Complete List of Arsenal Players to Score Three or More Goals in a Game
Following the Arsenal v Basel Champions League game on 6 December 2016 in which Lucas Perez became the third Arsenal player to score a hat-trick this season, we were asked what is the record for most hat-tricks scored by Arsenal players in a season. And then, what is the record for most number of different players to score a hat-trick in the same season.
Not ones to shirk from very important questions like this we decided to put together a list of all of players to score three or more goals in a competitive match for Arsenal. For the sake of clarity, competitive means Football League, Premier League, FA Cup, Football League Cup, European Cup, Champions League, Cup-winners’ Cup, Fairs Cup and UEFA Cup.
As we all know, football fans love lists so we have two. The first is a season by season breakdown of how many hat-tricks were scored and who the players were, with their individual totals. The second is a list of the top ten players to have scored most hat-tricks. We’ve also included some items of hat-trick trivia.
Arsenal hat-tricks season by season
| Season | Total | Players |
| 1886-87 | 0 | No competitive games played |
| 1887-88 | 0 | No competitive games played |
| 1888-89 | 0 | No competitive games played |
| 1889-90 | 2 | Humphrey Barbour (1), William Scott (1) |
| 1890-91 | 0 | |
| 1891-92 | 0 | |
| 1892-93 | 3 | James Henderson (1), Arthur Elliott (1), Charles Booth (1) |
| 1893-94 | 4 | James Henderson (2), Joe Heath (1), Arthur Elliott (1) |
| 1894-95 | 2 | Henry Boyd (1), Paddy O’Brien (1) |
| 1895-96 | 1 | Peter Mortimer (1) |
| 1896-97 | 0 | |
| 1897-98 | 4 | Craig McGeoch (2), Fergus Hunt (1), David Hannah (1) |
| 1898-99 | 4 | William White (1), Fergus Hunt (1), Adam Haywood (1), Ernie Cottrell (1) |
| 1899-00 | 1 | Ralph Gaudie (1) |
| 1900-01 | 0 | |
| 1901-02 | 0 | |
| 1902-03 | 2 | Bill Gooing (1), Tim Coleman (1) |
| 1903-04 | 5 | Tommy Shanks (4), Tommy Briercliffe (1) |
| 1904-05 | 1 | Tom Fitchie (1) |
| 1905-06 | 0 | |
| 1906-07 | 0 | |
| 1907-08 | 0 | |
| 1908-09 | 2 | Sam Raybould (1), Albert Beney (1) |
| 1909-10 | 0 | |
| 1910-11 | 0 | |
| 1911-12 | 2 | Charles Randall (1), John Grant (1) |
| 1912-13 | 0 | |
| 1913-14 | 1 | Stephen Stonley (1) |
| 1914-15 | 5 | Harry King (4), Charlie Lewis (1) |
| 1915-16 | 0 | No competitive games played |
| 1916-17 | 0 | No competitive games played |
| 1917-18 | 0 | No competitive games played |
| 1918-19 | 0 | No competitive games played |
| 1919-20 | 1 | Bert White (1) |
| 1920-21 | 0 | |
| 1921-22 | 0 | |
| 1922-23 | 3 | Bob Turnbull (3) |
| 1923-24 | 0 | |
| 1924-25 | 3 | Jimmy Brain (2), Harry Woods (1) |
| 1925-26 | 4 | Jimmy Brain (4) |
| 1926-27 | 3 | Jimmy Brain (3) |
| 1927-28 | 2 | Jimmy Brain (2) |
| 1928-29 | 1 | David Jack (1) |
| 1929-30 | 4 | Jack Lambert (3), David Halliday (1) |
| 1930-31 | 12 | Jack Lambert (7), David Jack (3), Jimmy Brain (1), Cliff Bastin (1) |
| 1931-32 | 6 | David Jack (2), Cliff Bastin (2), Jack Lambert (1), Ray Parkin (1) |
| 1932-33 | 8 | Joe Hulme (3), Tim Coleman (2), David Jack (1), Jack Lambert (1), Cliff Bastin (1) |
| 1933-34 | 0 | |
| 1934-35 | 10 | Ted Drake (7), Joe Hulme (1), Ray Bowden (1), Alex James (1) |
| 1935-36 | 3 | Ray Bowden (1), Ted Drake (1), Jackie Milne (1) |
| 1936-37 | 4 | Ted Drake (2), Alf Kirchen (1), Bobby Davidson (1) |
| 1937-38 | 1 | Ted Drake (1) |
| 1938-39 | 0 | |
| 1939-40 | 0 | No competitive games played |
| 1940-41 | 0 | No competitive games played |
| 1941-42 | 0 | No competitive games played |
| 1942-43 | 0 | No competitive games played |
| 1943-44 | 0 | No competitive games played |
| 1944-45 | 0 | No competitive games played |
| 1945-46 | 0 | |
| 1946-47 | 4 | Ronnie Rooke (2), Reg Lewis (2) |
| 1947-48 | 2 | Reg Lewis (1), Ronnie Rooke (1) |
| 1948-49 | 1 | Ronnie Rooke (1) |
| 1949-50 | 3 | Don Roper (1), Pete Goring (1), Doug Lishman (1) |
| 1950-51 | 3 | Doug Lishman (2), Pete Goring (1) |
| 1951-52 | 4 | Doug Lishman (4) |
| 1952-53 | 3 | Cliff Holton (2), Doug Lishman (1) |
| 1953-54 | 1 | Ben Marden (1) |
| 1954-55 | 1 | Derek Tapscott (1) |
| 1955-56 | 1 | Tommy Lawton (1) |
| 1956-57 | 2 | Cliff Holton (1), David Herd (1) |
| 1957-58 | 2 | David Herd (1), Jimmy Bloomfield (1) |
| 1958-59 | 2 | Vic Groves (1), David Herd (1) |
| 1959-60 | 3 | Danny Clapton (1), Mel Charles (1), Jimmy Bloomfield (1) |
| 1960-61 | 4 | David Herd (4) |
| 1961-62 | 0 | |
| 1962-63 | 2 | Joe Baker (2) |
| 1963-64 | 6 | Joe Baker (3), Geoff Strong (2), Alan Skirton (1) |
| 1964-65 | 1 | John Radford (1) |
| 1965-66 | 0 | |
| 1966-67 | 1 | John Radford (1) |
| 1967-68 | 1 | John Radford (1) |
| 1968-69 | 2 | John Radford (1), David Jenkins (1) |
| 1969-70 | 1 | John Radford (1) |
| 1970-71 | 2 | John Radford (1), Ray Kennedy (1) |
| 1971-72 | 0 | |
| 1972-73 | 0 | |
| 1973-74 | 0 | |
| 1974-75 | 1 | Brian Kidd (1) |
| 1975-76 | 1 | Brian Kidd (1) |
| 1976-77 | 2 | Malcolm Macdonald (2) |
| 1977-78 | 1 | Malcolm Macdonald (1) |
| 1978-79 | 2 | Frank Stapleton (1), Alan Sunderland (1) |
| 1979-80 | 1 | Alan Sunderland (1) |
| 1980-81 | 0 | |
| 1981-82 | 0 | |
| 1982-83 | 3 | Brian Talbot (1), Alan Sunderland (1), Tony Woodcock (1) |
| 1983-84 | 2 | Raphael Meade (1), Tony Woodcock (1) |
| 1984-85 | 0 | |
| 1985-86 | 1 | Charlie Nicholas (1) |
| 1986-87 | 0 | |
| 1987-88 | 1 | Alan Smith (1) |
| 1988-89 | 1 | Alan Smith (1) |
| 1989-90 | 0 | |
| 1990-91 | 2 | Alan Smith (1), Anders Limpar (1) |
| 1991-92 | 5 | Ian Wright (3), Alan Smith (1), Paul Merson (1) |
| 1992-93 | 1 | Ian Wright (1) |
| 1993-94 | 5 | Ian Wright (3), Kevin Campbell (2) |
| 1994-95 | 1 | Ian Wright (1) |
| 1995-96 | 1 | Ian Wright (1) |
| 1996-97 | 1 | Ian Wright (1) |
| 1997-98 | 2 | Ian Wright (1), Dennis Bergkamp (1) |
| 1998-99 | 1 | Nicolas Anelka (1) |
| 1999-00 | 3 | Ray Parlour (1), Kanu (1), Marc Overmars (1) |
| 2000-01 | 3 | Ray Parlour (1), Thierry Henry (1), Sylvain Wiltord (1) |
| 2001-02 | 1 | Sylvain Wiltord (1) |
| 2002-03 | 5 | Thierry Henry (2), Jermaine Pennant (1), Freddie Ljungberg (1), Robert Pires (1) |
| 2003-04 | 2 | Thierry Henry (2) |
| 2004-05 | 2 | Thierry Henry (2) |
| 2005-06 | 2 | Thierry Henry (2) |
| 2006-07 | 1 | Julio Baptista (1) |
| 2007-08 | 2 | Emmanuel Adebayor (2) |
| 2008-09 | 3 | Andrei Arshavin (1), Emmanuel Adebayor (1), Carlos Vela (1) |
| 2009-10 | 1 | Nicklas Bendtner (1) |
| 2010-11 | 3 | Theo Walcott (1), Nicklas Bendtner (1), Robin van Persie (1) |
| 2011-12 | 2 | Robin van Persie (2) |
| 2012-13 | 3 | Theo Walcott (2), Santi Cazorla (1) |
| 2013-14 | 0 | |
| 2014-15 | 2 | Theo Walcott (1), Danny Welbeck (1) |
| 2015-16 | 3 | Olivier Giroud (2), Alexis Sanchez (1) |
| 2016-17 | 4 | Mesut Ozil (1), Alexis Sanchez (1), Lucas Perez (1), Theo Walcott (1) |
| 2017-18 | 1 | Aaron Ramsey (1) |
| 2018-19 | 1 | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (1) |
| 2019-20 | 0 | |
| 2020-21 | 1 | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (1) |
Complete up to and including 14 February 2021.
Most hat-tricks by an Arsenal player
| Rank | Total | Player |
| =1 | 12 | Jimmy Brain |
| =1 | 12 | Jack Lambert |
| =3 | 11 | Ted Drake |
| =3 | 11 | Ian Wright |
| 5 | 9 | Thierry Henry |
| 6 | 8 | Doug Lishman |
| =7 | 7 | David Jack |
| =7 | 7 | David Herd |
| 9 | 6 | John Radford |
| =10 | 5 | Joe Baker |
| =10 | 5 | Theo Walcott |
Trivia
The most hat-tricks scored by the team in one season is twelve in 1930-31.
The most players to score a hat-trick in one season is five in 1932-33.
The most hat-tricks by a player in one season is seven by Jack Lambert in 1930-31 and Ted Drake in 1934-35.
Ian Wright and Emmanuel Adebayor have both scored hat-tricks against the same team home and away in the same season in the league. Wright did this against Southampton in 1991-92; his second hat-trick coming on the last day of the season was the last hat-trick ever scored in the old First Division. Adebayor repeated the feat against Derby in 2007-08 which made him the first player ever to do this in the Premier League.
Adebayor’s three goals at Pride Park also made him the only Arsenal player to come off the bench and score a hat-trick.
Doug Lishman scored a hat-trick in each of three consecutive home games in 1951-52.
Ian Wright scored a hat-trick in every one of seven consecutive seasons, the only Arsenal player to do so.
In the FA Cup second qualifying round game against City Ramblers on 29 October 1892, three Arsenal players scored hat-tricks – James Henderson, Arthur Elliott and Charles Booth. Not sure who claimed the ball!
21 players have scored four or more goals in a game. Ted Drake has done this six times. Two players – Jack Lambert and Tony Woodcock – have scored five in one game whilst Ted Drake famously scored seven goals against Aston Villa on 14 December 1935.
David Halliday’s only hat-trick was his four goal haul in the 6-6 draw against Leicester five days before the FA Cup final. This posed a dilemma for Herbert Chapman as Halliday only played in this game to give Jack Lambert a rest. Unfortunately for Halliday, Lambert was chosen to play in the final.
Wartime
During the First and Second World Wars, first class football was suspended and regional leagues were implemented. For completeness, we’ve included a list of all of the players that scored hat-tricks during these two periods. If you’ve ever looked at the results of these games, especially during the Second World War, you can see that there were many strange results. This was due to most players being on national service and teams having to rely on guest players to make up the numbers.
| Season | Total | Players |
| 1915-16 | 2 | Harry King (2) |
| 1916-17 | 1 | Fred Groves (1) |
| 1917-18 | 2 | Fred Pagnam (2) |
| 1918-19 | 5 | Jimmy Chipperfield (2), Wally Hardinge (1), Arthur Dominy (1), Jack Butler (1) |
| 1939-40 | 10 | Leslie Compton (6), Reg Lewis (2), Ted Drake (1), Denis Compton (1) |
| 1940-41 | 6 | Leslie Compton (4) , Alf Kirchen (1), Ted Drake (1) |
| 1941-42 | 10 | Reg Lewis (7), Alf Kirchen (1), Ted Drake (1), David Nelson (1) |
| 1942-43 | 12 | Reg Lewis (8), Alf Kirchen (1), Ted Drake (1), L Henley (1), Bryn Jones (1) |
| 1943-44 | 5 | Reg Lewis (2), Denis Compton (2), Ted Drake (1) |
| 1944-45 | 3 | Stan Mortenson (3) |
| 1945-46 | 3 | Doug Farquhar (1), Cyril Hodges (1), Bill Wrigglesworth (1) |
Fred Pagnam was a guest from Liverpool and scored five in one game. He joined Arsenal permanently after the war. Arthur Dominy and Jimmy Chipperfield were guests from Southampton and Luton Clarence respectively.
Leslie Compton was a full back who played a number of games at centre-forward during the war. He scored five in one game and TEN against Clapton Orient on 8 February 1941 which is the most goals scored by an Arsenal player in one game at any level.
Reg Lewis who scored a colossal 19 hat-tricks during WW2, twice scored five in a game.
Stan Mortenson was a guest from Blackpool. He is most well known for scoring a hat-trick for Blackpool in the 1953 “Matthews” FA Cup final.
Bill Wrigglesworth was a guest from Manchester United.
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