what makes a club Legend?

[Gmak]

what should a player do to become classified as a legend? like Tony Adams. how do you guys classify whether a player is a legend? do you thinbk Vieira is a legend?

[PsychedelicCeltic]

is vieira a legend.

hmm.

good question

i would be inclined to say no, but on the other hand malcolm macdonald - supermac for all you smart folks - seems to have wormed his way into legendary status (he was at the last game) despite playing about a season and a half for the arsey.

looking at games played is always a good start.

o'leary, adams and armstrong are the top three. legends.

contributions to the club, which happen in different ways. obviously charlie george, if he were from yorkshire, would be at best a peripheral club legend. but he is the carlton fisk of arsenal. just like fisk was EVERYTHING new england was about (and hence the sox), george IS islington to many people and islington IS the arsenal football club. plus he scored a goal once. dunno much about it..


a legend to me is someone with significant and meritorious service to the club, which can manifest itself on field and off. so vieira would be one, although his departure leaves a sad taste in me mouth. then again, he's not the only midfielder to leave from arsenal to juventus, and we adore the other guy..

[michaec]

In my opinion, legend is bandied about too much. I think that you can become a legend in three ways.

1. Leadership, although you need to win a few trophies along the way. Despite not being the most gifted players ever, Tony Adams and Frank McLintock would fall into this category. Before he was captain, Vieira could be said to be a leader on the team, I think he was possibly more influential before he was made captain mad as it sounds.

2. Great talent. If you're outrageously gifted, you don't even need to win that much to be included here. Liam Brady, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry are examples.

3. Goalscoring feats. Scoring goals is what the game is all about. Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Cliff Bastin, Ted Drake were great goalscorers for us.

The likes of Charlie George and Malcolm MacDonald provided great moments or short spells of excitement for the Arsenal, I would calss them as cult heroes.

[The Singer]

Legendary status doesn't kick in until the player has retired from the game. Hence Supermac. Charlie George was a cult hero during his time, but he also played for Southampton and the team he said he'd NEVER play for - Derby County.

However, once retired he became an Arsenal legend and will continue to be one as he considers The Arsenal to be his club. The same can be said for many ex-players. If they played for several clubs but consider The Arsenal to be their true club and other fans associate them with that they can consider themselves legends. O'Leary is a different case and he considers himself to be Arsenal, but slags us off whenever he can and the fans don't like him or Stapleton.

Vieira - maybe in time - but it's far too soon.

[Miles Brasher]

Legendary status doesn't kick in until the player has retired from the game. Hence Supermac. Charlie George was a cult hero during his time, but he also played for Southampton and the team he said he'd NEVER play for - Derby County.

However, once retired he became an Arsenal legend and will continue to be one as he considers The Arsenal to be his club. The same can be said for many ex-players. If they played for several clubs but consider The Arsenal to be their true club and other fans associate them with that they can consider themselves legends. O'Leary is a different case and he considers himself to be Arsenal, but slags us off whenever he can and the fans don't like him or Stapleton.

Vieira - maybe in time - but it's far too soon.

Agreed, especially about O'Leary.

I think some players just endear themselves to the fans. Henry will be a legend, maybe already is because he's a huge player for us, but other players have acquired a 'certain appeal' to fans. John Jensen, Giles Grimandi etc. who were never huge players, and not legends, but will always be remembered

[Skizz]

Agreed, especially about O'Leary.

I think some players just endear themselves to the fans. Henry will be a legend, maybe already is because he's a huge player for us, but other players have acquired a 'certain appeal' to fans. John Jensen, Giles Grimandi etc. who were never huge players, and not legends, but will always be remembered
Limpar...Luzhny...Stepanovs...and of course Pascal Seagull

[Miles Brasher]

Limpar...Luzhny...Stepanovs...and of course Pascal Seagull

It might be interesting to see which of the 'rank and file' players are viewed as minor legends.

[Skizz]

It might be interesting to see which of the 'rank and file' players are viewed as minor legends.
Yeah, the "Legends for the Wrong Reasons" hall of fame. I like that idea!

First inductee:
http://img.photoamp.com/i/dcmHW5af.JPG
Winner of the award for "Outstanding Achievement in the field of Cygan-ness"

Second inductee:
http://img.photoamp.com/i/r0gNMLv.JPG
Winner of the award for "Looking like the Prof from Time Gentlemen Please"

Third inductee:
http://img.photoamp.com/i/Y0Pczk2c48.JPG
Winner of the "I'm not celebrating with you because you smell" award

[deaner1971]

The likes of Charlie George and Malcolm MacDonald provided great moments or short spells of excitement for the Arsenal, I would calss them as cult heroes.


Cult hero? Mr. Charlie George? The man who played in both legs of the Fairs Cup win and got Arsenal back in the silverware? The man who scored that most sacred of goals to finish the double? The man who returned to our beloved club to be the resident historian and ambassador to thousands of visitors to Highbury?

I must disagree with you and say that Mr. Chalrie George is most certainly a Legend of the Arsenal.

There are so many aspects to the man that place him in this status. He is the local boy who went from playing in the shadows of the North Stands to playing on the pitch of Highbury. He is also the man who scored an amazing goal and had the iconic celebration. Finally, he is the man who returned to give back to the club he loved.

When you talk to him, he sums his career at Arsenal up in a way that is absolutely spot on and yet also speaks to a whole class of legends. He says, "I wasn't a great goal scorer but I like to think I was a scorer of some great goals."

For being one of the only men to serve the club as a fan, as a player and to return to serve the club again after retirement, I definitely believe that Mr. Charlie George is a legend.

[Val1]

I became an Arsenal fan back in the mid 70s when we sucked, just a couple of spots away from relegation. Even as a lad of 11 and 12, talking to the Highbury regulars, they still held Charlie in the highest regard, even as he'd left us for Derby. He scored the greatest goal in our history, which will only be eclipsed when someone scores the winner in the CL final. Legend status is reserved for those we remember after decades, not necessarily those who were the best. And Charlie is certainly a legend to me...

[PsychedelicCeltic]

In my opinion, legend is bandied about too much. I think that you can become a legend in three ways.

1. Leadership, although you need to win a few trophies along the way. Despite not being the most gifted players ever, Tony Adams and Frank McLintock would fall into this category. Before he was captain, Vieira could be said to be a leader on the team, I think he was possibly more influential before he was made captain mad as it sounds.

2. Great talent. If you're outrageously gifted, you don't even need to win that much to be included here. Liam Brady, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry are examples.

3. Goalscoring feats. Scoring goals is what the game is all about. Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Cliff Bastin, Ted Drake were great goalscorers for us.

The likes of Charlie George and Malcolm MacDonald provided great moments or short spells of excitement for the Arsenal, I would calss them as cult heroes.
I'd class Mr George as a legend. You get that when you score the most famous goal in the history of the club.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y209/FlynnHagerty/vlcsnap-381111.png

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y209/FlynnHagerty/vlcsnap-381157.png

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y209/FlynnHagerty/vlcsnap-381261.png

[Miles Brasher]

I became an Arsenal fan back in the mid 70s when we sucked, just a couple of spots away from relegation. Even as a lad of 11 and 12, talking to the Highbury regulars, they still held Charlie in the highest regard, even as he'd left us for Derby. He scored the greatest goal in our history, which will only be eclipsed when someone scores the winner in the CL final. Legend status is reserved for those we remember after decades, not necessarily those who were the best. And Charlie is certainly a legend to me...


Charlie George is definitely a legend...

[mpeabody]

Legendary status can also be achieved with a single iconic performance. Curt Schilling became a Red Sox legend after the bloody sock game.

Also, I find it interesting that people are reserving judgement for Vieira, but it would seem to me that Bergkamp has reached that level with both serving a similar tenure.

[PsychedelicCeltic]

Legendary status can also be achieved with a single iconic performance. Curt Schilling became a Red Sox legend after the bloody sock game.

Also, I find it interesting that people are reserving judgement for Vieira, but it would seem to me that Bergkamp has reached that level with both serving a similar tenure.
Curt Schilling is a Red Sox legend. Just ask him.

God, I wish that fat Bush loving turd would get off my team..

[Miles Brasher]

Legendary status can also be achieved with a single iconic performance. Curt Schilling became a Red Sox legend after the bloody sock game.

Also, I find it interesting that people are reserving judgement for Vieira, but it would seem to me that Bergkamp has reached that level with both serving a similar tenure.


Well for a starter, there were no suggestions that Bergkamp was going to do a runner during the summers.

[Clockend]

Vieira is a legend. End of.

Legends are graded on different things; some for length of service, some for what they brought to the field, some for their comedy value.

Generally it's a personal thing to the fans; but individuals liek Vieira are undoubtedly legendary, he is a premiership legend too.

[PsychedelicCeltic]

Our feelings towards Vieira will soften once he retires.

[pookspur]

five years after the wenger era is over*, you lot will likely be looking back at what will have been for you the golden age of arsenal football. it will have produced a slew of club legends, and you can bet the mortgage that vieira will be one of them.


*granted, with the building of the grove, AFC has moved to put themselves on an 'elite' big club level. if it all works out, then it's not impossible that you could sustain this success, and be competing for big honors year in, year out, with an assortment of managers. it is not an insult, however, to say that it's not likely. football is cyclical, and while you'll not likely face relegation, even the biggest of clubs have their (relative) lean years.

[OklahomaGunner]

which will only be eclipsed when someone scores the winner in the CL final.

I know it's a bit of a diversion from topic, but this sentence caught me.

What if we hold against Barca?

Does Sol Campbell become legend thanks to his goal?

[PsychedelicCeltic]

I know it's a bit of a diversion from topic, but this sentence caught me.

What if we hold against Barca?

Does Sol Campbell become legend thanks to his goal?
No.

Sol Campbell becomes God.