Peter Knowles
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 30 September 1945 | ||
| Place of birth | Fitzwilliam, West Riding of Yorkshire, England | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1961–1962 | Wath Wanderers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1962–1982 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 174 | (61) |
| 1967 | → Los Angeles Wolves (guest) | 12 | (3) |
| 1969 | → Kansas City Spurs (guest) | 8 | (5) |
| Total | 194 | (60) | |
| National team | |||
| 1966–1968 | England U23 | 4 | (1) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Peter Knowles (born 30 September 1945 in Fitzwilliam, West Riding of Yorkshire) is an English former football player. He spent his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he became a popular player scoring around 101 goals in all competitions. He voluntarily ended his football career in 1970 after he became a Jehovah's Witness. He is the brother of fellow professional footballer Cyril Knowles.
Knowles was born into a family which was originally Rugby league-oriented, as his father played for Wakefield Trinity. However, the main sport in the family quickly changed to football as he and his brother, Cyril Knowles, proved to have significant football talent. Peter's talent was spotted by Wath Wanderers, a feeder team which trained youth players primarily for Wolverhampton Wanderers. In 1961, aged 16, Knowles spent a year with the youth outfit, playing under supervision from Wath's coach, Mark Crook. Knowles quickly caught the attention of Wolves, who in 1962 signed the 17-year-old on a six-year contract.
The Wolves side he joined was just starting to slip from their position towards the top of English football. Therefore, manager Stan Cullis gave him his debut early in the 1963–64 season, in a victory over Leicester City. He scored his first goal a game later, against Bolton Wanderers in a 2-2 draw.
In the 1964–65 season, Wolves were relegated in last-but-one place. However, it was that season which saw Knowles emerge as a top class footballer. The teenager played with an arrogant swagger, finishing the season with six goals and setting up countless others. Despite his good form for Wolves, he was disappointed at the relegation and asked for a transfer. This request was rejected, allowing Knowles to build upon his success at Wolves. The departure of Stan Cullis, the man who originally gave Knowles his chance, was a factor in his request to leave Molineux. Ronnie Allen took over the job from Cullis.
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