Arsenal’s academy has produced some fine players down the years, but who have been the greatest Arsenal youngsters to pull on the red and white?
A homegrown player donning the red and white and leading the team success evokes no end of pride. Even after the player has left the club, there’s still some fondness attached to them, as if they still represent the club and everything it stands for.
Over the years, the Arsenal academy hasn’t been the most prolific talent factory around, but it has produced some exceptional footballers. Getting the list down to just five was a tough order, and a couple of choices may seem controversial.
Nonetheless, here are my five greatest Arsenal youngsters of all time.
Tony Adams
Easy choice, right?
When you think Arsenal, you think Tony Adams.
A one-club man with a career spanning 19 years, most of which was spent as captain, Adams led the club to massive success during the late 80s and throughout the 90s.
He was at the heart of Arsenal’s defence during title wins in 89, 91, 98 and 2002, won the league and cup double twice as a player and also won the UEFA Cup Winners Cup.
The academy has yet to produce a centre back of his quality again, while it will also struggle to produce someone with the same level of passion and loyalty to Arsenal and that’s why he opens this lost of greatest Arsenal youngsters.
Ashley Cole
Time heals most wounds, and with its passing, Arsenal fans have come to accept that Ashley Cole was a fantastic left back.
A striker-turned-winger-turned-left-back, Cole broke through into the Arsenal first team in 1999.
By 2001, he was Arsene Wenger’s first choice.
His pace and skill down the left flank was a weapon for his team, while at the back he was part of tough-to-beat units.
The double in 2002 was a good enough accomplishment, but being a part of the Arsenal Invincibles has engraved his name in history.
Cole lost a lot of love and good-will for the manner in which he joined Chelsea in 2006. It was there, though, that he continued to hoover up trophies.
Another Premier League title, four FA Cups, a League Cup, the Europa League and even the Champions League marked his time in west London.
107 caps for England rounds off a fine career at the top level.
Liam Brady
The Irishman was the club’s most exciting player throughout the 70s, and you can find clips of his remarkable curling shot against Tottenham in 1978 online today.
Brady’s time at the club wasn’t as trophy-laden as other legends, but he was the club’s player of the year on three occasions, and won the PFA Player of the Year award in 1979.
Brady went on to have more success in Italy.
To this day, he could make a reasonable claim of being Arsenal’s most famous and successful export.
He won two titles with Juventus in the early 80s, before going on to represent Sampdoria and Inter Milan.
All in all, he made 208 appearances during his time in Italy, before ending his career with West Ham.
Cesc Fabregas
How much of an Arsenal product Fabregas is, is up for debate, but there’s no denying he blossomed as a top talent at the club.
After joining from Barcelona as a 16-year-old in September 2003, he made his first team debut the following month, and remained in the team until he departed in 2011.
Fabregas was a boy-wonder who played with a maturity far beyond his years.
His technique and vision typified Arsene Wenger’s approach, and he became a talismanic performer before he even reached adulthood.
By 2008, he was the club’s captain and the centre of everything the team did.
However, in 2011, having only won one trophy with Arsenal, he went back home to Barcelona to work with his idol, Pep Guardiola, and play with friends Gerard Pique and Lionel Messi. He spent three seasons there, winning the Spanish title before moving to Chelsea.
By this point, affection for Fabregas had taken a massive hit.
Yet, much like Cole before him, there’s no denying the success he’s had at Chelsea. Two Premier League titles and the League Cup was more than he won at Arsenal or Barcelona.
Internationally, Fabregas also enjoyed huge success, amassing 110 caps for Spain so far, winning two European Championships and the World Cup.
David Rocastle
Rocastle podcast tribute with exclusive interview
Rocky’s career in an awesome graphic
A life cut tragically short, but a dazzling career with Arsenal.
Rocastle was known as a skillful winger with an eye for the spectacular. He played every game of Arsenal’s successful 1988/89 campaign, when the club won the league title at Anfield on the final day, and won the title for a second time in 1991.
He was the club’s player of the year in 1986, and was included in the PFA Team of the Year twice: first in 1987, then again in 1989.
He left Arsenal in 1992, having made 228 appearances.