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Top 50 Greatest Gunners
Topic Started: May 13 2008, 04:33 PM (1,576 Views)
Kem
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Mrs Fabregas
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Me neither, must have been Spuds fans like Sam said
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Little Fluffy Theo
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Occupying positions 21-30...

30. Frank McLintock
Position: Defender
Arsenal career: 1964-1973
Appearances: 403
Arsenal goals: 32
Honours with Arsenal: League Championship 1971; FA Cup 1971; European Fairs Cup 1970

29. Nicholas Anelka
Position: Forward
Arsenal career: 1997-1999
Appearances: 90
Arsenal goals: 28
Honours with Arsenal: League Championship 1998; FA Cup 1998
A controversial addition to the list. Anelka was great, certainly. Greatest Gunner? But the players who have finished below him should feel cheated.

28. Charlie Nicholas
Position: Forward
Arsenal career: 1983-1987
Appearances: 184
Arsenal goals: 54
Honours with Arsenal: League Cup 1987

27. Alan Smith
Position: Forward
Arsenal career: 1987-1995
Appearances: 345
Arsenal goals: 115
Honours with Arsenal: League Championship 1989, 1991; FA Cup 1993; European Cup Winners Cup 1994

26. Paul Merson
Position: Midfielder/ Striker
Arsenal career: 1986-1997
Appearances: 425
Arsenal goals: 99
Honours with Arsenal: League Championship 1989, 1991; FA Cup 1993; League Cup 1993; European Cup Winners Cup 1994
I love this guy, but I'll never be able to look at him in the same way again after watching his tooth fall out on live TV.

25. Ashley Cole
Position: Left-back
Arsenal career: 1999-2006
Appearances: 228
Arsenal goals: 9
Honours with Arsenal: League Championship 2002, 2004; FA Cup 2002, 2003, 2005
Another controversial addition to the list; Ashley Cole was once more than a Gunner: he was a Gooner. Now he's a c***.

24. John Radford
Position: Forward
Arsenal career: 1962-1976
Appearances: 481
Arsenal goals: 149
Honours with Arsenal: League Championship 1971; FA Cup 1971; European Fairs Cup 1970

23. Brian Talbot
Position: Midfield
Arsenal career: 1979-1985
Appearances: 327
Arsenal goals: 49
Honours with Arsenal: FA Cup 1979

22. Emmanuel Petit
Position: Midfield
Arsenal career: 1997-2000
Appearances: 118
Arsenal goals: 11
Honours with Arsenal: League Championship 1998; FA Cup 1998
I used to love Petit merely because I wanted his hair.

21. Lee Dixon
Position: Right-back
Arsenal career: 1988-2002
Appearances: 619
Arsenal goals: 28
Honours with Arsenal: League Championship 1989, 1991, 1998, 2002; FA Cup 1993, 1998, 2002; European Cup Winners Cup 1994
As an Arsenal fan, you are obligated to love this man. Because he's awesome. Even though Match of the Day like to pretend he's a City fan.
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Little Fluffy Theo
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With this countdown now in it's final twenty, we're going to be going five at a time and focusing on each player in more detail.

20. Martin Keown
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Position: Defender
Arsenal career: 1985-1986 & 1993-2004 - Yep, he spent one season with us, went off to Aston Villa and Everton, then finally came back to his home.
Appearances: 449
Arsenal goals: 8
Honours with Arsenal: League championship 1998, 2002, 2004; FA Cup 1998, 2002, 2003
He's one of my favourite past Arsenal players. The level of commitment he showed to the club was like nothing else, and he had this fiery spirit that won games. He cared.

19. Ray Parlour
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Position: Midfielder
Arsenal career: 1992-2004
Appearances: 466
Arsenal goals: 32
Honours with Arsenal: League championship 1998, 2002, 2004; FA Cup 1998, 2002, 2003; League Cup 1993; European Cup Winners Cup 1994
For me, Ray Parlour was always underrated. He had a long career at Arsenal and the number of trophies he lifted speaks volumes, but he was always one of those solid players people didn't really speak that much about. It says a lot that Arsene Wenger voted Parlour into his all-time XI.

18. Cliff Bastin
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Position: Outside-left
Arsenal career: 1929-1946
Appearances: 396
Arsenal goals: 178
Honours with Arsenal: League championship 1931, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1938; FA Cup 1930, 1936
Obviously I wasn't alive back in the 1940s, but his name is one you're always familiar with as an Arsenal fan. Maybe he deserves to be higher in the list, and would be if it weren't for the fact that most of us never witnessed him playing.

17. Pat Rice
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Changed much?
Position: Defender
Arsenal career: 1967-1980
Appearances: 528
Arsenal goals: 13
Honours with Arsenal: League championship 1971; FA Cup 1971, 1979
That list of trophies there doesn't say nearly enough about him. His name should be beside everything Arsenal have won since 1984. It's a list of "Greatest Gunners", and he encompasses that as both the player and the assistant-coach.

16. David Rocastle - Known fondly amongst fans as "Rocky Rocastle"
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Position: Midfielder
Arsenal career: 1985-1992
Appearances: 277
Arsenal goals: 34
Honours with Arsenal: League championship 1989, 1991; League Cup 1987
A great player whose life was cut too short. He should've been retiring just a couple of years ago, but he shone while he had the chance.
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Little Fluffy Theo
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Woop! Now time to count down from 15 to 11.

15. Sol Campbell
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Position: Defender
Arsenal career: 2001-2006
Appearances: 197
Arsenal goals: 11
Honours with Arsenal: League championship 2002, 2004; FA Cup 2002
Not only did signing Sol Campbell majorly piss off Sp**s, but he was a great player, too. Very solid at the back; he played a massive part in our unbeaten run, our double-winning season, and of course he scored that goal in the Champions League final, which made just about our entire lives for all of half an hour.

14. David O'Leary
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Position: Defender
Arsenal career: 1975-1993
Appearances: 722
Arsenal goals: 14
Honours with Arsenal: League championship 1989, 1991; FA Cup 1979, 1993; League Cup 1987, 1993
Alright, well this guy's career with Arsenal was absolutely huge. He shows that you can be a brilliant player and still have an undying commitment to a club.

13. Kanu
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Position: Forward
Arsenal career: 1999-2004
Appearances: 198
Arsenal goals: 44
Honours with Arsenal: League championship 2002, 2004; FA Cup 2002, 2003
Kanu used to make me laugh, because he always looked so clumsy on the ball, as if he was about to fall over at any moment, but he always held the ball up and scored. I'll never forget that hat-trick he scored against Chelsea, in all of... *checks* ...17 minutes.

12. Marc Overmars
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Position: Midfielder
Arsenal career: 1997-2000
Appearances: 142
Arsenal goals: 41
Honours with Arsenal: League championship 1998; FA Cup 1998
Overmars was one of my first loves. A small guy with amazing speed. It was his goal in the FA Cup final against Newcastle back in 1998 that made me crazy with love for the whole team.

11. Freddie Ljungberg
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Position: Midfielder
Arsenal career: 1998-2007
Appearances: 328
Arsenal goals: 72
Honours with Arsenal: League championship 2002, 2004; FA Cup 2002, 2003, 2005
I love this man. I actually love him. He's one of the most committed, determined and fiery little players I've ever seen. He had a lot of bad luck with injuries, especially towards the end of his career at Arsenal, but he never stopped trying, and when he was on, he was on.
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thatgooner
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Just to remind people, Arsene's XI wasn't "chosen" by him. It was a 4-4-2 with players he played the most in each position. Because I'm sure if it were up to him, he wouldn't have put Cole in front of Clichy and such but it was just who had the most appearances in each position.

And yes Cashley is a cunt and a huge one at that but he was the best left back in the world when he was with us.

And Anelka? We built London Colney on his ass. Good for him.
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Little Fluffy Theo
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^^ I thought it was. Because surely Lee Dixon put in more appearances at RB than Lauren did. And Tony Adams more than Kolo Toure at CB?

We're now counting down from 10 to 6. How exciting. :redbounce:

10. Pat Jennings
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Position: Goalkeeper
Arsenal career: 1977-1984
Appearances: 327
Arsenal goals: Arsenal.com are saying 0, but I'm sure I heard he once scored a goal from his own box.
Honours with Arsenal: FA Cup 1979
The goalkeeper who left Arsenal to go and join Tottenham. No doubting he was incredible, though.

9. Charlie George
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Position: Forward
Arsenal career: 1969-1975
Appearances: 179
Arsenal goals: 49
Honours with Arsenal: League championship 1971; FA Cup 1971; European Fairs Cup 1970
Or Charlie Gooner, as I like to call him, because that's what he is. He hasn't played for Arsenal for thirty-three years, but he's still at the club, immersing himself in Arsenal. A great player with a great legacy.

8. Liam Brady
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Position: Midfielder
Arsenal career: 1973-1980
Appearances: 307
Arsenal goals: 59
Honours with Arsenal: FA Cup 1979
Chippy! A 1970s fan's favourite. He was the old skool Cesc Fabregas, except with weirder hair.

7. David Seaman
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Position: Goalkeeper
Arsenal career: 1990-2003
Appearances: 564
Arsenal goals: 0
Honours with Arsenal: League championship 1991, 1998, 2002; FA Cup 1993, 1998, 2002, 2003; League Cup 1993; European Cup Winners Cup 1994
Jesus Christ, this man did a hell of a lot with us. The best goalkeeper Arsenal have ever had; not even a certain Crazy Jens could make us forget him. Arsenal's very own BFG!

6. Robert Pires
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Position: Midfielder
Arsenal career: 2000-2006
Appearances: 284
Arsenal goals: 84
Honours with Arsenal: League championship 2002, 2004; FA Cup 2003, 2005
Bobby and Freddie. Bobby and Titi. Two lethal combinations which won us the title in both 2002 and 2004 (49 GAMES UNBEATEN!). He scored some beautiful goals and set up some peaches, and was at the heart of our sexy football. I love this legend!

So now we have reached our final 5, and I am guessing that the top 5 will be (in no particular order): Tony Adams, Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Ian Wright. This is gonna be incredibly tight, and although I can probably guess who will win the whole thing, I'm not sure about the order of the other four.

I'm fixing a poll to the topic, so vote for, not who you think will win, but who you WANT to win. Who you think deserves the title of Greatest Gunner.
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Little Fluffy Theo
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I've decided three things:
1. I want Dennis Bergkamp to win the whole thing.
2. I think that Thierry Henry should win the whole thing.
3. This will be how the vote will finish:
5. Patrick Vieira
4. Tony Adams
3. Ian Wright
2. Dennis Bergkamp
1. Thierry Henry

Strikers get all the glory.

And this is who we have in at number 5...

5. Patrick Vieira
Born June 23, 1976. Dakar, Senegal.
Position Midfielder
Arsenal Career 1996-2005
Arsenal Appearances 406
Arsenal Goals 33
Honours with Arsenal League championship 1998, 2002, 2004; FA Cup 1998, 2002, 2005

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Click to read about him.
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squishygooners
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Hey I just realised that Paddy shares his birthday with Zidane :wub:
It's also the day I found out a certain Thierry Henry left us. <_<

I would actually swap Tony Adams and Ian Wright but I don't know. We'll see. It's going to be a close call between Henry and Bergkamp but 226 goals ought to win it for the former.
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Little Fluffy Theo
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Oooh, you were right, SDG. *Bows at Gooner feet*
I guess I never really felt the same way about Tony Adams since I heard all these stories about the way he behaved at AA meetings, but then he was ill, so I guess you've got to make some allowances... But he sort of drifted away from the club, while Ian Wright has remained very much associated with Arsenal.

ANYWAY.

4. Ian Wright
Name Ian Wright
Born November 3, 1963. Woolwich, London.
Position Forward
Arsenal Career 1991-1998
Arsenal Appearances 288
Arsenal Goals 185
Honours with Arsenal League championship 1998; FA Cup 1993, 1998; League Cup 1993

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Click to read about him.

This is a guy who really has Arsenal in his blood. I don't think you could ever ask for much more than what he gave us. :wub:
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Little Fluffy Theo
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3. Tony Adams
Name Tony Adams
Born October 10, 1966. Romford, Essex.
Position Defender
Arsenal Career 1983-2002 [Wow. |He was here almost 20 years.]
Arsenal Appearances 669
Arsenal Goals
48
Honours with Arsenal League Championship 1989, 1991, 1998, 2002; FA Cup 1993, 1998, 2002; League Cup 1987, 1993; European Cup Winners Cup 1994 [Bloody hell!]

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Click to read about him.

Tomorrow's the big day where the top two (INLCUDING THE WINNER!) will be announced.
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Little Fluffy Theo
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Number two (haha: poo :priyasbf: ) has been announced, and it is our wonderful, splendid Iceman. *Marries him.* :wub: So of course, I think we can all guess who's at number one. And really, I guess you have to say he deserves it. He broke records, and did it with such flair we all fabregasmed many, many times watching it. And I know we were all heartbroken when he left us, but in hindsight it was best for everyone us. HIP-HIP-HOORAY to Pascal Cygan! :D :rolleyes:

Anyway. Now is Dennis Bergkamp time.

2. Dennis Bergkamp
Born May 10, 1969. Amsterdam, Holland.
Position Forward
Arsenal Career 1995-2006
Arsenal Appearances 423
Arsenal Goals 120
Honours with Arsenal League Championship 1998, 2002, 2004; FA Cup 2002, 2003, 2005

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Click to read about him.

I don't know about everyone else, but for me, Dennis Bergkamp was the perfect forward. And if you're looking for the perfect footballer, perfect example, perfect man, as a whole, he was that, too. Some of the stuff he came up with was just amazing. He scored goals, he set them up, he played and flicked some of the most beautiful football you will ever see, and he did it all at just one club. Was he ever tempted by money or the lure of big Spanish giants? Nope. He gave his heart and his soul to Arsenal, and continues to do so now. I love this man. I hope he becomes our manager one day in the future.
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Little Fluffy Theo
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1. Thierry Henry
Born August 17, 1977. Les Ulis, France.
Position Forward
Arsenal Career 1999-2007
Arsenal Appearances 380
Arsenal Goals 226
Honours with Arsenal League championship 2002, 2004; FA Cup 2002, 2003

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Click to read about him.

VA-VA-VOOM! Only the most bitter Arsenal fans would hate Thierry now. I believe he's genuine when he talks about Arsenal being in his heart and his blood, and not just because I want to believe that. He could've left us back in 2002, 2003, 2004 (that period when he was being hailed the best footballer in the world, and rightly so), or after our heartbreaking 2006 season, where we just pipped Tottenham to 4th and came within 15 minutes of winning the Champions League. But he stayed put. He gave us his wonder years, and left at the right time. He scored some amazing goals, did some phenomenal things that I don't think I'll ever be able to get my head around, and when he was here, he gave his everything to Arsenal. I'm not sure we'll ever see another player quite like him at Arsenal as long as we're alive. I'm proud he earned his status as one of the best footballers on the planet at Arsenal. :gooners:

Right. Now feel free to spam this topic with Henry-ness.
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squishygooners
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:wub:
He really truly is the sex. *humps*

I don't know if he deserved it more than Dennis but as I said before, it's a very close call.
I think his legendary arse just about edges it though. :ph4:
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Little Fluffy Theo
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Quote:
 
Henry - It's a true honour to be voted the Greatest Gunner

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Thierry Henry has thanked the Arsenal fans for voting him as the Greatest Gunner ever.

The Frenchman beat off the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Tony Adams and Patrick Vieira to scoop the award after poll was held on Arsenal.com during May.

The result were revealed over the course of the summer, with the No 1 and 2 spots unveiled on Thursday. Speaking exclusively to Club website on Friday, Henry seemed delighted with his accolade.

“Thanks to everyone who voted for me,” he said. “It’s always a true honour when something is voted for by the fans, especially Arsenal fans as they have many great players from their past to choose from.

“As you know, I loved my time at Arsenal and have many fantastic memories from my eight years there. It was an honour to play in the historic red and white of Arsenal especially at Highbury. I’ll always follow the team and what they do. I’ll always be a Gooner in my heart.

“And finally thanks to the fans for their support during my time at the club. They were right behind me and the team in good times and bad.”

Itittttttttt!

A year on, I think all my bitterness has finally washed away. He's not an Arsenal player anymore, and I'm alright with that. He was a great - an amazing - player for us. He was out of this world. But times change, we all move on, and now we can only look back and reflect. Thanks, Henry. You made my childhood years of being a Gooner truly special. I'll be proud to tell the grandchildren I witnessed your career as it was happening. :gooners:

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Kem
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awwww thierry, I LOVE YOU!!!! :wub: :wub: :wub: :wub:

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