Goonerholic

The beauty of e-mail is that sometimes you can get back from a hard day in the office and an unexpected message brings happy memories flooding back. One such occurence has lifted me this evening.

I quote ‘Perry Groves spent over a decade in the footballing spotlight and his new book ‘We all live in a Perry Groves world’ highlights the life of a top flight footballer’. Yes, the flame-haired one has written his life story, which is to be published in October.

Perry Groves was a lightning quick winger who could also play up front. Starting his career at Colchester he joined Arsenal in 1986, as George Graham’s first signing, for just £65,000. He became known as a “super-sub”, coming off the bench, changing games and scoring important goals as well. I took to him straight away for no reason other than the first Arsenal team I can remember watching included his uncle, Vic, an early favourite of the young Goonerholic. In 155 games for the Gunners Perry grabbed 21 goals.

After his stay at Highbury Perry left for Southampton in 1992 for an astonishing £750.000 but only managed 15 games in two years and then he retired from the game. As a mark of appreciation George Graham persuaded the Arsenal board to send the first team to Colchester for a testimonial match.

He left a legendary song behind him which Gunners supporters still chant. “We all live in a Perry Groves World”, which boomed out from the North Bank on many an occasion.

I look forward to the publication, by John Blake, on the 16th October. Given some of the simply absurd tomes that have been published recently (yes I do mean you Ashley!) it will be a real pleasure to read a true Arsenal legend writing from the bottom of his heart, rather than the heart of his bottom.