 1931 and 1933, before a three years spell with Liverpool.

The dominant centre-half struggled to get into the first team, though did play eleven consecutive games in place of Tom Bradshaw for the First Division club during the first half of the 1934–35 season.

From 1936 up until the end of World War II he turned out for Newport County, helping the club to the Third Division South title in 1938–39.

Leaving Anfield in 1936, he then spent ten years with Newport County, a club struggling in the bottom half of the Third Division South table.

The "Exiles" finished 19th, two points above the re-election zone in 1936–37, and then ended the 1937–38 campaign in 16th place.

They then improved massively, finishing top of the division in 1938–39 under the stewardship of Billy McCandless, three points ahead of Crystal Palace.

He played a total of 112 league games for the club.

During World War II he also guested for Bristol City, Everton, Liverpool, Swindon Town and Lovell's Athletic.

After the war he spent 1946 to 1950 with Norwich City.

In 1946 he moved onto Duggie Lochhead's Norwich City, a team struggling near the foot of the Third Division South table.

They had to apply for re-election in 1946–47, finishing in the penultimate spot, level on points with bottom club Mansfield Town.

They finished 21st again in 1947–48, ahead of bottom club Brighton & Hove Albion due to a superior goal average.

The "Canaries" rallied to a tenth-place finish in 1948–49, before recording an eleventh-place finish in 1949–50.

Low played 150 league games in four years at Carrow Road.

In 1950 he was appointed as Norwich City's manager, and led to the club to a second-place finish in the Third Division South in 1950–51.

Low was appointed manager of Norwich City in 1950, and led the club to a second-place finish in the Third Division South in 1950–51, though only champions Nottingham Forest were promoted.

His team finished third in 1951–52, five points behind champions Plymouth Argyle.

They dropped a place again to fourth in 1952–53, though they were only four points behind champions Bristol Rovers.

However, they dropped to seventh in 1953–54, 13 points shy of Ipswich Town.

The 1954–55 season was also disappointing, and Low left the club in April 1955.

Despite this, promotion eluded him before he departed in April 1955.

The "Reds" finished tenth in the Third Division North in 1955–56, and ended the 1956–57 season in fourth place under his replacement Tommy Jones.

He spent January 1956 to February 1957 as Workington's manager, before he was installed in the hotseat at Port Vale.

Low worked as Workington manager from January 1956 to February 1957.

However, Vale were already heading out of the Second Division, and went on to finish in last place in 1956–57.

Low announced a new youth policy at Vale Park, and promptly released Cyril Done (Winsford United); Ray King (sold to Boston United for £2,500); Reg Potts and Stan Turner (Worcester City); Tommy Cheadle, Stan Smith, and Derek Mountford (Crewe Alexandra); Len Stephenson and Billy Spurdle (Oldham Athletic); and Harry Anders (Accrington Stanley).

Low was made manager of Port Vale in February 1957.

Replacing Freddie Steele, who developed the Steel/Iron curtain, Low adopted an attacking policy, instructing his players 'to go out an entertain the public' and 'he never discussed the opposition'.

Preparing for the Third Division South campaign in 1957–58, he said his team would "fight like hell to get back into the Second Division".

He signed impressive forward Jack Wilkinson (Sheffield United); Welsh international goalkeeper Keith Jones (signed from Aston Villa for £3,500); defender Bert Carberry (Gillingham); and Alan Martin – who returned to the club as a part-time professional.

His team were third in the league by November, and he added to his squad with the signatures of Bert Carberry and Jack Wilkinson.

However, they then lost their form, and Low attempted to shake things up by selling Ken Griffiths to Mansfield Town and bringing in Noel Kinsey from Birmingham City for £5,000.

He led the club to the Fourth Division title in 1958–59, before resigning in October 1962.

Spending time as a scout at Stoke City and Liverpool, he was made Witton Albion manager in 1967, before he took to the United States for a brief spell in charge of the Cleveland Stokers in 1968.

Low was a youth player at Newcastle United, but began his professional career with Liverpool.

Vale eventually finished 15th, the bottom half of the table, and therefore were invited to form the newly created Fourth Division.

Low signed 'speedy and direct' winger Brian Jackson from Liverpool for £2,000, experienced left-back Roy Pritchard from Notts County, and Peter Hall from Stoke City.

They picked up just two points from their first five home games, before turning Vale Park into a fortress.