The Schemer That Was George Eastham
May 19th, 2009 by 'holic
I need to take my mind off the internal squabbles, the stories linking Arsene with Real Madrid, the Adebayor fuss, the reported budget. I want to get excited about the last game of the season because, after Sunday, I probably won’t see my Arsenal again until August.
Did I say excited? About Stoke? What am I thinking?
The strange thing is that I really want to like Stoke. It’s a childhood thing, I think. My first memories of watching Arsenal include matches against Stoke. They were First Division regulars when I was growing up, and in the early seventies played an important part in my footballing experiences.
The Stoke side of that era was a mix of old and young, skilled and solid. If you let them play they could play, but they could mix it with the best of them. Two years running they gave us scares in FA Cup semi-finals before we secured replay triumphs, and many would consider that we secured the double in 1971 as a result of our reaction to a staggering 5-0 beating in the Potteries.
In 1972 they landed their only major triumph when they beat Chelsea in the League Cup Final at Wembley. Even in those days it was good to see Chelsea coming a cropper. Peter Osgood’s goal was cancelled out by a strike from Irish winger Terry Conroy, and a late winner from 35 year old George Eastham.
It was the winner that made it special for a teenage Arsenal fan. Eastham was the playmaker in the first Arsenal sides I can remember watching. How good was he? Well he ended up the only Gunner in England’s 1966 World Cup winning squad after the goal machine that was Joe Baker was left out.
George was a wonderful passer of the ball and enjoyed superb close control but in the workmanlike England team under Alf Ramsey there was no room for both him and Bobby Charlton so he was restricted to just nineteen caps for his country in the three years leading up to the World Cup. For those too young to have seen him play he would have been the closest thing we had to an Alex Hleb in the sixties. (Hleb was probably a tougher tackler!)
He had joined Arsenal in strange circumstances in October 1960. In those days clubs could retain players registrations as long as they wanted, and George eventually forced a move from an unhappy spell with Newcastle by going on strike. After a protracted dispute Newcastle gave in and let him move south for what in those days was a massive £47,500. Prompted by the PFA he took Newcastle to court and his resulting partial success paved the way for players to have greater freedom of movement.
In six years at Highbury, George clocked up over two hundred appearances, and although never a prolific scorer himself (41 goals in those six years) he was part of a magnificent attack that the young Goonerholic enjoyed watching. Sadly his time at the club coincided with the unsuccessful managerial reigns of George Swindin and Billy Wright, when a porous defence was allowed to fester for too long.
In the wake of the World Cup triumph Billy Wright was sacked by Arsenal and George, approaching his thirtieth birthday was jettisoned by the club to make way for the new young talent. Few would have thought he would stay with Stoke for eight years, let alone score the winner in a Wembley final for them.
The lure of Arsenal has remained powerful for the retired Eastham, who became a figurehead of the Arsenal South Africa Supporters Club, having emigrated in 1978. Sadly, for a player who won a degree of freedom that would eventually lead to many others making fortunes out of the game, he had to sell his memorabilia last year, saying “there’s only so much time you can spend looking at your football stuff, and I want to leave some money to my family when I go”.
Thanks for the memories, George.
58 Responses to “The Schemer That Was George Eastham”
I’m thirsty.
Another excellent post, mr ‘holic.
“there’s only so much time you can spend looking at your football stuff, and I want to leave some money to my family when I go”.
Adebayor and Co please take note. And they wonder why that on the odd occasion there is some desertion in the ranks?
When you wonder why there are problems in the game read the above and think about how over paid and over pampered players have become.
Nice post. Back on the Fullers if you have any in?
Great post ‘holic. I’m an old git, too. I remember watching old ‘Twinkle Toes’ Eastham from the schoolboys’ enclosure. On paper that was a great team, with Joe Baker up front, Frank Mclintock winning the ball, Terry Neill and Don Howe at the back, and the magnificent Geordie Armstrong ‘covering every blade of grass’ on the wing.
It’s quite sad that that team never won anything, until Bertie Mee taught them how to defend. Mee benefited greatly from Billy Wright’s insistence on developing the youth set-up.
George was my favourite player,first time I saw Arsenal was against Wolves at Highbury in early sixties,we lost 4 5 .our forwards were McCleland,Strong,Bker,Eastham,Skirton,superb attack I have still got the programme.
Thanks guys.
You might be interested in pieces I did on Billy McCullough and Joe Baker if you are of that vintage.
http://goonerholic.com/?p=454
http://goonerholic.com/?p=23
Hmmm, vintage stuff. I’ll take a glass of that to quaff…
Eastham was in my opinion far better than Hleb, he had amazing vision I would liken him more to Brady the ball seemed to stick to his boots when he went on the dribble.
Anyone remember the wonder goal he scored against the Hammers Must have been in 64 or 65. We were something like 3 nil down at half time and somehow got it back to 3 2 George. Picked the ball up up the half way line and ran through their whole defence he must have nutmegged about 6 of them including the goalie and walked the ball into the back of the net. 3 3 and the North bank ( where I was a reular went spare
Bloody hell, Martin. I remember that game! For some reason me and the old man were not in our usual spot at the back of the Clock End, he had shelled out for seats in East Lower. At three down the young ‘holic let out a high-pitched “We want Arsenal”, and some pissed off punter behind yelled back “Well you can bleedin’ well ‘ave ’em son”.
Stick for the side is not a new phenomenon!
yea holic you really are a bit old… interesting anyway had never heard of eastham.
Heh ‘holic. Top stories and Martin, great memory.
george eastha was a real quality player , one of our few stars of the 60’s, a genuine schemer, clever dribbler, slighty built but with a powerful shot. i remember him making many goals for joe baker and geoff strong. In the billy wright days , we would score plenty of goals, but usually conceded plenty in return. george was definitely a class act.
Brilliant post ‘holic.
Sadly im not old enough to relive moments like that!
Super post, ‘Holic. Great effort to get heads and minds out of the mire that is the current commentary on all things Arsenal.
Almost makes me wish I was old enough to have been around in the 70’s……..Went to see Springsteen here last night. He used to be around in the 70’s too I’m told. Fantastic three hours. Not that I knew any of the songs of-course, being a bit too young to have been around at the time. Are you familiar with his work by any chance, Snail?
Think we’ll se the Carling Cup team on the field against Stoke?
Sorry to trouble you again, Mr ‘Holic, but me and the Guvnor, Chaver, was a bit puzzled by you thinking that our new man Emmanuel wasn’t pullin’ his weight so, we mixed us up two Tolly Grand Marnier n Brasso’s and got our pencils out. This is how we see fings:
2008 2009
Game Goal Ratio Game Goal Ratio
Adebayor 41 29 71 32 20 63
Van Persie 20 9 45 49 28 57
Torres 41 30 73 47 21 44
Kuyt 29 7 24 58 21 36
Rooney 38 18 47 51 24 47
Tevez 43 19 44 39 16 41
Ronaldo 46 42 91 65 34 52
Drogba 28 16 57 28 15 53
Anelka 33 12 36 54 29 53
See the funny fing is, our Emmanuel’s ratio was second only to Ronaldo in 2008. Then it was highest in 2009. Not bad for a lazy, good for nothing, prideless, wingeing, off-side getting, mercenary like what you Gooners describe him.
Never mind, Gooners, you’ll be able to buy both Dogbreath and Anelka wiv the money we gives ya for Mr Emmanuel. Then you’ll really see what lazy, good for nothing, prideless, mercenary, off-side getting, mercenary looks like. AND Mr Emanuel will look much nicer in blue than he does in that poofy red of yours.
What me and Old Chaver can’t understand is why them tinky Mancs and Scousers don’t tear strips of their strikers for being crap. They must be cos’ there ratios is way behind our Emanuels. Maybe they know their players is too sensitive?
Can’t wait till we get Emanuel over at the bridge.
Till next time, Gooners. Now, Chaver, we’ve lost the Brasso again mate.
Wish you’d stop polishing your toe-nails wiv it then putting in back in the can.
2008 2009
Game Goal Ratio Game Goal Ratio
Adebayor 41 29 71 32 20 63
Van Persie 20 9 45 49 28 57
Torres 41 30 73 47 21 44
Kuyt 29 7 24 58 21 36
Rooney 38 18 47 51 24 47
Tevez 43 19 44 39 16 41
Ronaldo 46 42 91 65 34 52
Drogba 28 16 57 28 15 53
Anelka 33 12 36 54 29 53
Sorry, Gooners! Old Chaver spilled the Brasso on me keyboard (daft old bugger’s been around since the seventies) and me numbers got scrambled. Trying again.
The Guvnor says, tell them Gooners we didn’t just get these numbers off the back of a fag packet. We got ’em off ESPN.com (stats). Old Chaver ain’t got no time for decimal points. “Bill, I never did like a decimal. Don’t trust them further than I can throw ’em. Never have, never will” he said to me. So we multiplied our ratios by 100 to convert to numbers what Chaver could trust.
And, he says, “Tell them Gooners we used every game played by each player. Our Emanuel can score in any competition for any team. Me and Chaver’s going over to the Bridge now to await His coming. Got our stock of Brasso wiv us.
We don’t care how much Roman spends ’cause he’s got loadsamoney and we’re 500 million in debt, but we don’t give a tuppeny toss cause Emanuel’s coming to the Bridge!
Shit. There goes the Brasso again. If you’re interested, you’ll easily work it all out. Just get your Woodbine packet out and write me numbers down in columns.
What’s a Chav doing on this site?
Hate to say it but your data is interesting CB. So your saying that Ade’s goal per game ratio was the best in England in 2009 for all the games he played? How does it compare with Messi, Villa, Henry and Co? Does he have the best ratio in Europe?
1. Adebayor (.63)
2. Van Persie (.57)
3. Drogba (.53)
4. Anelka (.53)
5. Ronaldo (.52)
8. Tevez (.41)
9. Kuyt (.36)
The funny thing is that Ade’s ratio dropped by 8 from 2008 but Torres dropped by 29 and Ronaldo by 39. It must be Ronaldo who’s the lazy b. Don’t hear the United fans baying for his blood though.
Please enlighten me. What is Brasso?
Another lesson in history for relatively younger gooners like me. Thank you ‘holic.
Need I any more reason for ranking this as one of my fav blogs.Period.
Thanks again, great post! I like the history bits you do.
I need to get one thing out of the way. ManUre might deserve to be the champions, because the table doesn’t lie, but worthy winners they were not. Liverpool have played the best football, albeit not the most consistent, what with their bout of Arsenalitis. They beat ManU twice, including that stonking 4-1 win at OT after giving them a 1 goal head-start, and since their inexplicable 2-0 reverse to the mighty Middlesborough, haven’t lost a game, dropped a point or conceeded more than 1 goal. The glaring exception is the 4-4 draw at Anfield. ManU were lucky that Liverpool slipped up this season, just as we did the previous one. Credit to ManU for being able to capitalise, because they have been ruthlessly efficient. 15 single goal wins, 9 of which were 1-0, is testament to that. But you’re not going to hear about boring boring Utd. Their only worthy title of the last three really was depriving Mourinho in 2007. I’m not going to devote another word in this post to them, or I will be accused of sour grapes, surfice it to say that if they win they CL I’m going to put a pound – anyone who knows which bookies give the best odds – on them not winning another English league title for the next 20 years. Ring a bell?
Now to some more unsavoury stuff that also needs to be got out of the way. How any real Arsenal fan can want Wenger to go or be replaced is beyond me. That’s another reason why I’m glad the title and the top half of the table is settled. They would have definitely got a point at Hull anyway. This allows us to focus on the relegation battle. Any two of 4 from those Northeast clubs will go down. If the Toons and the Mackems go down, they take a total of 10 English league titles with them. That’s more than Chelscum, the Spuds, Leeds and Forest put together. See a pattern?
Those who wish Wenger gone, be careful what you wish for. He is our most successful manager ever. He has kept us punching above our weight consistently in the top 4 when we have seen the best ManU, Chelscum and Liverpool teams for years. He has given us memories that even those teams can only dream off. I’m not saying he doesn’t make mistakes – as much as I wished he didn’t – but some of the slack he has taken this season is really perverse. I’ve been lucky enough to start supporting the Gunners in their best 2 decades of their entire history. But I’ve done my homework and look at the barren seasons and wondered at times if we’d ever seen them again. Fans who saw them win the league title in ‘53 and then had to live through 18 absolutely barren years till the double in ‘71 will understand this. Then another 18 years before the next league title in ‘89 with sporadic cup honours sprinkled here and there. I’m sure real Liverpool fans understand as well. Since then, we have really been spoiled by George and Arsene. Didn’t look so rosy when Georgie got done though, did it?
We’ve celebrated St Tott’s every single one of Arsene’s years with Arsenal and they’re supposed to have replaced us for 4 seasons running now. And yet just 5 barren years without a league title or honours (I’m not counting the cheap 0-0 2005 FA Cup penalty win where we were outplayed over 120 mins) and we can’t stop bleating. Get a grip Gooners! That’s how long some teams spend in the lower divisions before they come up again. Yes, I want to be as successful as Liverpool and ManU have been, but it doesn’t come overnight and certainly not without a price. Wenger is the best man to do it, whether he actually does or not is another matter. But mark my words, if he goes, we will not win another title for the next 5 years. So for flip’s sake, be grateful for what we have, give Arsene his due credit and lets follow him wherever it is he takes us.
Still not convinced, fine. For all the ingratitude that he has received, a perverse part of me actually wants him to iron out a 10m euro a year deal with Real for five years, with the 50m guaranteed if they sack him. If he’s got to take so much stick, he might as well get paid for it, sell his principles and milk his reputation for all it is worth. Remember he doesn’t owe anyone anything. Imagine he did go to Real, who would you replace him with? Exactly!
Stand up 4 the Arsenal??
Great to see some nostalgia on George?
My first memories are of standing in the “ schoolboys enclosure” to “cheer” on Eastham and co? during those years of “underachievement”?
Character building experiences for all supporters?Take note! Young Gooners ! Great times will come again.
Eastham was a great “playmaker” and seemed to
float past the opposition.
As for Stoke and nostalgia,will NEVER forget Peter Storey’s last kick penalty equaliser after being 2 down at halftime in FA cup semi.
Great times!
I can see what you are trying there Billy 🙂
What is it they say about lies, damned lies, and statistics? The devils advocate in me would like to take the science out of it and ask a straightforward, ‘How many goals do you think Drogba would have scored if he was having chances laid on a plate in front of him instead of having to snatch what he can after bringing the ball out of orbit at the Bridge?
Now, what else was there? Ah yes, Springsteen. Never a particular favourite of mine, I have to say, although obviously he banged out a couple of memorable tunes. From that side of the pond I was more an Iggy Pop, Lou Reed sort.
Whoops, shower time. Have a good one, ‘holics.
[…] was a fantastic piece written by the Goonerholic last night about a striker from what is now considered the old days at Arsenal, the old and mostly […]
A quick postscript for those who queried my pointing out in the last comments that the Mail has become the vehicle of choice for Red & White Holdings.
What do you think was their motivation for todays vitriolic piece of bile and personal abuse?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1184537/Its-Arsenal-board-Silent-Stan-Over-The-Hill-Wood-questions-answer-NOT-sitting-duck-Arsene-Wenger.html
Who do you think has most to gain from the cheap shots at Peter Hill-Wood and Stan Kroenke?
Scumbags.
Lovely piece ‘Holic! A little bit of everything, but most importantly the necessary reminder that Arsenal is bigger than these “times of troubles” (if they even are troubled times, compared to what we’ve been through…) and has existed before the EPL and hopefully will exist when this league is sent to the grave (My guess is without Liverpool ever winning it…)!
Now, a pitcher of margarita on top of that, cheers!
Another great great post! Wow!
awesome piece as always. i’m a member of the supporters club down here in SA and it really hit home. can’t wait for the game on sunday.
i think it should be compulsory for every player that signs for arsenal to read articles like this lol
Great article holic’ it cool learning about the old legends
Good article Goonerholic.
What a lot of supporters forget about football in the 50/60’s especially, was that the ball was made of leather with inverted laces and in muddy conditions it weighed a ton,boots were also very primitive,so to produce the skilful football that George and his contempararies did on a regular basis was even more remarkable.
Plus of course they never got the protection from referees that the spoilt brats of today do.
The cloggers were legendary up and down the country,John Radford,great and underrated striker,said he never played a sgl game without wearing shinpads on the front and back of his legs.
I always remember a cuptie at Highbury against Liverpool in the early 60’s when Ron Yeats went straight through the back of Joe Baker and nearly cut him in half.!!
Joe jumped up and as Yeats was trying to get to his feet,he hit him with the sweetest right hook you’ve ever seen.
Joe didn’t wait for the ref to send him off,he just walked off down the tunnel.
When Yeats woke up the ref sent him off as well.!!
We were also spoilt in those days with a platoon of wonderful goalkeepers,beginning with our own Jack Kelsey,Bert Trautmann at Man City,Eddie Hopkinson at Bolton,Peter Springett at Sheff Wed,Ted Ditchburn at Spurs,Adam Blacklaw at Burnley,Tommy Lawrence at Liverpool,Alan Hodgkinson at Sheff Utd and last but not least the great Harry Gregg at Man Utd.
I was privileged to be at the famous 5-4 game at Highbury on
Feb 1st 1958,the last game Utd played before the Munich aircrash
which cost the lives of some wonderful footballers.
It was a fantastic game which will never be forgotten by anyone who was there.
I still have the programme in pristine condition.
Oh those were the days.!!
Thank you for reviving the memories of a similarly vintaged Gooner. Yes, those years from 1963 (my first game) to 1970 were, on the face of it, pretty forgettable. Curiously though, many of us actually remember them with great affection & the ‘inside forward’ trio of Eastham, Baker & Strong was principally responsible for that. What is also something of a paradox, is that our support (though not always reflected in attendances) was, as I recall it, far more passionate & vocal then (with a far greater repertoire of songs) than it has been in the succeeding years of plenty &, certainly, as it is now. But back to George Eastham, the only thing I would add to your tribute was a quote I once read about him which likened his running style as being ‘like that of a vicar doing the knees up’. That always ticled me & was, when you cast your mind back, an uncannily accurate & affectionate description of dear George.
Mr Holic,
Superb post!!!! I, like you, know an Arsenal very different to ANY of our players in the squad. Arsene, thankfully, has a sense of history and dignity. He is the only manager who has moved The Arsenal forward in these modern times. He understands The Arsenal. I saw my first match back in 1969 v Everton. 3-1 was the score. The next home match was v Man Utd. We trounced them 3-0. A team with Best, Charlton, Stepney, Stiles (I could go on). Then I remember the 70’s. At one point we were actually bottom of the league and I will never forget the humiliation I felt from my mates at school. Then came the Terry Neill era…..OMG…Mariner…?!?!?! Woodcock…?!?!?! Anderson…?!?!?! KIdd…!??!?! What the f!@#k was that all about. Ok we had Brady and Rix, but they were wasted in that team! Then there was Graham. Solid!! But then…”Arsene Who???” came along!!!! Thank your lucky stars you who doubt him….you really do NOT know how good you have it…!!!!
“there’s only so much time you can spend looking at your football stuff, and I want to leave some money to my family when I go”.
Adebayor and Co please take note. And they wonder why that on the odd occasion there is some desertion in the ranks?
what? If anything this reinforces the sympathy I already had for Adebayor’s pursuit of money. Considering the intense poverty that the man has come from, he now sees an opportunity to provide for his family for many years into the future and that forms part of his concerns as far as money goes. Perhaps he has learned from the travails of an older generation of footballers. In any case the high regard in which he holds money is completely understandable in my view, and I don’t hold his supposed greed especially against him.
‘holic’s great stories should be published in a newspaper. Seriously.
Irish coffee for me, please Sir. Thanks
ChelseaBilly, your stats are bollocks.
These are our strikers’ stats according to Arsenal.com
2008:
Adebayor, played 48, scored 30, ratio 62
Van Persie, played 23, scored 9, ratio 39
2009:
Adebayor, played 37, scored 16, ratio 43
Van Persie, played 43, scored 18, ratio 42
The fact that your stats are so wildly off the mark for those players makes it rather unlikely that they are anywhere near the truth for the other players mentioned.
And by the way, I don’t really think most gooners are all that interested in having the biggest cunt in the universe at our club.
A glass of merlot please?
Ah, lovely post ‘holic. I’m wondering that, at some point later, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to collect such reminiscings into a book form or something. I’m sure you’d get more buyers than for a book by a certain “review..er”
Thanks B, but you will have noticed I struggle with three or four blogposts a week. Unless I get made redundant a bookworth would take me a decade to write 🙂
Great post ‘holic, it really put things into perspective.
ESPN Stats includes 5 goals in 3 games for Togo, and Billy didn’t add the appearances as substitute in his figures.
fantastic piece ‘holic.
A tad jealous of your history with the club i must say.
cheers
Loved reading the Eastham story. He was my favourite player of that time. Macleod was the right winger in those days and not McClelland as stated in an earlier reply. McClelland was a goalkeeper.
Great post. I loved that 60s team however daft it sounds now. Eastham was top class, as was Baker, Strong, Armstrong, Skirton, Neill Howe(though old by then). Sadly, the donkeys like Ure and Co were porous at the back.
Happy days!
32AusGunner
I have no problems with the money players are paid. I just want them to actually earn it and to realise that those who take 2 years to earn what they do in a week are entitled to an opinion. Players are in a privileged position. I for one do not consider Adebayor’s reaction close season as being respectful to the club or the fans. My point was that if you look at the plight of old players these days then they may actually realise how lucky they, regardless of their background.
yoh!chelsea billy boy!a match made in heaven-addeywantmore & the chavs-mercenaries united-would be perfect-the aesenal old boys club-think cashley,le sulk ,& adeywantmore,priceless!accept for one thing.he will end up with milan-who cares which one-we might even get a bit of an auction going me old son & get a shed load of dosh for the lazy,money grabbing tosser…
Brilliant, ‘Holic. While not old enough to remember any of this, I’ve always been a bit enamoured about the generation before mine (I didn’t get found by Arsenal until the ’78 FA cup, not so strange when you understand I’m in the States). Wonderful stuff.
Thanks Woody,
and all who took a little time to leave a word. Makes it all worthwhile.
Cheers.
Just like you Holic I have been watching the Arsenal for over 60 years and remember every name that has been mentioned in this blog and must say didnt we have some fucking great players, Yes I remember the game against against Utd before there Air Crash and was one of the greatest games I have ever seen, although we lost we played some fantastic football, but when I think of some of the players we have had Like Eastham, and a centre half like Leslie Compton, joe Baker George Armstrong, Joe Mercer what a great Captain Mclingtok, Forbes what about if we had him now as Our defensive Midfielder no fucker would get past the half way line eh Holic just hope this gives somebody a little reminder, also of the Barren years we waited to win anything so get behind the manager the best we have had who will get it right again and we will be there with the Chavs and the other two northern bastards Man @ Liv chasing us once again. Cheers Tony.
Thanks for this post! I am only 25, and only been following Arsenal since I became aware of this golorious club in 1998, watching Bergkamp in the WC. (I am from Canada). I love the old stories, and feel bad that I have only been a fan in the good days, never having to support a losing club like so many of you. The only sacrifice and pain I endure is waking up at 5:30am to see the earlier games, or having to wait until 1am on weekdays to catch the replays of Champions League games.
Thankfully Fever Pitch filled in some history for me. I will be bookmarking this site, no doubt about that!
Cheers
Great article on a good guy.
I think it’s unfair people are attacking Adebayor at every opportunity (not accusing anyone in particular). If people were not so subjective they would have known what people think about him back in Togo. He does like to give money back.
Of course his actions could improve and be a better immediate role model.
top stuff sir, eastham was my hero when i stood on the north bank with my dad. had to use a little fold up stool to see the action. wasn’t joe baker a scot? i remember a pre-season game against glasgow rangers (i was a big jim baxter fan) standing at the clock end as dad said the north bank could get a bit fruity when i saw the most remarkable sight as a fight broke out on the north bank and it was like moses, the crowd scattered leaving a few nutters battering each other in the middle of the stand. my lifelong hatred of leeds was forged during that period as well, collins, bremner utter utter c..ts.
[…] he has the great advantage of having supported the club since before it was even formed, but still. Today’s piece on former great George Eastham is well worth a few minutes of your […]
At Last found a site that represents my age group.I was at Hillsborough for that epic Cup Semi Final against Stoke.2-0 down and time running out and our unlikely saviour Peter Storey scoring both,one a penalty against Gordon Banks.On to the replay at Villa Park.What delight and then the final league game at White Hart lane to win the League.I swear there were as many outside the ground as inside.
Still the week wasn’t over,off to Wembley and Charlie George’s extra time winner will always be in my memory.
Finally the dominance of Spurs had been well and truly beaten, the Fairs cup had preceded that year and a wait of 17 years for me was finally over.
300hz
Joe Baker was English, got quite a few caps to prove it. He was unusual in that he played in the Scottish league. We bought him from Hibs. He also played in Italy, for Torino I think.
I always thought Joe Baker was a scot,but he was born in liverpool,and i vaguely remember his first home game or perhaps second,he was badly injured and got stretchered off.
Just checked. He was born in Liverpool but brought up in Scotland. He played for Hibs, then Torino, then us. He won 8 England caps, scoring 3 goals.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Baker
I’ve just remembered a game at Leicester where our keeper (Jim Furnell?) went off injured and Baker took over in goal – no subs then. We lost 7-2.
Gerry, I can’t believe you resorted to Wiki after I left the all important link in comment 6 😉
http://goonerholic.com/?p=23
I’m distraught…
I’m embarrassed. Noticed the links yesterday and made a mental note to look at them today. Forgot. Ooops.
Actually, thinking about it, the Wikipedia link gives you stats that you didn’t supply, but your blog entry tells us much more about him.
Interestingly, I googled ‘Joe Baker’ and his Wiki page was the first result shown, 35 years after his career ended.
now wouldn’t it be nice if george came over to the emirates for the game on sunday.
Petur, Petur, you’ve gone and proved old Chaver right first time. He said to me “Bill, these Gooners ain’t good at stats. They’ll get ’em all screwed up even if we leave out the decimals. Fick they are” And right out of the box, you screw up even though me ‘n old Chaver tried to spell it out for ya! You didn’t read old Bill’s post did ya?
You didn’t include the international games, matey. Arsenal don’t add ’em in mate. We said any team, any competition, our Emanuel can score. Also, you’ve included substitutions from the Arsenal site. Can’t do that, son. Screws up the data. (on for 3 secs, didn’t score, count one game. Nah, Can’t do it). Check it out. YOUR data are bollocks. See, there’s data, then there’s lies, then there’s your stats.
But you know what, the data hardly matter, Pete. Your penu, penilt, pinolto, f*ck it, second last paragraph SAYS IT ALL. You must be that new Gooner breed they’re talkin about at the Bridge.
“And by the way, I don’t really think most gooners are all that interested in having the biggest cunt in the universe at our club”
Me and old Chaver are off to discuss that profound statement wiv the rest o’ the mates at the Chaverholic literary society over a quiet Tolly, Marnier and Brasso.
Till next time, Gooners.