Generations of Gunners

It’s slightly more than a month away from the new season. Enough of those withdrawal symptoms, I thought. I’ve drawn up this list of first team players…..Incredible, I’ve witness close to 9 generations of players.

LATE 70s
Goalkeeper – Pat Jennings

Defender – Peter Simpson, Willie Young, David O’ Leary, John Devine, Pat Rice, Sammy Nelson

Midfielder – Alan Hudson, George Armstrong, Peter Storey, Liam Brady, Paul Vaessen, Brian McDermott, Alan Sunderland, Steve Gatting, Brian Talbot, Graham Rix, John Hollins, Paul Davis, David Price, Trevor Ross, Wilf Rostron

Forward – Malcom MacDonald, Frank Stapleton


EARLY 80s
Goalkeeper – Pat Jennings, George Wood

Defender – David O’ Leary, John Devine, Pat Rice, Chris Whyte, Colin Hill, Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Kenny Sansom

Midfielder – Liam Brady, Paul Vaessen, Brian McDermott, Alan Sunderland, Steve Gatting, Brian Talbot, Graham Rix, John Hollins, Paul Davis, David Price, Peter Nicholas, Vladimir Petrovic, Stewart Robson

Forward – Raphael Meade, Tony Woodcock


MID 80s
Goalkeeper – Pat Jennings, John Lukic

Defender – Viv Anderson, Chris Whyte, Tommy Caton, Tony Adams, David O’ Leary, Kenny Sansom, Gus Caesar, Martin Keown

Midfielder – Paul Merson, Brian Talbot, Steve Williams, Stewart Robson, Graham Rix, Paul Davis, David Rocastle

Forward – Tony Woodcock, Charlie Nicholas, Ian Allinson, Perry Groves, Martin Hayes, Paul Mariner, Lee Chapman


LATE 80s
Goalkeeper – John Lukic

Defender – David O’ Leary, Kenny Sansom, Gus Caesar, Colin Pates, Lee Dixon, Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Nigel Winterburn

Midfielder – Siggi Jonsson, Brian Marwood, Paul Merson, David Hillier, Paul Davis, Kevin Richardson, David Rocastle, Micheal Thomas

Forward – Niall Quinn, Kevin Campbell, Martin Hayes, Perry Groves, Alan Smith


EARLY 90s
Goalkeeper – David Seaman, Alan Miller

Defender – David O’ Leary, Gus Caesar, Colin Pates, Lee Dixon, Tony Adams, Nigel Winterburn, Steve Bould, Andy Linighan, Martin Keown

Midfielder – Paul Davis, David Rocastle, Micheal Thomas, David Hillier, Steve Morrow, Ian Selley, John Jensen, Ray Parlour, Paul Merson, Anders Limpar

Forward – Perry Groves, Alan Smith, Andy Cole, Paul Dickov, Kevin Campbell, Ian Wright


MID 90s
Goalkeeper – David Seaman, John Lukic, Vince Bartram

Defender – Lee Dixon, Tony Adams, Nigel Winterburn, Steve Bould, Andy Linighan, Martin Keown, Matthew Upson

Midfielder – Paul Merson, Paul Davis, David Hillier, Steve Morrow, Ian Selley, Stefan Schwarz, John Jensen, Eddie McGoldrick, Glenn Helder, David Platt, Ray Parlour, Patrick Vieira, Remi Garde, Stephen Hughes

Forward – Alan Smith, Chris Kiwomya, Paul Dickov, Kevin Campbell, John Hartson, Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp, Nicolas Anelka


LATE 90s
Goalkeeper – David Seaman, Alex Manninger, John Lukic

Defender – Silvinho, Nelson Vivas, Oleg Luzhny, Lee Dixon, Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Nigel Winterburn, Martin Keown, Matthew Upson, Ashley Cole

Midfielder – Jermaine Pennant, Marc Overmars, David Platt, Ray Parlour, Patrick Vieira, Emmanuel Petit, Stefan Malz, Luis Boa Morte, Remi Garde, Stephen Hughes, Gilles Grimandi, Freddie Ljungberg

Forward – Dennis Bergkamp, Ian Wright, John Hartson, Davor Suker, Christopher Wreh, Nicolas Anelka, Jeremie Aliadiere, Kaba Diawara, Thierry Henry, Kanu


EARLY 00s
Goalkeeper – David Seaman, Alex Manninger, Richard Wright

Defender – Lauren, Freddie Ljungberg, Jermaine Pennant, Pascal Cygan, Oleg Luzhny, Kolo Toure, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, Martin Keown, Sol Campbell, Matthew Upson, Tony Adams, Igor Stephanovs, Ashley Cole

Midfielder – Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, Sebastian Larsson, Patrick Vieira, Edu, Robert Pires, Gilberto, Marc Overmars, Ray Parlour, Emmanuel Petit, Stefan Malz, Luis Boa Morte, Gilles Grimandi

Forward – Thierry Henry, Francis Jeffers, Kanu, Dennis Bergkamp, Sylvain Wiltord, Jeremie Aliadiere, David Bentley


MID 00s
Goalkeeper – Jens Lehmann, Manuel Almunia, Mart Poom, Lukasz Fabianski

Defender – Philippe Senderos, Justin Hoyte, Johan Djourou, Sol Campbell, Emmanuel Eboue, Gael Clichy, Ashley Cole, Pascal Cygan, Kolo Toure, William Gallas, Lauren

Midfielder – Aleksandr Hleb, Gilberto, Mathieu Flamini, Denilson, Robert Pires, Cesc Fabregas, Abou Diaby, Patrick Vieira, Theo Walcott, Alex Song, Tomas Rosicky, Jose Antonio Reyes, Freddie Ljungberg

Forward – Thierry Henry, Eduardo Da Silva, Dennis Bergkamp, Emmanuel Adebayor, Jeremie Aliadiere, Julio Baptista, Robin Van Persie

Dennis Bergkamp is my idol forever. The Bergkamp years at Highbury was quite simply, the best!

I can recall the good ole days... listening to BBC radio for the "live" match commentary, reading SHOOT magazines and watching football highlights on "Big League Soccer" hosted by Brian Moore. Ha... all those years ago.