For a good decade or so now, each year, if you could sum up Arsenal’s season in the EPL with one word, it would be ‘almost’. They typically start off promising, before inevitably dropping points, and gifting City the title.
Success at the top may have eluded The Gunners in recent history, but there was once a time when the club looked unstoppable and silverware each season was virtually inevitable. At the forefront of this dominance were some of the most prominent Irish players in the sport.
Arsenal Football Club has a rich and storied Irish heritage that can be traced back decades. Were it not for a number of highly gifted footballers from the Emerald Isle, the club would surely not have enjoyed anywhere near as much success as they have. It would also not have accumulated anywhere near as many trophies. Arsenal is one of the most popular English clubs amongst Irish fans, along with the likes of Man UTD and Liverpool. A quick look at any of the big Irish bookmakers like BOYLE Sports show that bets on Arsenal are one of the most popular of any placed in Ireland.
Today, we’re going to look at Arsenal’s green legacy across the decades as we look at some of the most gifted Irish players to ever wear Arsenal colours, and how they’ve influenced the club over the years.
David O’Leary
Whenever Arsenal found themselves enjoying a successful streak, their defensive lineup would arguably stand up against any attacking club on the planet.
With names like Adams, Winterburn, Keown, and Rice (more on him later), playing against The Gunners was a nightmare for attackers. Without question, one of their most reliable defenders had to be David O’Leary.
O’Leary was born in London to Irish parents, before moving to Dublin and becoming an instrumental figure in Irish football. He worked his way through the youth rankings (much to the delight of his Arsenal-supporting father) before becoming a mainstay in centre back.
With a staggering 722 appearances for Arsenal (a club record that will surely never be beaten) O’Leary played for Arsenal between 1975 and 1993 and helped guide the team to numerous titles, including two League Cups, two FA Cups, and two League Titles in the 89 and 91 seasons.
Liam Brady
Another Irish legend who helped Arsenal to enjoy success at the top, particularly in the FA Cup, was Liam Brady.
Widely regarded as the ‘Beckham of his generation’ Brady was a midfielder for Arsenal during the 1970s and very early 80s. Hailing from Dublin, he joined Arsenal’s youth academy in 1971, before making his pro debut a couple of years later. He made 307 appearances for the club, scored 59 goals, and earned a reputation for having arguably the best left foot in the game.
Brady’s greatest success at the club came in the 1979 season where he not only won the FA Cup with the team, but, was also named PFA Player of the Year. He left in 1980 to join Juventus, before returning as Head of Youth Development and Academy Director 16 years later. Here, he helped to develop some future greats, including Cesc Fabregas and Ashley Cole.
Pat Rice
Another defender who helped steer the club to victory in both the league and the FA Cup, was Pat Rice.
Born in Belfast, Rice racked up an astonishing 500 appearances for the club, where he proved to be a very solid full-back. He played for Arsenal for 13 years and not only won the League Title in 1971, but also the FA Cup. Twice. In fact, he is one of only five Arsenal players to have played in five FA Cup finals.
After leaving the club to play for Watford, he would return as a Youth Team Coach, and later Assistant Manager between 1996 and 2012 during the glory years under Arsene Wenger.
Niall Quinn
Another Dubliner who helped Arsenal to secure another League Title in 1987 was Niall Quinn.
Quinn made his first pro appearance with Arsenal in 1985, in a match against Liverpool. He couldn’t have done much more to impress, as he scored on his debut.
Quinn played for The Gunners a modest 91 times, in which he scored a respectable 20 goals before leaving for Manchester City in 1990.
Sammy Nelson
And finally, we have Belfast-born Samuel ‘Sammy’ Nelson.
Nelson joined Arsenal in 1965, aged just 16. He would make his professional debut for the club just one year later, on his 17th birthday.
For close to a decade, Nelson found himself benched, in favour of left-back Bob McNab. Once McNab left in 75 however, he became the top pick and quickly established himself with the fans. He was a good old-fashioned defender through and through. His aggressive, no-nonsense approach to the game, coupled with that trademark cheeky Irish nature quickly made him a fan favourite.
Nelson played in three consecutive FA Cup finals, even winning the cup in 79 when The Gunners beat rivals Manchester United 3-2.
Sammy left the club in 1981, having racked up 339 appearances, and scoring 12 goals.