Newton was born in Limehouse, Ontario and moved to Sarnia when he was seven years old.[2][3] He played football for the London Road High School team.[3]
On August 30, 1912, Newton was named honorary coach of the Argonauts, but refused to be paid.[3][8] In that season, Newton led the team to an IRFU championship and the team qualified for their second consecutive Grey Cup game.[9] However, the Argonauts lost the 4th Grey Cup to the Hamilton Alerts.[9] In 1913, Ross Binkley served as head coach while Newton remained in an assistant capacity.[10][11]
Newton remained with the Argonauts in 1914 where they returned as IRFU champions.[12][13] The Argonauts faced his former team, Toronto Varsity, in the 6th Grey Cup, where they defeated Varsity 14–2.[14]
In 1928, Newton led the Imperials' senior entry into the ORFU, which was their first year on the circuit.[18] In their first season in the Senior ORFU, Newton led the Imperials to the ORFU title game, but they were defeated by the Toronto Orphans 6–0.[18] In 1929, Newton coached the Imperials to a 6–0 record and ORFU Championship, but the team was defeated by the Hamilton Tigers in the East Semi-Final. In 1930, the Imperials finished second in their division and did not qualify for the championship game.[19] He ceded the head coach position to Milt Burt, but remained with the Imperials in other capacities.[20][21][22]
Newton was largely responsible for the growth of football in Sarnia which eventually led to the Imperials appearing in three Grey Cup games, winning twice.[4] After the Imperials disbanded in 1940 near the start of World War II, Newton was the commanding officer of the Sarnia 2/26 Battery and subsequent entry into the ORFU.[23]
Post playing career
Newton served in the First World War where he won the Military Cross as a member of the Canadian Field Artillery.[2]
