There have been some many fantastic Arsenal players down the years that it’s nigh on impossible to whittle it down to twelve or so greats. Nevertheless, we’ve given it a go. Here then is our list of Arsenal Legends, with apologies to some of the great players we’ve left out. (Current Arsenal players are not included).
Herbert Chapman
Position: Manager
Arsenal Career: 1925-1934
Arguably the greatest ever English manager, Chapman is credited with turning around the fortunes of both Huddersfield Town and Arsenal. He won two championships with each, and both teams went on to win a third title after his departure.
Chapman joined Arsenal in 1925 and transformed them into the dominant force in English football. He was responsible for signing many of the Arsenal legends on this list and won two titles and the FA Cup with the Gunners. Then, during the 1933-34 season, with Arsenal top of the league by 4 points, Chapman died suddenly from pneumonia. His Arsenal side would go on to win that year and would deliver 5 titles over the next decade.
But Chapman’s influence stretches beyond his impressive achievements on the pitch. He was responsible for introducing new tactics and training methods into the game, as well as innovations such as floodlights, the white ball and numbered shirts. He was also responsible for adding the now-famous white sleeves to Arsenal’s previous all-red shirts.
Alex James
Position: Forward
Arsenal Career: 1929-1937
Appearances: 261
Goals: 27
A skillful forward known for his excellent passing and ball-control, James joined Arsenal from Preston North End in 1929.
He was a key member of the dominant 1930’s side and, although his tally of 27 goals is meagre for a forward, he was a major supplier of goals for Lambert, Bastin, Hulme and Drake. He won 4 league titles and 2 FA Cups with Arsenal.
James retired from football in 1937 and went on to work as a journalist. The Arsenal legend died of cancer in 1953, aged just 51.
David Jack
Position:Forward / Midfielder
Arsenal Career: 1928-1934
Appearances:208
Goals: 124
Herbert Chapman signed Arsenal legend David Jack from Bolton for a then world-record transfer fee of 10 890. The forward was an immediate success at Highbury, finishing as top scorer in his first season.
The following season he scored in the final as Arsenal won the FA Cup against Huddersfield, and the year after contributed 34 goals as they were crowned First Division champions.
He remained at Highbury until retirement in 1934 then moved into management with Southend United, and Middlesbrough.
Cliff Bastin
Position: Winger
Arsenal Career: 1929-1946
Appearances: 396
Goals: 178
A prolific goalscorer from left wing, Bastin was spotted by Herbert Chapman while playing for Exeter City. Chapman signed him for Arsenal in 1929 and he remained at the club for the rest of his career.
He was a key member of the dominant 1930’s side, winning 5 league titles and 2 FA Cups, before the outbreak of WWII effectively ended his career at the age of just 27.
He remained Arsenal’s all-time leading scorer for over half a century until his record was surpassed by fellow Arsenal legends, Ian Wright and Thierry Henry.
Ted Drake
Position: Striker
Arsenal Career: 1934-1939
Appearances:184
Goals:139
Drake moved to Arsenal from Southampton in March 1934 for 6,500. He scored on his league debut against Wolves, and continued to be a prolific goalscorer throughout a successful Arsenal career which brought him two league titles and two FA Cups.
A quick centre-forward with a fierce shot, he holds a number of Arsenal records including the most league goals in a season (42) and the most in a match, 7 vs Aston Villa.
Unfortunately his career was cut short by WWII and he retired shortly after the war due to a spinal injury.
After retirement he went into management and won the title with Chelsea in 1954-55, the first person to win the league as both a player and manager.
Frank McLintock
Position: Defender
Arsenal Career: 1964-1973
Appearances:408
Goals:32
Arsenal legend and double winning captain McLintock joined the club from Leicester City in 1964. He became club captain in 1967 under Bertie Mee and after losing two League Cup finals led the club to a European Fairs Cup win in 1970.
The following year Arsenal won the League and Cup double – only the second time it had been achieved since 1897. Another Wembley final followed in 1972, but the Gunners were beaten by Leeds.
McLintock moved to QPR in 1973, and helped them to a second-place finish in 1975-76. He retired in 1977 and had unsuccessful stints as a manager with Leicester City and Brentford.
Bertie Mee
Position: Manager
Arsenal Career: 1966-1976
After his playing career was cut short by injury Bertie Mee joined the Army Medical Corps and trained as a physiotherapist. He spent 6 years in the military before leaving and working at several football clubs.
He joined Arsenal in 1960, and served the club as physiotherapist until 1966, when the club surprisingly asked him to become manager after the sacking of Billy Wright.
Mee was so concerned as his ability to cope with the new role that he asked for a get out clause which would allow him to return to the role of physiotherapist if things didn’t work out.
He needn’t have worried, he remained club manager until 1976 and goes down in Arsenal legend as the first manager to deliver the League and Cup double.
Mee was made an OBE in 1984 for services to football. He died in London in 2001, aged 82.
Charlie George
Position: Forward
Arsenal Career: 1969-1975
Appearances: 179
Goals: 49
An Arsenal fan as a boy, Charlie George went on to become an Arsenal legend and hero of the 1970-71 double-winning team.
He joined Arsenal in 1966, and after turning professional in 1969, made his debut in the first game of the 1969-70 season. A flamboyant support striker or attacking midfielder he was soon a regular in the first team, and a fans favourite.
However, he also had a rebellious streak and was often at odds with the club’s management.
He joined Derby County in 1975, spending 3 years at the Baseball Ground, during which time he won his one and only England cap.
George retired in 1983 and currently works for Arsenal.
Tony Adams
Position: Defender
Arsenal Career:1983-2002
Appearances:669
Goals:48
Arsenal’s greatest ever captain? Four League titles, three FA Cups, two League cups, and the European Cup Winners Cup make a strong case and confirm Adams’ status as an Arsenal legend.
Signed as a schoolboy in 1980, Adams spent his entire 22 year playing career at Arsenal. He made his first team debut in 1983 as a raw 17 year old and over the next two seasons established himself as a regular. He was appointed captain in 1988 at the age of 21 and would remain club captain for 14 years.
Adams was a hugely influential figure at Arsenal but off the field he was fighting a battle with alcoholism. In 1990 he was jailed for 4 months after a drink driving incident and thereafter entered a program to deal with his addiction.
The arrival of Arsene Wenger as manager gave his career new impetus. Arsenal won two League and FA Cup doubles in 1997-98 and 2001-2002, making Adams the only man to have captained title-winning sides in three decades – a record unlikely to ever be beaten.
Adams retired from football in 2002 and has since turned his hand to coaching – with much less success than he enjoyed as a player.
David Seaman
Position: Goalkeeper
Arsenal Career:1990-2004
Appearances: 564
Signed from Queens Park Rangers in 1990, Seaman was a mainstay of the successful Arsenal sides of the 90’s and early 2000’s.
He won three League titles, four FA Cups, the League Cup and European Cup Winners Cup in his time at Highbury and also established himself as England’s first choice keeper.
Seaman was released by Arsenal in 2003 and joined Manchester City. However, he played only 19 times for City before a persistent shoulder injury forced his retirement.
Ian Wright
Position: Striker
Arsenal Career: 1991-1998
Appearances: 288
Goals:185
A relative late-comer to the professional game, Wright signed his first professional contract with Crystal Palace at the age of 22. He quickly formed a deadly strike partnership with Mark Bright and racked up 117 Palace goals before Arsenal signed him for a club record 2.5 million in 1991.
Wright scored a hat-trick on his Gunners debut and was the club’s highest scorer for the next six seasons. He was a major part of the club’s successes during the 90’s and in 1997 broke Arsenal legend Cliff Bastin’s goal-scoring record (Wright’s record has since been surpassed by Thierry Henry).
He left Arsenal in 1998 and had spells at West Ham, Notts Forest, Celtic and Burnley before retiring in 2000.
Dennis Bergkamp
Position: Forward
Arsenal Career: 1995-2006
Appearances:423
Goals: 120
Arsenal legend Bergkamp was a product of Ajax’s famed academy and had a phenomenal scoring record with the Dutch giants, scoring 103 times in just 185 appearances.
This earned him a move to Internazionale in 1993, but his time in Italy was disappointing and he signed for Arsenal in 1995.
A classic deep-lying forward, he formed a great partnership with Ian Wright, but it was the arrival of Arsene Wenger at Highbury that really gave impetus to his Arsenal career.
Arsenal won the double in 1997-98 and Bergkamp was voted PFA Player of the Season. They would go on to win another double in 2002, the FA Cup in 2003 and the Premier League again in 2004.
Bergkamp retired from football in 2006. He scored 120 goals in 424 Arsenal games and is credited with 166 assists.
Patrick Vieira
Position: Midfielder
Arsenal Career:1996-2005
Appearances: 407
Goals: 34
An imposing and combative midfielder, Vieira signed from Milan in 1996 – incoming manager Arsene Wenger requesting his purchase prior to taking up the position.
Vieira adapted quickly to English football and was an integral part of the 97-98 double winning side, forming a formidable midfield partnership with French compatriot Emmanuel Petit.
After Tony Adams retirement in 2002 Vieira was named Arsenal captain and he led the side through their historic unbeaten season in 2003-04. That alone guarantees his status as an Arsenal legend.
His final trophy with Arsenal was the 2005 FA Cup, won on penalties against Manchester United.
He moved to Juventus in 2005 and has since played for Internazionale and Manchester City.
Thierry Henry
Position: Striker
Arsenal Career: 1999-2007
Appearances:370
Goals: 226
Arsenal fans will tell you that he is the greatest player to have played for the club and it is difficult to disagree.
Henry joined the club in 1999 after an unsuccessful spell at Juventus. Arsene Wenger, who had previously managed him at Monaco, transformed him from a winger to a central striker, and despite a poor start – he failed to score in his first 8 games – the move soon paid dividends.
Over the next 8 seasons Henry would be the mainstay of the great Arsenal side that won two league titles and 3 FA Cups. He was Footballer of the Year in 2002-03 and 2003-04, and Premier League top scorer on 4 occasions.
Henry became Arsenal’s all-time record goalscorer in 2005, surpassing Ian Wright’s record. His Arsenal goal-scoring record stands at 226 in 370 appearances.
The Arsenal legend moved to Barcelona in 2007 for a fee of 24 million euros.