A while ago Andy set a fiendishly difficult twitter question:
“Who was the first Invincible to sign for the club?”
After a number of incorrect answers that included the likes of Ray Parlour and Martin Keown, the correct player was named. Read More →
Jimmy Gray: The Arsenal 1946-1951
Jimmy Gray was an Arsenal reserve right full back just after World War 2, and a batting all-rounder for Hampshire County Cricket Club between 1948-1966.
Tommy Lawrence: The Arsenal 1957
Tommy Lawrence had a very brief Arsenal career making a single A team appearance in the 1956-57 season. An England amateur international he went onto transform Enfield as both a player and manager.
David Herd: The Arsenal 1954-61
David Herd was the 458th player to appear for Arsenal. Highly thought of at Highbury, this Scottish International goal machine had to leave Highbury to gain well deserved winners medals elsewhere in the 1960s.
Mel Charles: the Arsenal 1959-62
Mel Charles was the 476th player to appear for Arsenal. A Welsh international captain, he was at home at centre forward, centre back or wing half. A free scoring versatile player his time at Arsenal was marred by injury.
James MacDonald: The Arsenal 1994-2000
James MacDonald was a Scottish schoolboy international defender whose promising Arsenal career was ended while still very young by cruciate ligament injuries.
Kevin Stead: The Arsenal 1977-1979
Kevin Stead was the 572nd player to appear for Arsenal.
John Roberts: The Arsenal 1969-72
John Roberts was the 532nd player to appear for Arsenal. A Welsh international he was a more than useful member of the first team squad filling in the role of no-nonsense centre-half. He won a League Championship winners medal for his appearances in the 1970-71 campaign, during the double winning season.
We all know the original clock was placed on the Laundry End in 1930 and after some shenanigans with the FA and Highbury redevelopment it was moved to the College End in 1935.
We wrote as much in a recent blog and article for the club magazine.
However, all may not be as we all had assumed as new detail has emerged which shows the clock most likely began its life on the West Terrace, within an information centre on the South-West corner of the ground before moving to the Laundry End a few years later.
At the start of the week Andy told me that the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News had been placed on the British Library website. This was exciting news for historians as the publication “did what it said on the tin” – it being a weekly paper that began in the Victorian period to provide the interested populace a multitude of drawings and photos of current sporting and artistic news and events. As such it provides insight that words can not convey.
He then said look at this beauty from the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News 1930:
The Original Clock in the Information Centre at Highbury – 20 September 1930*
On 16 March 1935 league leaders Arsenal travelled to Goodison Park, Everton for a First Division game. For one man it was to be a bitter sweet afternoon as, while he scored an unexpected goal, his football playing career was essentially ended on that day.