Arsenal 2008 Draft - Picks Thread

Jack Lambert



John Lambert
May 22, 1902 - December 1940
Place of birth Greasbrough, Yorkshire,, England
Playing position Centre forward

Arsenal Career Record
Years at Arsenal: 7.3
Appearances: 161
Goals: 109
Notable Contributions: Scored seven hat-tricks during the 1930-31 season. Put five past Sheffield United at Highbury the following season - the most scored in a single game by any Arsenal player at home in the history of the club.

Arsenal Career:

Herbert Chapman signed Lambert from Doncaster Rovers for £2,000 in June 1926.

Lambert made his Arsenal debut against Bolton Wanderers at Burnden Park on September 6, 1926, but initially struggled, scoring only once in his first season; he was forced to play understudy to Jimmy Brain for several years. However, he got his breakthrough in 1929-30; with the aid of playmaker Alex James, Lambert scored 18 times in only 20 appearances, including Arsenal's first goal in their 1930 FA Cup final victory over Huddersfield Town, the club's first major trophy.

The following season (1930-31) Lambert was even more successful, scoring 38 goals in just 34 games in the League, a club record at the time (which was later broken by Ted Drake) that included a total of seven hat-tricks; that season Arsenal won the First Division title for the first time in their history. Lambert continued to play for Arsenal over the next few years, scoring regularly (including five goals in a 9-2 defeat of Sheffield United, the most ever scored by an Arsenal player in a single home match); he helped Arsenal reach a third FA Cup final, a 2-1 loss to Newcastle United in 1931-32, and won a second First Division title in 1932-33, scoring 14 goals in 12 league appearances.

By now Lambert was over 30 and only a bit-part player (Ernie Coleman having led the front line through most of 1932-33), and the signing of Jimmy Dunne in September 1933 forced Lambert out of the side; his last game came on September 13, 1933 against West Bromwich Albion and he was sold in October 1933 to Fulham. In all he scored 109 goals in 161 games for the Gunners, a quite high ratio, but it wasn't enough for him ever to be selected for England.

Lambert played for two seasons for Fulham before retiring from playing in 1935. The following year he became coach of Margate (who at the time were Arsenal's "nursery" club) and returned to Arsenal in 1938 as a coach of the club's reserve side. He died at the age of 38, killed in a car accident in Enfield, north London, in December 1940.

Mike & Steph's team so far:

---------Wilson-----------
RB - CB - John - Winterburn
Hulme - Gilberto -CM- Pires
----Lambert ----- Bergkamp---

 

Joseph Ebenezer "Joe" Shaw



DOB: May 7, 1883
Primary position: Left Back

Arsenal Career Record
Years at Arsenal: 15 as a player, 34 as a manager
Appearances: 326
Goals: 0
Notable Contributions: Started as a Woolwich Arsenal player, made the move to Highbury, became Arsenal captain in 1919, was the reserve manager, and even took over as manager for the remainder of the season when Chapman passed away. He did it all. Except score a goal, but he was a defender dammit!!

Born in Bury, Lancashire, Shaw first played for his home club, Bury, and then Accrington Stanley, helping the side win the Lancashire Combination. Shaw then moved south to London, joining Woolwich Arsenal in 1907.

He made his debut against Preston North End on September 28, 1907, and had soon become a regular in the Arsenal side; he was first-choice left back for the next seven seasons. Although the club had shown early promise since their promotion to the First Division in 1904, with two successive FA Cup semi-final appearances in the seasons before Shaw's arrival, they soon quickly faded. After a high of sixth place in 1908-09, Woolwich Arsenal soon found themselves in trouble, and were relegated in 1912-13.

Despite this, Shaw stayed with the club as they moved across London to Highbury, and was an ever-present in the final season (1914-15) before first-class football was suspended for World War I. He continued to play during unofficial wartime matches, and by the time competitive football had resumed, he had made the switch to right back. In 1919 he was made Arsenal captain, succeeding the recently departed Percy Sands. By this time Arsenal were back in the First Division, and Shaw continued to play until the age of 38, in 1922; he had made his 300th first-class appearance against Newcastle United on April 23, 1921 (the third player in the club's history to do so, after Sands and Roddy McEachrane).

In all he played 326 matches for the club, although he never scored a goal. After retiring from playing, he became first a coach, and then manager of the Arsenal reserve side. After the unexpected death of Herbert Chapman in January 1934, Shaw became caretaker manager of the first team for the rest of the season; Shaw carried on Chapman's good work, as Arsenal won the 1933-34 League title, the third title in the club's history. After George Allison was appointed permanent first-team manager in the summer, Shaw went back to his post as reserves manager.

Shaw remained at Arsenal through the rest of the 1930s and during the Second World War. After the war ended, he spent a brief period as a coach at Chelsea, but returned to Arsenal to become assistant manager to Tom Whittaker in 1947. He later served as a club ambassador. He retired from football in 1956, after 49 years' service for Arsenal. He died in 1963 at the age of 80.



The Greatest Team Ever aka Cam& Kev

----------------Frank Moss----------------
Lee Dixon-- CB -Frank McLintock-- Joe Shaw
RM --Ray Parlour ---Paul Davis ---Cliff Bastin
---------Reg Lewis---Alex James-----------

 

Jimmy Logie



Jimmy Logie
November 23, 1919 – 30 April 1984
Place of birth: Edinburgh, Scotland
Playing position: Inside Forward (CM)

Arsenal Career Record
Years at Arsenal: 16
Appearances: 328
Goals: 76
Notable Contributions: Won First Division titles in 1947-48 and 1952-53, and the 1949-50 FA Cup

Arsenal Career:

Born in Edinburgh and raised in the city's Grassmarket, Logie first played for Scottish junior side Lochore Welfare, before being signed by London giants Arsenal in June of 1939. Soon after World War II broke out, and Logie was called up; he served in the Royal Navy for the entire duration of the conflict, guesting for hometown St Bernards, Dunfermline Athletic and Grimsby Town when his service permitted.

After being demobbed he rejoined Arsenal, playing several wartime matches, before making his full first-team debut against Wolves on August 31, 1946. Logie was a talented and creative player (many observers likened him to his fellow countryman Alex James, who had played for Arsenal in the 1930s), and for the next eight seasons he was a regular in the Arsenal side, playing at inside forward. He took part in all of Arsenal's early post-war successes; Arsenal won two First Division titles in 1947-48 and 1952-53, and the 1949-50 FA Cup – Logie set up both goals in a 2-0 win over Liverpool in the final. In the latter stages of his career he also served as Arsenal vice-captain, behind Joe Mercer.

Despite his success at Arsenal, Logie only ever won a single a cap for Scotland, playing against Northern Ireland on November 5, 1952. In all he played 328 matches for Arsenal, scoring 76 goals. He left the Gunners in February 1955, joining non-league Gravesend & Northfleet, as player-manager, lasting there until 1960.

After retirement Logie fell on hard times; football was not the lucrative profession it is currently, and Logie was a keen gambler. He eventually ended up working in a newsagents in Piccadilly Circus. He died in 1984, aged 64.

Mike & Steph's team so far:

---------Wilson-----------
RB - CB - John - Winterburn
Hulme - Gilberto -Logie- Pires
----Lambert ----- Bergkamp---

 

Joe Mercer
August 9, 1914 – April 9, 1990
Place of birth: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England
Playing position: Left Half (D)

http://www.footballsouvenirs.net/images/Pictures/opafc466.jpg

Arsenal Career Record
Years at Arsenal: 9
Appearances: 247
Goals: 2
Notable Contributions: Won First Division titles in 1947-48 and 1952-53
-Won 1949-50 FA Cup
-Voted FWA Footballer of the Year in 1950.
-Captain of Arsenal for many years (approx. 1947-1955)

Joseph "Joe" Mercer, OBE (August 9, 1914 - August 9, 1990) was an English football player and manager.

Playing career
Mercer was born in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, the son of a former Nottingham Forest and Tranmere Rovers footballer, also named Joe. The junior Mercer, a left-half, first played for Ellesmere Port. He was a powerful tackler and good at anticipating an opponent's moves. He joined Everton in September 1932 at the age of 18 and claimed a regular first team place in the 1935-36 season. Mercer made 186 appearances for Everton, scoring two goals and a winning a League Championship medal in the 1938-39 season. While playing for Everton he gained five England caps between 1938 and 1939.

Like many players of his generation, Mercer lost out on seven seasons of football due to the Second World War. He became a sergeant-major and played in 26 wartime internationals, many of them as captain. The Everton manager Theo Kelly accused Mercer of not trying in an international against Scotland, but in reality Mercer had sustained a severe cartilage injury. Even after consulting an orthopaedic specialist, the Everton management refused to believe him and Mercer had to pay for the surgery himself. During the war Mercer guested for Chester, making his debut in a 4–1 win over Halifax Town in September 1942.

Mercer moved in late 1946 for £9,000 to Arsenal, commuting from Liverpool; Theo Kelly brought Mercer's boots to the transfer negotiations to prevent Mercer having a reason to go back to say goodbye to the other players at Everton. He made his Arsenal debut against Bolton Wanderers on 30 November 1946 and soon after joining Arsenal, Mercer became club captain. As captain, he led Arsenal through their period of success in the late 1940s and early 1950s, helping to haul his side from the lower end of the table to win a League Championship title in 1947-48.

Mercer went on to win an FA Cup winner's medal in 1950 and was voted FWA Footballer of the Year the same year. He led Arsenal to Cup final in 1952, which they lost 1-0 to Newcastle United, but the following year bounced back to win his third League title with Arsenal winning the 1952-53 League Championship on goal average. Mercer initially decided to retire in May 1953, but soon recanted and returned to Arsenal for the 1953-54 season. However, he broke his leg in two places after a collision with team-mate Joe Wade in a match against Liverpool on April 10, 1954, and finally called time on his footballing career the year after. Mercer played 275 times for Arsenal in all, scoring two goals.


Managerial career
After his playing career ended Mercer spent a little over a year working as a grocer. On August 18, 1955, he returned to football, becoming manager of Sheffield United two days before their first game of the season against Newcastle United. Mercer was appointed to replace manager Reg Freeman who had died during the close season. As a manager he began inauspiciously and his first season ended in relegation; despite Mercer buying Derek Pace, who would go on to become a hero at Sheffield United, from Aston Villa for £12,000 on December 26, 1957.

The rest of his time as manager was spent in the Second Division and in December 1958, wanting to move to a bigger club, he resigned and moved to Aston Villa who were bottom of the First Division. Although he led them to the FA Cup semi-finals he was relegated to Division Two for a second time. He moulded a talented young side at Villa and his team became known as the 'Mercer Minors'. He led Villa to victory in the inaugural League Cup in 1961 but suffered a stroke in 1964, and was then sacked by the Aston Villa board upon his recovery.

Despite this his health improved and he went on to enjoy great success as a manager with Manchester City between 1965 and 1972. In his first season at Maine Road, the club won the 1966 Second Division title to regain top-flight status. Two seasons later Mercer led Manchester City to the 1968 First Division championship, and went on to win the FA Cup (1969), League Cup (1970), and European Cup Winners' Cup (1970).

In 1972 Mercer had a dispute with his assistant Malcolm Allison, who wished to have more influence. This led to Mercer's departure to become manager of Coventry City, whom he managed from 1972 to 1975. During the same time Mercer was also caretaker manager of the England national football team for a brief period in 1974 after Sir Alf Ramsey's resignation. He was in charge for seven matches, during which time England won the 1974 British Home Championship title (shared with Scotland); in total Mercer was in charge for seven games — winning three, drawing three and losing one.

After quitting as Coventry City boss, he served as a director of the club from 1975 to his retirement in 1981. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to football in 1976. He died on his 76th birthday in 1990 after suffering a stroke.




ARSENALGOONER's TEAM
Lehmann
D- Keown- Mercer- McNab
Armstrong- Blyth- M- Overmars
Wright- F

Manager- Graham

 

Terry Neill

1976 - 1983
William John Terence "Terry" Neill was born in May 1942 in Belfast and moved to Arsenal in 1959 as a player. He retired from playing in 1973, and succeeded Bill Nicholson as manager of Arsenal's local rivals, Tottenham Hotspur. He managed Spurs for two seasons, nearly getting the club relegated in the process, before being recruited by the Arsenal board as manager in 1976 - becoming the youngest manager in the club's history. The club enjoyed a minor revival under his management, reaching three FA Cup finals between 1978 and 1980, though only winning in 1979. He also reached the final of the Cup Winners' Cup in 1980, losing on penalties to Valencia. He was dismissed as manager in December 1983 and retired from football.

http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?...cle=365320&lid=History&Title=Arsenal+Managers

 

Malcolm MacDonald -- Forward

One of the great strikers in English football, certainly the best true centerforward in the First Division until the arrival of Alan Shearer, MacDonald was a goal scorer.

He started out with Luton (1969 - 1971) and scored 49 goals in 88 games, where he moved to Newcastle (1972 - 1976) and scored 95 goals in 185 games. He came to Arsenal in 1977 for the then record sum of 333,333.33 pounds and was our highest scorer both years with 42 goals in 84 games. That's a goal every other game for 9 years. His most memorable game was for England where he scored 5 goals in a route of Cyprus -- three with his head, one with his left foot and one with his right foot. The Wembley scoreboard read: MACDONALD 5 CYPRUS 0 as the match wore down. He was the most powerful header in the game for a decade.

To the best of my knowledge, MacDonald, who had a drinking problem later in life, never tended bar or owned a bar.

I consider Super Mac, as he was called, to be one of the most significant acquisitions Arsenal have ever made. In the 75-76 season, Arsenal, shorn of Frank McLintock, Charlie George, Ray Kennedy, were a far cry from the Double winning side, and relegation was at the door. We finished the 1976 season 17th of 22, just three spots ahead of relegation. That next August, the club shelled out the money for England's greatest striker, and with his arrival, the club jumped to finishes of 8th and 3rd (once Pat Jennings arrived) in his two years with us. We've never faced relegation since.

Val's Team:
Strikers: Thierry Henry, Malcolm MacDonald, John Radford
Midfield: Alan Ball
Defense: Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell, Eddie Hapgood (C)
Keeper: George Swindin
Manager: Arsene Wenger

 

Graham Rix


(Rix in center wearing cap)

DOB: October 23, 1957
Left Wing

Arsenal Career Record
Years at Arsenal: 1975-1988
Appearances: 464 (351 League, 44 FA Cup, 47 League Cup, 21 Europe, 1 Community Shield)
Goals: 51 (41 League, 7 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 1 Europe)
Notable Contributions: His cross was headed in to beat ManUre 3-2 in the 1979 FA Cup

Graham Rix joined Arsenal as an apprentice in 1974 and turned professional the year after. Graham was an ‘old-time’ outside left, with speed, clever intricate footwork and goal-scoring ability. He made his debut for the club against Leicester City on April 2, 1977, and marked it by scoring the opening goal. Rix immediately became a regular on the left wing, replacing George Armstrong.

Together with Liam Brady he formed part of an impressive attacking midfield, which helped Arsenal to three successive cup finals between 1978 and 1980. Arsenal won only one of these, in 1979 against Manchester United; the final score was 3-2, with Rix crossing for Alan Sunderland's last-minute winner, just seconds after United had equalised to level the score 2-2. Arsenal reached the Cup Winners' Cup final the following season, against Valencia; the match finished 0-0 after extra time - a penalty shootout ensued, but Rix missed his kick and Arsenal lost. After the departure of Liam Brady to Juventus, Rix became Arsenal captain in 1983 but a series of injuries kept Graham out of the team in the mid-1980s. He spent a spell on loan at Brentford, before being released in 1988. In all he played 464 times for the Gunners, scoring 51 goals. After leaving the London club, Rix spent time at French clubs Caen and Le Havre, before finishing his playing career at Dundee in 1993. Graham won 17 England caps. ​

Jeremy aka "Team Newbie"

Manager: Bertie Mee
GK
Peter STOREY Kolo TOURE David O'LEARY LB
Freddie Ljungberg David JACK Patrick VIEIRA Graham RIX
CF Jimmy BRAIN

 

Wilfred "Wilf" Copping

August 17, 1909 – June 1980
Left half, Centre half

Arsenal Career Record
Years at Arsenal: 1934-1939
Appearances:189
Goals: 0
Notable Contributions: 'Nuff Said


Wilf Copping was the original hard man of English football, paving the way for the likes of Norman Hunter, Ron Harris, Peter Storey, Tommy Smith and Graeme Souness in later decades. However, it is highly debatable whether any of them looked and played the part as well as Copping, with his boxer's nose and build, his unshaven appearance on match days and the bone shaking charges and tackles which were his trademark.

Copping, at left half, was liable to unnerve the opposition with just one fixed stare from his craggy face. The harder the going, the more Copping liked it. Had football been war, he would have been first out of the trenches, bayonet fixed.

Yet Copping (his motto was "Get stuck in") was more than just a bruiser. When he won the ball, he could deliver precise constructive passes that turned defence into attack. For all his infamy, he was always scrupulously fair, earned respect for his excellent use of the ball when in possession and had a useful long throw in his repertoire.

He was born in Middlecliffe, Barnsley, on 17 August 1909, and attended Houghton Council School. He went for trials as a youth at Barnsley, then a moderate Second Division side, but couldn't earn a place, so he went to work as a miner, playing on a part time basis for Dearne Valley Old Boys. He eventually attracted the attention of First Division Leeds United and they signed him from Middlecliffe Rovers in March 1929 as a 19 year old.

Copping had to wait more than a year to make his breakthrough into the Leeds side as they had a marvellous 1929-30 and achieved a notable fifth place finish. A damaged knee put left half George Reed, a mainstay for three and a half years, out of the side before the season had started. Manager Dick Ray called Copping into the side to replace him.

He made an inauspicious start that gave little hint of the fearsome, indomitable defender that he was to become. The new half back line of Willis Edwards, Ernie Hart and Copping that played in the first match of 1930-31, a 2-2 home draw with Portsmouth, were all to play for England and became one of the most celebrated half back combinations of the Thirties. 'Copping, whilst displaying latent talent, has something to learn,' observed the Yorkshire Post, reflecting on the left half's debut. He may have had a quiet start but he didn't miss a game that season and became absolutely outstanding, despite playing in a side that ended 21st and were relegated.


He missed just two matches in the next season, 1931-32, as Leeds bounced straight back as runners up to Wolves, then followed up with 39 games in the First Division as they secured a creditable 8th place finish. Copping was rewarded for three seasons of high consistency and quality when he won his first England cap in May 1933 in a 1-1 draw with Italy. His Elland Road team-mate Billy Furness was also making his debut, but, unlike Copping, that was his sole international.

Copping kept his place for the next match, a 4-0 defeat of Switzerland at the end of May, and played in the first four England matches of 1933-34, all of which ended in impressive victories. In the last one, a 3-0 victory over Scotland in April 1934, he partnered another Elland Road half back, Ernie Hart, who was recalled after a year out of the Copping in action in a period when Leeds tried a different strip from the standard blue and gold of the timeEngland side.

His form continued to be of the highest calibre throughout 1933-34 when Leeds finished 9th and he was an England regular, as he was resolutely pursued by the legendary Arsenal manager, Herbert Chapman.

Champions Arsenal were on the way to a second League title in succession but needed to replace Bob John, now in his mid-30's. Chapman had targeted 24 year old Copping as the man for the job. "That's the man for me," he is said to have remarked. The managerial supremo had already started negotiations with hard up Leeds before his untimely death on 6th January 1934. It was his replacement George Alison who eventually completed the deal in June 1934, paying out a sizeable £8,000 to secure one of the most valued talents in English football.

Copping was badly missed. In 1934-35 Leeds sank to 18th place, they were all over the place at the back, having no answer without their Iron Man to steady the ship.

Copping went straight into the Gunners side for the opening day of the 1934-35 season on August 24, making his debut as with Leeds in a drawn game with Portsmouth, this time 3-3 at Fratton Park.

Given his no nonsense style, it was no surprise that Copping was a regular visitor to trainer Tom Whittaker's treatment room during that season, but he had only missed two games up until March, when he suffered a serious knee injury at Goodison Park against Everton.

Arsenal were on the way to a third successive title, but desperately needed to get at least a point from the game. The Arsenal keeper, Frank Moss, had injured his shoulder and, with no substitutes allowed, had switched to the left wing with full back Eddie Hapgood replacing him in the net. Copping then picked up his injury, but for the good of the team soldiered on with a tightly bandaged knee. Amazingly the walking wounded of Arsenal won the match 2-0 with Moss one of the scorers, but Copping nearly fainted with pain at the end of the match when the bandage was removed. He was out of action for the rest of the season, but the points helped Arsenal secure the title by a four point margin.


The injury also put a temporary halt to an international career which was burgeoning. In November 1934, Copping was one of an unprecedented seven Arsenal players who lined up for England in a "friendly" match against World Champions Italy, appropriately enough at Highbury. The match became infamously known as The Battle of Highbury and was Copping's finest hour as England pulled off a hard fought 3-2 victory in a bad tempered scrap of a match. At times it looked like Copping was playing the world champions on his own.

For Hapgood, the sight of Copping dispensing his unique medicine during the fearsome battle with Italy was completely unforgettable: "Wilf Copping Wilf Copping receiving treatment from Tom Whittaker after the Battle of Highbury. Waiting their turn are Moss, Bastin and Drakeenjoyed himself that afternoon. For the first time in their lives, the Italians were given a sample of real honest shoulder charging, and Wilf's famous double footed tackle was causing them furiously to think."

He obviously revelled in the heat of battle, and this one saw Italy play in what was somewhat politely reported as an "over vigorous" manner. Eddie Hapgood, rather more bluntly, described the game as the dirtiest match he'd ever played in. Such a game was tailor made for Wilf who was known as "The Iron Man" due to his legendary toughness. Copping played in a February victory over Northern Ireland, but missed the six international games that followed his injury with Arsenal.

Copping played 33 League games in 1935-36 and was a member of the side that beat Sheffield United in the FA Cup final. He also forced his way back into the England reckoning and played in two matches in May 1936. Unfortunately, England lost both of them, to Austria and Belgium.

He only missed four matches of the 1936-37 season which saw Arsenal finish third, and repeated that record when they won the title again in 1937-38. Throughout this period, he was a key member of the international side.

He had also played in all four successive Charity Shield matches since he arrived at Highbury, with two of them ending in victories.


Then, after almost five years at the top with the Gunners, in March 1939 Copping was on his way back to Yorkshire. He told Tom Whittaker "I'm going to ask for a transfer … I feel war is coming and I want to get my wife and kids back up The Iron Man of HighburyNorth before I join the Army." It was thus that the legendary Copping and a phenomenally successful team went their separate ways.

He played in 12 of the last 13 matches of the 1938-39 season for Leeds, prompting them to six welcome wins and a solid 13th place finish after poor form earlier in the season. He won his twentieth and final cap for England as a Leeds United player, in the 2-0 defeat of Rumania at the end of May 1939.

His prophecy about the war was borne out and that was the last of official football for seven dark years. Copping did indeed join up and reached the rank of Company Sergeant Major, serving in North Africa. During the war, he managed to fit in 24 games for Leeds, scattered over three seasons when he could get leave from the Army, before retiring in 1942.

He became trainer to the Army XI in Dusseldorf in 1945, then coached in Antwerp, became trainer at Southend United (summer 1946), Bristol City (July 1954) and Coventry City (from November 1956 to May 1959). A keen wireless enthusiast, he retired to Southend where he died in June 1980, aged 70

Copping was the first to admit that he could be temperamental and fiery. Yet despite this and his well earned reputation for bone jarring tackles the indications are that they were generally perfectly timed and fair. He looked harder than he was, possibly intentionally, and his image was enhanced by the sinister looking blue stubble that he invariably wore on matchdays. Copping was famously quoted as saying, "The first man in a tackle never gets hurt".

Copping was inclined to be very volatile in the dressing room, blowing up for no good reason if anyone spoke to him before a game. He was extremely superstitious, always putting his left boot on first and insisting on being sixth man out of the dressing room.

During his time at Highbury, Who's a pretty boy, then?Wilf was the best of friends with Jack Crayston, who manager Alison bought within weeks of Copping. The two were as different as chalk and cheese, both on the pitch and off. But not only did they train together, they also paired up on away trips, often a train journey, to play a peculiar form of Chinese whist in order to pass the time.

Long remembered for his powerful, crunching tackles, he was without doubt a hard player but a fair one. He played 340 League games over 10 years with Leeds and Arsenal and wasn't once booked or sent off. He won 20 England caps (including 14 victories) and played twice for the Football League, to put alongside his Cup winners, League Championship and Charity Shield medals. If the war had not cut short his official football career at the age of 29, who knows what heights he would have scaled?

Quite simply, he is a legend and will always be so to those that watched him in the Thirties. Recently he was nominated as one of the Top 100 British footballers of all time, placing him in very distinguished company, but it was a well deserved accolade.

Team TheOtherLeBosski
Pat Jennings
Kenny Sansom--Wilf Copping--Steve Bould--Tom Parker
Ray Kennedy--Liam Brady--Emmanuel Petit MF
F Charlie Buchan

 

Lauren



Lauren was transferred to Arsenal in the summer of 2000 for a fee of £7,200,000. Lauren provided cover for both midfield or defence. He made his Arsenal debut against Sunderland on August 19, 2000. However his first season in English football season was blighted by injuries. Although at first Lauren was unable to gain a regular place in the Arsenal side, he eventually ended up becoming the club's first-choice right back, replacing veteran Lee Dixon (and leapfrogging Ukrainian international Oleh Luzhny in the process). By the time Arsenal had won the Double in 2001-02, Lauren was an integral part of the Arsenal defence.

In 2002-03, Lauren suffered a calf injury and again missed part of the season, but nevertheless recovered in time and won an FA Cup winners medal that season, as Arsenal beat Southampton 1-0.

Lauren was a consistent member of the Arsenal first team during 2003-04, but his season was marred by his verbal abuse towards Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy after van Nistelrooy had missed a penalty late on in the match between the two sides at Old Trafford. Lauren was banned by the Football Association for four matches and fined £40,000. Nevertheless, he made his 150th appearance for Arsenal during that season, as Arsenal won the Premier League title unbeaten, giving Lauren his second League winners' medal.

Lauren won a third FA Cup winners' medal in 2005, as Arsenal beat Manchester United on penalties after a 0-0 draw in the final; Lauren scored the first of Arsenal's spot-kicks. However, during 2005-06, Lauren suffered a knee injury against Wigan Athletic in a League Cup semi-final match on January 21, 2006. He spent nearly a year out of the game as a result, and it wasn't until December 19 that Lauren was included in a playing squad, for Arsenal's match against Liverpool in the League Cup quarter-finals; this match was later postponed due to heavy fog. Lauren was not called up for Arsenal again.

During his absence Lauren's position had been covered by, amongst others, Emmanuel Eboué and Justin Hoyte, leading to media speculation that Lauren would leave Arsenal for another club, possibly West Ham United. On January 12, 2007 Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger confirmed Arsenal would allow Lauren to leave, if he chose to do so. On January 18, 2007, Lauren completed a move to Portsmouth for an undisclosed fee.

GK
Lauren-Young-CB-LB
Groves-George-Rocastle-Limpar
Merson-Nicholas

Manager: Herbert Chapman

 

Alfred John "Alf" Kirchen



DOB: August 26, 1913
Primary position: RM

Arsenal Career Record
Years at Arsenal: 8 (cut short by WWII)
Appearances: 101
Goals: 45
Notable Contributions: Scored a brace against Sp*rz on his debut. That's always a plus in my book.


Born in Shouldham, Norfolk, Kirchen played for local clubs, and for his county at youth level. He was signed by Tom Parker, the manager of Second Division Norwich City in 1934 and he immediately impressed, scoring seven goals in fourteen League games, and three in four FA Cup games for the Canaries. He soon caught the eye of First Division champions Arsenal, and was signed for £6,000 in March 1935, at the age of only 21.

Kirchen arrived too late at Arsenal to pick up a League winner's medal (the club completing a hat-trick of titles that year), but he still made an immediate impact, scoring twice on his debut against Arsenal's arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur on March 6, 1935 – the match finished 6-0 to Arsenal, a record in a North London derby. A right-winger, Kirchen had to fight for a first team spot with Joe Hulme (who started the 1936 FA Cup Final ahead of him), but by the start of the 1936-37 season, Kirchen was the Gunners' first-choice right winger.

Kirchen became well-known for his pace and fierce shooting, which soon attracted international attention; he picked up three caps (and scored twice) for England on a 1937 tour of Scandinavia, his debut coming against Norway on May 14, 1937, and his final match being against Finland on May 20 of the same year. Despite these performances however, he was never picked again.

He finally picked up a League winners' medal as Arsenal won the 1937-38 title, playing nineteen games that season, but the Second World War intervened just as he was reaching the peak of his career. Kirchen served in the Royal Air Force as a PT instructor, which allowed him to continue playing wartime matches for Arsenal (he appeared 116 times, scoring 81 goals, as well as three more times for England), but a severe injury picked up in a match against West Ham United in 1943 forced his early retirement. In all, excluding wartime appearances, he played 101 official first-class matches for Arsenal, scoring 45 goals.

Kirchen later returned to his old club Norwich City, as a trainer, before leaving football to become a farmer at Thwaite St. Mary and Hedenham in south Norfolk. He later returned to Norwich as a director of the club, and also served as Honorary President of the Norfolk branch of the Arsenal supporters' club. He also represented his country at clay pigeon shooting and was a keen player of lawn bowls. He died in 1999, several days short of what would have been his 86th birthday.



The Greatest Team Ever aka Cam & Kev

--------------------Frank Moss-------------------
Lee Dixon----- CB -----Frank McLintock-- Joe Shaw
Alf Kirchen --Ray Parlour ---Paul Davis ---Cliff Bastin
--------------Reg Lewis---Alex James-------------

 

Percy Robert Sands (1881 – December 1965) was an English footballer, who spent seventeen years playing for Arsenal, making him one of the club's most enduring servants.

Born in Norwood, London, Sands trained as a teacher, and joined Woolwich Arsenal (as they were then known) as an amateur in 1902. While still an amateur, he became the club's first-choice centre half in 1903-04, having made his debut against Blackpool on September 5, 1903. He would not turn fully professional for another three years, and would still work as a teacher when not playing.

Woolwich Arsenal were promoted to the First Division in 1904, and Sands was a near ever-present in the side. Although Arsenal were an undistinguished mid-table side at this time, they reached the FA Cup semi-finals two years running, in 1905-06 and 1906-07. Nicknamed "Mr Reliable", Sands stuck with the club through leaner times, including financial difficulties and then relegation in 1912-13, by which time he had been made captain of the side, and the club's move to Highbury (and its subsequent renaming) that same year.

With the advent of World War I, first-class football was suspended, but despite his age (33), Sands continued to play for Arsenal in unofficial wartime matches. He later left to serve in the Royal Army Medical Corps on the Western Front. After peace broke out, he joined Southern League side Southend United, before retiring. In all he played 350 matches for the Gunners, a record that stood until it was broken by Bob John fifteen years later.

He was never capped for England, although he was called up for trials with the squad, and also played for the Football League representative XI. He died in December 1965 aged 84




Mike & Steph's team so far:

---------Wilson-----------
RB - Sands - John - Winterburn
Hulme - Gilberto -CM- Pires
----Lambert ----- Bergkamp---

 

Bacary Sagna
Born- Feb 14, 1983
Place of birth: Sens, Bourgogne, France
Playing position: Right Back

http://www.football.co.uk/shared/images/news/400x400_BacarySagnaNew.jpg

Arsenal Career Record
Years at Arsenal: 1
Appearances: 38
Goals: 1
Notable Contributions: Voted into PFA Team of the Year at right back (2008)
- Most beads ever worn in hair by Arsenal player

Bacary Sagna, also sometimes spelt Bakary or Bakari, (born 14 February 1983 in Sens, Bourgogne) is a French International football defender of Senegalese descent, currently playing for Arsenal. His cousin Ibrahima Sonko also plays in England, for newly relegated Reading.

Club career

Auxerre

Sagna made 87 Ligue 1 appearances for Auxerre and was part of the squad that won the French Cup in 2005. He also played in the UEFA Cup in each of his three seasons with the club's first team, making a total of 17 appearances in the competition. He was also voted into the Ligue 1 team of the season for his outstanding displays at the right back position.

Arsenal

On 12 July 2007, Sagna completed a move to Arsenal from Auxerre for an undisclosed fee, thought to have been an initial £6.1m (€9m) that could rise to £7.45m (€11m). He wears the number 3 shirt, most recently worn for Arsenal by former defender Ashley Cole and most notably fans favourite Nigel Winterburn.

Sagna made his debut in an Arsenal shirt on 19 July 2007 as a starter in the squad that beat Turkish club Genclerbirligi 3–0 in a friendly at Austria's Bad Waltersdorf Stadion.

In his Premier League debut, Sagna started in the 2–1 win over Fulham at the Emirates and again impressed. The French full-back is predominantly a right-back, although he can play centre-back, left-back and in midfield. Despite his recent move to the Premier League, he has displaced Emmanuel Eboué as the preferred starting right-back for Arsene Wenger, while Eboué plays right wing.

On March 23, 2008, Sagna tallied his first Premier League goal off a header from a corner kick to give Arsenal a 1-0 lead against rivals Chelsea F.C.. The goal was of particular significance to him as he dedicated it to his late brother who died a few days before. He could be seen looking up to the sky while pointing at it. However, he went off injured before Chelsea came back to win the game 2-1. At the end of the season, he was named in the PFA's Team of the Year.

On June 4, 2008, is was announced that Sagna has signed a new deal with the Gunners following a very successful first season. Arsenal have signed him for a further two years, taking his contract up to 2014. Sagna stated. "I love Arsenal, they are a great club", and further added, "The manager is also very good and next season we will be fighting for all the trophies."

International career

Sagna has previously represented the French under-21 team, with whom he also participated at the 2006 European Under-21 Championship.

He received his first senior international cap for France on 22 August 2007 in a friendly match against Slovakia on the road, which they won 1–0, coming on as a substitute for François Clerc after one hour of play. He went on to make his competitive debut for France in their 6–0 away win at the Faroe Islands on 13 October 2007 in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers, playing all 90 minutes. It was his only appearance in the Euro 2008 qualifying.

Career Honours

With AJ Auxerre

* Winner
o Coupe de France 2005
* Runner-up
o Trophee des Champions 2005

Individual

* Auxerre's player of the season for the 2006–07 season
* Voted France's best right-sided defender in the 2006–07
* French Ligue 1's Team of the Year 2006–07
* Member of PFA Team of the Year: 2007–08.
* Voted Premier League's best right-back in the 2007-08 season

ARSENALGOONER's TEAM
Lehmann
Sagna- Keown- Mercer- McNab
Armstrong- Blyth- M- Overmars
Wright- F

Manager- Graham

 

Charlie Jones

Charles "Charlie" Jones (December 12, 1899 – April 1966) was a Welsh international footballer.

Born in Troedyrhiw, Merthyr Tydfil, Jones started his career at Cardiff City, but was released in the summer of 1921. He joined Stockport County, and in his first season at the club (1921-22) won a Third Division North medal and promotion to the Second Division. He moved in March 1923 to First Division Oldham Athletic, but the club were relegated to the Second Division soon after he joined; Jones spent another two seasons with the Latics in the second flight, and then joined fellow Second Division side Nottingham Forest in the summer of 1925.

Jones steadily made a name for himself as a talented left winger with Forest, making over 100 appearances for them in three years. It was also while there that he picked up the first of his eight caps for Wales, excelling in a 3-1 victory over England at Selhurst Park on March 1, 1926. In addition, he went on to captain his country several times.

Jones returned to the top flight when he was signed by Herbert Chapman for Arsenal in the summer of 1928, and he immediately became a regular, making his debut on the opening day of the season, against Sheffield Wednesday on August 25, 1928. He was a near ever-present for his first two seasons at the club, but the arrival of Alex James and Cliff Bastin in 1929 meant that Jones was squeezed out of the Arsenal attacking lineup, and as a result he missed out on being in the Gunners' 1930 FA Cup-winning side.

However, Jones proved his versatility by moving to right half, and became known as a tenacious ballwinner and committed tackler in the Arsenal midfield. With Arsenal he won three First Division winners' medals (in 1930-31, 1932-33 and 1933-34), and played in the 1931-32 FA Cup final (which Arsenal lost controversially to Newcastle United). Towards the end of his career his age was starting to catch up with him, and competition for midfield places was fierce; with players such as Bob John and Frank Hill in the Arsenal squad, Jones only played 16 matches in 1932-33. However his knowledge of the game and tactical sense were still appreciated by Arsenal managers Herbert Chapman and Joe Shaw; this meant he was a regular in the 1933-34 season, at the end of which he retired from the game, at the age of 34. In all he played 195 games for Arsenal, scoring 8 goals.

After retiring from playing, Jones was briefly manager of Notts County, from May 1934 to December 1935. However, he achieved little and after leaving the job decided to leave football entirely, and became a successful businessman. He died in 1966 at the age of 66.

Team so far

Manager: Terry Neill

Smith------RVP
Jones-----Grimandi-Cesc----MF
Nelson---Adams----D----Male
-----------Kelsey ------------

 

Just to move us along... I'll try to post a bio later, but work is hectic what with trying to get out to watch the Germany - Turkey game.

Aleksandr Hleb.

Val's Team:
Strikers: Thierry Henry, Malcolm MacDonald, John Radford
Midfield: Alan Ball, Aleksandr Hleb
Defense: Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell, Eddie Hapgood (C)
Keeper: George Swindin
Manager: Arsene Wenger

 

(Fourth from left, standing)

Alan Frederick Graham Skirton
Birthday: January 23, 1939
Position: Right Wing
Notable contributions: The first Arsenal player to score in a European match at Highbury.

Arsenal Career Record
Years at Arsenal: 1960-1966
Appearances: 145
Goals: 53


Skirton first played for his local club, Bath City of the Southern League, and soon attracted the attention of several other clubs. Arsenal won the fight for his signature, signing him in January 1959 for £5,000. Soon after signing, however, Skirton contracted pleurisy and pneumonia and was out of action for eighteen months.

Skirton finally made his debut for Arsenal against Burnley on August 20, 1960. Despite being only 21 he played 16 games that season, sharing the right wing position with Danny Clapton; he supplanted Clapton altogether the following season, and scored 19 goals in 40 matches, making him the club's top scorer for that season.[1]

After the signing of Johnny MacLeod in the summer of 1962, Skirton was switched to the left wing, where he played for the next four seasons, albeit irregularly, as Arsenal manager Billy Wright preferred to field only one out-and-out winger. The emergence of the young George Armstrong also meant Skirton's place was under threat, and Skirton shared duties with Armstrong for his final two seasons at the club.

Nevertheless, Skirton still averaged twenty appearances a season, and made history by becoming the first Arsenal player to score a goal in a European match at Highbury, against Stævnet on October 22, 1963. However, Wright's successor, Bertie Mee, was looking to youth as the means to success for the Gunners; after playing the first two matches of 1966-67, Skirton was transferred to Blackpool in September 1966 for £65,000. He had played 154 matches for Arsenal, scoring 54 goals.

Skirton scored on his debut for Blackpool on September 8, 1966 - at Highbury of all places - but his eight league goals in 1966-67 couldn't save the Seasiders from relegation to Division Two. In 1967-68, Blackpool narrowly missed on promotion back to the top flight, finishing third on goal difference behind Ipswich Town and QPR. Skirton had put 17 league goals against his name.

In November 1968, when Blackpool manager Stan Mortensen saw the emergence of Ronnie Brown on the right wing, he allowed Skirton to return to the West Country and he joined Bristol City for £15,000. He went on to play for Torquay United, and South African side Durban City, before seeing out his career at Weymouth.

After retiring from playing, Skirton became assistant commercial manager at Weymouth, before rejoining his old club Bath City as commercial manager. In 1981 he moved to Yeovil Town to take up the same position, and remained there until his retirement in 2002.

Team HomeatSkizzbury

David SEAMAN
Pat RICE - Peter SIMPSON - John DICK - Gael CLICHY
Alan SKIRTON - Michael THOMAS - Brian TALBOT - MF
Doug LISHMAN - Ted DRAKE

 

Walley Barnes

Walley Barnes (January 16, 1920 – September 4, 1975) was a Welsh footballer and broadcaster.

Born in Brecon to English parents (his father, a soldier, was stationed there at the time), Barnes initially played as an inside-forward for Southampton in wartime games, where he was spotted and duly signed by Arsenal. He played in virtually every position on the pitch for Arsenal in wartime matches (including a match as goalkeeper), but suffered a serious knee injury incurred in 1944. Despite a poor prognosis at the time, he recovered, and forced himself back in the Arsenal side after insisting on playing a reserves match against Cambridge University. He made his League debut for the Gunners against Preston North End on November 9, 1946.

Barnes became noted for his assured performances at left-back, with his tidy distribution and effortless ability to cut out crosses. He soon found a regular place in the Arsenal side, and was part of their First Division Championship-winning side of 1947-48. By then he had also become a regular for Wales, winning his first cap against England on October 18, 1947, where he was given the unenviable task of having to mark Stanley Matthews; England won 3-0 and the young Barnes was given a harsh footballing lesson by Matthews. Unbowed, Barnes went on to win 22 caps, and became captain of his country.

Barnes switched to right back following an injury to skipper Laurie Scott, and won an FA Cup winners' medal in 1949-50 after Arsenal beat Liverpool. Two years later, Arsenal got to the Cup final again, this time against Newcastle United, but Barnes twisted his knee badly trying to tackle George Robledo and had to come off the pitch after 35 minutes; with no substitutes permitted, Arsenal were down to ten men, and went on to lose 1-0.

As a result of his Cup final injury, Barnes was out for the entire 1952-53 season (in which Arsenal won the League). Although he was back in the side for the next three seasons, his appearances were now less regular and he only played eight times in 1955-56, with Len Wills and Joe Wade competing for the same place. With age as well as past injury now counting against him, he retired from playing in the summer of 1956. In all, he played 294 matches and scored 12 goals (he was often the club's designated penalty taker).

During the last two years of his playing career, Barnes was also manager of the Welsh national team, being in the role between May 1954 and October 1956. After that, he entered the world of broadcasting, joining the BBC. He presented coverage of FA Cup finals and, with Kenneth Wolstenholme, was one of the commentators for the very first edition of Match of the Day in 1964. He also assisted Wolstenholme in the live commentary to the 1966 World Cup final of England versus Germany to which he provided sporadic expert opinion.

Walley Barnes wrote his autobiography, titled Captain of Wales. He continued to serve the BBC in various capacities, until his death, at the age of 55, in 1975.

GK
Lauren-Young-CB-Barnes
Groves-George-Rocastle-Limpar
Nicholas-Merson

Manager: Herbert Chapman

 

Emmanuel Adebayor

February 26, 1984
Center Forward

Arsenal Career Record
Years at Arsenal: 2006-?
Appearances:105
Goals: 46
Notable Contributions: The best dancer on the team!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?d...nuel+adebayor&ei=_OVkSO_iLpXCqAOS3KmPBA&hl=en


Adebayor started his professional career at a training camp in Lomé. He made it to the U-15 level and was spotted by French club FC Metz. After a trial, Adebayor joined the club in 1999 and played at the U-17 level for two years before joining the first team. In his first season, he played nine games and scored twice. In the 2002–03 season, Adebayor scored seventeen goals in 35 games. AS Monaco signed him to a contract in 2003, and he scored seven goals in seventeen appearances, helping them reach the Champions League final with two goals in ten games.

Arsenal

2005–06 season

On January 13, 2006, Adebayor signed for Arsenal for an undisclosed fee reported to be £3m. He was given the nickname "Baby Kanu" due to his resemblance to former Arsenal star Nwankwo Kanu, who Adebayor had idolized as a youth.


On February 4, 2006, Adebayor made his Arsenal debut in a Premiership match at Birmingham City and scored after 21 minutes, with Arsenal winning 2–0. At the end of his first season for the Gunners he had scored four goals in ten matches. However, Adebayor was cup-tied for Arsenal's 2005–06 Champions League run and missed the final against Barcelona, as he had appeared for Monaco in the qualifying rounds of the competition earlier that season.

2006–07 season

Adebayor scored Arsenal's winning goal against Manchester United to give Arsenal a 1–0 win at Old Trafford, their first league win of the 2006–07 season. Earlier in the game, Adebayor was brought down in the six-yard box to earn Arsenal a penalty, which was taken by Gilberto Silva and saved. On November 8, 2006, Adebayor scored the only goal of the match to send Arsenal into the quarter finals of the League Cup against Everton

He was sent off in Arsenal's 2–1 Carling Cup final loss to Chelsea. He was shown the red card after a fracas towards the end of the match involving both Chelsea and Arsenal players. It was alleged that he had thrown a punch at Frank Lampard. The FA subsequently gave him an additional one-match ban and a fine of £7500 for failing to leave the field of play immediately, as well as a three-match ban for the red card.

2007–08 season

Arsenal fans celebrate Adebayor by chanting "Ade-bay-or, Ade-bay-or". It is sung to the tune of Westminster Chimes. On 19 January 2008, after scoring twice against Fulham, the fans sang, "Adebayor, Adebayor, give him the ball, and he will score".


After scoring a penalty during the 3–1 win over Portsmouth, his two goals against Tottenham helped Arsenal win 3–1 in the first North London derby of the season. Adebayor then scored his first hat-trick for Arsenal in a 5–0 home win against Derby County on September 22, 2007; this was the second-ever hat-trick scored at the Emirates. He was involved in a controversial incident on January 22, 2008, in which he clashed with teammate Nicklas Bendtner seven minutes from the end of a 5–1 League Cup semi-final defeat to Tottenham. Bendtner appeared to cut his nose in the clash, for which Adebayor apologised the following day. Three days later he scored the hundredth goal at Emirates during the side's 3–0 FA Cup victory over Newcastle United F.C. Starting on Tuesday March 4, 2008 against AC Milan. Adebayor went on a goalscoring streak in the Champions League. Despite having never scored before in the competition, he scored a goal in the 2nd leg against AC Milan at the San Siro. On April 13, 2008 in a Premier League game against Manchester United Adebayor scored Arsenals only goal, a game which they lost 2–1 at Old Trafford. On April 19, 2008 Adebayor scored yet again in a 2-0 win over Reading F.C.. He scored his second hat-trick for Arsenal after coming off the bench at half time in the 6–2 win against Derby County on April 28, 2008, making him the only player in the Premiership's history to score a hat-trick against the same side in the same season, although Arsenal finished the season empty handed, he ended the season joint 2nd with Fernando Torres in the race for the golden boot. He was named in the PFA Team of the Year.

Adebayor's second goal against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane won Match of the Day's Goal of the Season competition for the 2007-2008 season.

International career

Adebayor helped Togo qualify for the 2006 World Cup by scoring eleven goals in the qualifiers, more than any other player in the African qualifiers. He has been named African Footballer of the Year.

He was called up for the 2006 African Cup of Nations, where he was a substitute for the country's first match, following a row with the coach. Adebayor first vowed to leave the tournament and return home, although he later resumed training with the side. Togo were eliminated after losing all three matches. He was dropped by Togo following the row over bonus payments. However, Adebayor was brought back into the Togo team in September 2007.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fkdFeIqEok&feature=related

Team TheOtherLeBosski
Pat Jennings
Kenny Sansom--Wilf Copping--Steve Bould--Tom Parker
Ray Kennedy--Liam Brady--Emmanuel Petit MF
Emmanuel Adebayor--Charlie Buchan

 

James "Jimmy" Ashcroft



September 12, 1878 - April 9, 1943
Goalkeeper

Arsenal Career Record
Years at Woolwich Arsenal: 1900-1908
Appearances: 303 (273 in League)
Goals: 0
Notable Contributions: First Arsenal player capped for England, kept 6 straight clean sheets and 17 in one season, part of first side promoted to First Division

James "Jimmy" Ashcroft (12 September 1878 – 9 April 1943) was an English football goalkeeper.

Born in Liverpool, Ashcroft began his career with several local sides, briefly signing as an amateur with Everton, before moving south and joining Southern League side Gravesend United in 1899. He was quickly spotted by nearby Woolwich Arsenal of the Football League, and signed as a professional for the Gunners in June 1900.

Ashcroft immediately made his debut against Burton Swifts on September 15, 1900; although Arsenal lost 1-0, Ashcroft kept his place and remained an ever-present for that season, and the following one. In 1901-02, Ashcroft kept 17 clean sheets in 34 League matches for Woolwich Arsenal, including six clean sheets in a row (a club record, that has only been equalled once since, by Alex Manninger in 1998); Arsenal finished fourth in the Second Division that season, and third the season after that.

Ashcroft kept 20 clean sheets in 1903-04, a club record, as Arsenal gained promotion to the First Division, and in 1904-05 set a then record of 154 consecutive matches for the club (since only bettered by Tom Parker). Arsenal reached the 1905-06 and 1906-07 FA Cup semi-finals twice with Ashcroft in goal, and he also won three caps for England, playing in all three of England's British Home Championship matches of 1906 (England won twice and lost once, sharing the 1905-06 championship with Scotland). Ashcroft thus was Arsenal's first England international.

In all, Ashcroft played 303 first-class games in eight seasons for Arsenal. He was sold to Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 1908, in order to alleviate the club's financial problems at the time. For Rovers, he played over 120 times and reached another FA Cup semi-final in 1910-11, and won the First Division title in 1911-12. In 1913 he was released by Blackburn on a free transfer; unable to find a club he was forced to place an advert in The Athletic News, which read:

J Ashcroft, goalkeeper, Blackburn Rovers, open for engagement; free transfer - Willaston Road, Walton, Liverpool.

Ashcroft eventually signed for Tranmere Rovers, where he played for one more season before World War I intervened and all first-class football was halted; he seems to have retired from playing football at that point. He died in 1943, aged 64.
​

Jeremy aka "Team Newbie"

Manager: Bertie Mee

Jimmy ASHCROFT
Peter STOREY Kolo TOURE David O'LEARY LB
Freddie Ljungberg David JACK Patrick VIEIRA Graham RIX
CF Jimmy BRAIN

 

Herbie Roberts



DOB: Feb 7, 1905
Primary position: Centre Back

Arsenal Career Record
Years at Arsenal: 11 as a player, 1 as a trainer
Appearances: 335
Goals: 5
Notable Contributions: Was the first ever "stopper" centre half/centre back in Chapman's WM formation. Won four league titles and one FA Cup. Died in uniform in WWII.

Born in Oswestry, Shropshire, Roberts first played as an amateur for his local club Oswestry Town, whilst working as a police officer. A tall, but quiet and unassuming right half, he was signed by Herbert Chapman's Arsenal in December 1926 for £200 and turned professional. He made his debut against Aston Villa on April 18, 1927, although he was not a regular in his first two seasons at the club, playing just five games.

Roberts' time came when Chapman converted him to a centre half, and he replaced Jack Butler in that position. In the new "WM" formation that Chapman and Arsenal captain Charlie Buchan pioneered, Roberts served as the tall "stopper" centre half in the middle of defence; at the time this was a new tactic, created in response to the 1925 relaxation of the offside law, but soon became a ubiquitous position in English football. Nevertheless, at the time Roberts was often abused and pilloried by opposition fans for what they saw as overly negative play.

According to Jeff Harris in his book, Arsenal Who's Who: "Off the field Herbie was a gentleman, shy and unassuming, on the field he was known as Policeman Roberts whose main aim was to blot out and stop the opponents' centre-forward and these policies made him into one of the most unpopular players the length and breadth of the country. Whether it be at Portsmouth or Sunderland the unruffled red haired Roberts was abused and barracked when ever he played away."

By 1928-29, Roberts was featuring more regularly for Arsenal; however, he missed the 1929-30 FA Cup final with an injury. However, from the 1930-31 season Roberts was the undisputed first-choice centre-half at the club, making over 30 appearances for each season up until 1936-37. During this time, he won four First Division titles, and finally picked up an FA Cup medal in 1935-36 (having also played in the side that lost the 1931-32 final). During this period he also won a single cap for England, against Scotland on March 28, 1931.

Roberts' long and successful career with Arsenal came to a sudden end early on in the 1937-38 season, when he broke his leg in a match against Middlesbrough and was subsequently forced to retire. Arsenal won the First Division title for a fifth time that season, but Roberts had only played 13 matches that season, criminally ONE short of the minimum required for a medal at the time. In all he played 335 matches for Arsenal, scoring 5 goals.

Upon retiring he worked as a trainer to Arsenal's reserve side. When World War II broke out, Roberts joined the Royal Fusiliers, serving as a lieutenant. He died on June 19, 1944 of illness while on duty at the age of 39; he was the most famous of the nine Arsenal players who perished in the war.

While he died for his King and Country, he also died an Arsenal man, having only worn one other kit in his life (little Owestry Town). Another true Arsenal legend in a fantasy team filled with greatness.

Herbie Roberts Factoid: Owestry named a street after him in 2006

The Greatest Team Ever aka Cam& Kev

-----------------------Frank Moss----------------------
Lee Dixon-- Herbie Roberts -Frank McLintock-- Joe Shaw
Alf Kirchen --Ray Parlour ---Paul Davis ---Cliff Bastin
----------------Reg Lewis---Alex James-----------

 

Ronnie Rooke
DOB: December 7, 1911
Primary position: Forward

http://www.fulham.pl/images/1952b.jpg

Arsenal Career Record
Years at Arsenal: 3 Years
Appearances: 94 (http://www.arseweb.com/history/goals.html)
Goals: 70 (http://www.arseweb.com/history/goals.html)
Notable Contributions: 1947-1948 Won First Division Title
- Top Scorer (33 goals) in '47-48- record for most goals scored in league season
- Highest per game strike rate in Arsenal history

Ronald Leslie "Ronnie" Rooke (December 7, 1911 – July 1985) was an English football player and manager.

Born in Guildford, Surrey, Rooke started his playing career with Crystal Palace, who were at the time in the Third Division South. A centre forward, he mainly played for the Eagles' reserve side, only playing eighteen league matches and scoring four goals between 1932 and 1936. His main success came when he moved to Second Division Fulham in November 1936; he was the club's leading scorer for three consecutive seasons; in all he scored 57 goals in 87 league matches, including all six goals in a 6-0 FA Cup demolition of Bury, a club record.

World War II broke out at the peak of his career; Rooke joined the RAF, although he still played wartime matches for Fulham, and won an unofficial England cap in a Victory International against Wales. The Football League programme resumed in 1946, and despite being nearly 35 and having never played in the top flight, Rooke was signed by Arsenal, who despite their pedigree from the 1930s, were struggling to score goals.

The move was surprising, but Rooke immediately made an impact, scoring the winner on his debut against Charlton Athletic on December 14, 1946. He scored 21 goals in just 24 League matches that season, and the next season (1947-48), he scored 33 League goals, a post-war club record that has not been broken since. Arsenal won the First Division title, and Rooke was the League's top scorer.

Rooke scored another 14 goals in 1948-49, but left the Gunners in the summer of 1949 to rejoin his old club Crystal Palace, as player-manager. In all, he scored 70 goals in just 94 matches for the Gunners. As a manager, Rooke had some initial success; Palace had finished bottom of the Third Division South the previous season, but with Rooke they finished seventh in 1949-50, their best since the war, and would remain their best until they achieved promotion in 1961.

Rooke left Palace in November 1950, and became player-manager of Bedford Town in 1951, staying in that role for almost a decade. He quit football entirely after that, and later worked as a porter at Luton Airport. He died in 1985 from lung cancer at the age of 73.


ARSENALGOONER's TEAM
Lehmann
Sagna- Keown- Mercer- McNab
Armstrong- Blyth- M- Overmars
Wright- Rooke

Manager- Graham

 

Due to using an internet cafe,

Theo Walcott.

Team so far

Manager: Terry Neill

Smith------RVP
Jones-----Grimandi-Cesc----TW14
Nelson---Adams----D----Male
-----------Kelsey ------------

 

Bruce David Rioch
September 6, 1947
Manager
Notable Contributions: The Signing of DB10 from Inter Milan. Hands down one of the greatest signings by any manager in the Club's history.

Playing Career
Having moved to Luton at the age of 14, Rioch joined his local side, Luton Town, turning professional in September 1964. He made his first team debut later that month, and his league debut in November 1964 in a 1–0 defeat at home to Southend United. He spent a couple years establishing himself and was a regular member of the Luton team, scoring 24 goals, that won the Fourth Division title in 1968. He moved to Aston Villa in July 1969 for a fee of £100,000, then a record fee paid by a Second Division side. He won a League Cup runners' up medal in 1971, Villa losing 2–0 to Tottenham Hotspur.

He moved to Derby County in February 1974, winning a League Championship medal. He joined Everton in December 1976, but returned to Derby County in September 1977. After a dispute with the Derby manager, Tommy Docherty, Rioch had brief loan spells with Birmingham City in December 1978 and with Sheffield United in March 1979. He then left the Baseball Ground to play for NASL side Seattle Sounders. While playing with Seattle Sounders in 1980 he was named to the NASL First Team All-Stars. He returned to England in October 1980 when he joined Torquay United as player-coach, working at first under Mike Green and then under Frank O'Farrell.

Arsenal Managerial Career
In 1995–96, his only season at Arsenal, Rioch guided Arsenal to a UEFA Cup place, finishing fifth in the Premiership. It was achieved on the last day of the season at the expense of Everton, Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur. Arsenal also reached the League Cup semi-finals but lost on away goals to Aston Villa, and were knocked out of the FA Cup in the Third Round by First Division side Sheffield United.

Just before the beginning of the 1996–97 season, Rioch was sacked after a dispute with the club's board of directors over transfer funds. His enduring legacy at the club was the signing of Dennis Bergkamp, whom Rioch had signed from Internazionale in the summer of 1995; Bergkamp would go on to become one of the club's greatest players.

Team HomeatSkizzbury

David SEAMAN
Pat RICE - Peter SIMPSON - John DICK - Gael CLICHY
Alan SKIRTON - Michael THOMAS - Brian TALBOT - MF
Doug LISHMAN - Ted DRAKE

Manager Bruce RIOCH

 

John Lukic



Jovan "John" Lukic (Serbian: Jovan "Džon" Lukić) (born 11 December 1960) is an English former football goalkeeper.

Born in Chesterfield to Serbian parents, Lukic signed for Leeds United as a schoolboy. He made his debut for the Elland Road side in 1979 and went on to play 165 games for them.

After making a transfer request, Lukic moved to Arsenal in July 1983 for £75,000, as a long-term replacement for Pat Jennings. By the middle of the 1984–85 season he was the club's No. 1, and won the League Cup in 1987 and the Division One title in 1989 (that season he was an ever-present in the side).

In the summer of 1990 Arsenal manager George Graham signed David Seaman from Queens Park Rangers – Seaman had ironically been Lukic's understudy at Leeds. Having played 277 times for the Gunners, Lukic rejoined Leeds for £1million, playing a further 265 times and winning a second League title in 1991–92 and a runners up medal in the League Cup in 1995–96.

Lukic was displaced at Leeds by the signing of Nigel Martyn, and in 1996 he returned for a second spell at Arsenal. As deputy to David Seaman, he played 15 times in 1996–97 as cover, but after the signing of Alex Manninger in 1997 he stepped down to No. 3. However, with Manninger injured, Lukic was on the bench for Arsenal's 2000 UEFA Cup Final loss to Galatasaray, earning him a runners-up medal.

In 2000, after a series of injuries to the club's other 'keepers, he made a brief return to the first team, playing three times, the last a month shy of his 40th birthday; one of these, a match against Lazio on 17 October 2000 made him, at the time, the oldest player ever to take part in a UEFA Champions League match. This has since been surpased by Danny Verlinden, Alessandro Costacurta and Marco Ballotta. He retired in 2001 and now coaches part-time.

Though Lukic played for England at youth and U21 level, he never won a full cap for the side.

There is an urban legend that Lukic's mother survived the Munich air disaster while pregnant with him; this is patently false as the crash happened nearly three years before Lukic's birth. While there was a Mrs Lukic on board the plane, who did survive (along with her young daughter), she is not in any way related to him.

Lukic's son, also called John, and also a goalkeeper, was a youth player on the books of Nottingham Forest, before signing for Grimsby Town in June 2005. John Lukic Jr. has no club now after leaving The Mariners at the end of the 2005–06 season.

---Lukic
Lauren-Young-CB-Barnes
Groves-George-Rocastle-Limpar
Merson-Nicholas

Manager: Herbert Chapman

 

George Frederick Allison

October 24, 1883 – March 13, 1957
Manager

Arsenal Career Record
Years at Arsenal: 1934-1947
Appearances:0
Goals: 0
Notable Contributions: It's One-nil to the Arsenal!

Having been a keen footballer in his youth (although he failed to make the grade as a professional, the best being a trial with Shildon), after his move to London in 1906, Allison soon became associated with Woolwich Arsenal. He became the club's programme editor and continued his association with the team after they moved to Highbury and renamed themselves "Arsenal". He became a member of the club's board of directors soon after the end of the First World War; he was first club secretary and then managing director.

After the sudden death of legendary Arsenal boss Herbert Chapman earlier in January 1934, Allison was appointed Chapman's full-time successor in the summer of that year. Under Chapman and caretaker manager Joe Shaw, Arsenal had already won the League Championship twice in a row (1932-33 and 1933-34), and Allison made it a hat-trick, winning a third successive title in 1934-35. He also won the FA Cup in 1935-36 and the League again in 1937-38.

Allison famously appeared in a 1939 movie set at Highbury, The Arsenal Stadium Mystery, where he had a speaking part as himself. Amongst his lines included one uttered at half time: "It's one-nil to the Arsenal. That's the way we like it.", a line which had resonance with the team's penchant for 1-0 scorelines many decades later.

Allison took a hands-off approach to managing, unlike his predecessor Chapman; Joe Shaw and Tom Whittaker took charge of training and squad discipline, while Allison concentrated on transfer policy and the club's relationship with the media. Arsenal player Bernard Joy later recounted: "[He was] tactful, friendly and good-hearted. But he fell short in his handling of footballers and lacked the professional's deep knowledge of the game". Allison's proponents have cited the trophies won under his reign, though by the end of the 1930s Arsenal were no longer the all-conquering team that they had once been. Allison was unable to replace many of the stars from the first half of the decade, especially Alex James.

With the advent of the Second World War, official competition in England was suspended; after hostilities had ended, many of the players that had made Arsenal a success (such as Cliff Bastin and Ted Drake) had retired from playing. Arsenal finished a disappointing 13th in 1946-47, and Allison, by now in his mid-sixties and tiring of managerial life, decided to step down and retire from the game. He died in 1957 after several years of illness.

Team TheOtherLeBosski
Pat Jennings
Kenny Sansom--Wilf Copping--Steve Bould--Tom Parker
Ray Kennedy--Liam Brady--Emmanuel Petit MF
Emmanuel Adebayor--Charlie Buchan

Manager: George Allison