The Arsenal A-Z

Football historian LEIGH EDWARDS profiles every Arsenal player from 60 post-war League seasons.

TOMMY BLACK
Young winger Tommy Black made his solitary Premiership appearance as a substitute in Arsenal's 1-0 win at Everton in April 2000. A former England Schoolboy trialist, he followed his older brother Michael through the ranks at Highbury and turned professional in July 1998. His only other first-team outing was in the Gunners' 1999/2000 Worthington Cup Fourth Round defeat at Middlesbrough and he was loaned to Carlisle United and Bristol City before joining Crystal Palace for £250,000 in July 2000. He featured in their 2003/04 promotion campaign and has since had loan spells at Sheffield United and Gillingham.

JEFF BLOCKLEY
England international central defender Jeff Blockley helped Arsenal finish League Championship runners-up in 1972/73. Signing professional for Coventry City in June 1967, he skippered their 1968 FA Youth Cup final side and starred as Sky Blues qualified for the Fairs Cup in 1969/70. He became captain and moved to Arsenal for £200,000 in October 1972, gaining his solitary England cap against Yugoslavia a week later. Scoring once in 52 First Division games, he was sold to Leicester City for £100,000 in January 1975, then played for Notts County, Enderby and Shepshed Charterhouse. He now runs Transmech Ltd in Nuneaton. 

JIMMY BLOOMFIELD
England Under-23 inside-forward Jimmy Bloomfield was ever-present for Arsenal in 1956/57. Initially with Hayes, he joined Brentford in October 1952 and moved to Highbury for £10,000 in July 1954. He represented the Football League and netted 54 goals in 210 First Division games for the Gunners, joining Birmingham City for £30,000 in November 1960. Helping them win the League Cup in 1963, he had spells with Brentford again, West Ham and Plymouth before becoming Orient's player-boss in March 1968. He took charge of Leicester City in June 1971, then managed Orient again and died in Chingford in April 1983.

LUIS BOA MORTE
Portuguese international winger Luis Boa Morte helped Arsenal to win the 'double' in 1997/98. Previously with Sporting Lisbon, he joined the Gunners in June 1997 and his pace was a constant threat to defences. He appeared in Arsenal's 1998 and 1999 FA Charity Shield successes and regularly featured as a substitute, playing 25 Premiership games before being sold to Southampton for £500,000 in August 1999. Joining Fulham for a reported £1,700,000 in July 2000, he starred in their 2000/01 First Division title triumph and 2003/04 FA Cup run. He was a member of Portugal's squad that reached the 2006 World Cup semi-finals.

MICKY BOOT
Ex-England Schoolboy wing-half Micky Boot scored on his league debut in Arsenal's 2-0 win at home to Newcastle United in October 1966. Signing professional at Highbury in December 1964, he featured in two FA Youth Cup finals including the Gunners' 1966 success and netted twice in four First Division games prior to joining Port Elizabeth City in March 1967. Later with Nuneaton, Kidderminster and Leamington, he played for Australian sides Townsville, Mareeba and Phoenix before coaching Lake MacQuarie. He has worked for British Oxygen, Fosters Wine Estates and now Port Waratah Coal Services in Newcastle (NSW).

STEVE BOULD
England international central defender Steve Bould was an experienced figure in Arsenal's 1997/98 'double' success. Signing professional for Stoke City in November 1980, he returned from a loan spell at Torquay United to secure a regular first-team slot and followed Lee Dixon to Highbury for £390,000 in June 1988. He also helped Arsenal win the League Championship in 1988/89 and 1990/91, then the FA?Cup and League Cup in 1993 and ECWC in 1994, scoring five times in 287 league outings for the Gunners before moving to Sunderland for £500,000 in July 1999. A persistent toe injury ended his playing career and he is now coaching at Arsenal's Academy. 

DAVE BOWEN
Welsh international wing-half Dave Bowen was captain of club and country whilst at Arsenal, featuring in the 1958 World Cup. Signing professional for Northampton Town in July 1947, he moved to Highbury for £1,000 in July 1950 and understudied Joe Mercer as Arsenal won the League Championship in 1952/53. He scored twice in 146 First Division games for the Gunners before returning to Northampton as player-manager for £5,000 in July 1959, plotting their remarkable rise to the top-flight. Also managing the Welsh national side for seven years, he later became Northampton's secretary and died in September 1995.  

LIAM BRADY
Republic of Ireland international midfielder Liam Brady was capped 26 times whilst at Arsenal. Signing professional at Highbury in August 1973, 'Chippy' was ever-present in 1975/76 and starred in three successive FA Cup finals, including the 1979 Wembley triumph when voted PFA Player of the Year. He also featured in the 1980 ECWC final and netted 43 goals in 235 First Division games for the Gunners before moving to Juventus in July 1980. Later playing for Sampdoria, Inter Milan, Ascoli and West Ham, he managed Celtic and Brighton before rejoining Arsenal as head of youth development in August 1996.

STEVE BRIGNALL
Teenage central defender Steve Brignall was a young member of Terry Neill's squad at Arsenal. A former apprentice at Highbury, he turned professional in May 1978 and made his sole First Division appearance as substitute in Arsenal's 3-0 defeat at Liverpool in April 1979. He joined Norwegian side Harstad with Cliff Cant in December 1979, then had a trial with Watford before playing for Hastings United, Tonbridge, Gravesend & Northfleet, Tenterden, Ashford Town, Hythe Town and Ashford again. Still living in Ashford, he is a partner in S & A Builders and currently manages Bethersden in the Canterbury League.

LAURIE BROWN
Ex-England Amateur international Laurie Brown missed just one match for Arsenal during the 1961/62 campaign. He starred for Bishop Auckland and represented Great Britain in the Rome Olympics shortly before joining Northampton Town in October 1960. Top scorer in their 1960/61 promotion success, he moved to Arsenal for £35,000 in August 1961 and netted twice in 101 First Division games prior to joining Spurs for £40,000 in February 1964. He also played for Norwich, then managed Bradford PA, King's Lynn, Altrincham, Stockton and Tow Law. Later a publican and milkman, he died in Aycliffe in September 1998. 

TONY BURNS
Young goalkeeper Tony Burns contested a first-team slot with Jim Furnell and Bob Wilson whilst at Arsenal. Initially with Tonbridge, he moved to Highbury in March 1963 and was given his League debut in the Gunners' 3-2 win at home to Burnley in October 1964. He made 31 First Division appearances prior to joining Brighton for £2,000 in July 1966, then played for Charlton Athletic, Tonbridge again, Durban City, Crystal Palace, Brentford, Memphis Rogues, Plymouth Argyle, Dartford and Hastings United. Later managing Tonbridge (twice) and Gravesend & Northfleet, he is currently Millwall's goalkeeping coach.

FABIAN CABALLERO
Young Argentinian striker Fabian Caballero's only Premiership appearance was as a substitute in Arsenal's 1-1 draw at home to Middlesbrough in November 1998. He impressed with Serro Portino in Paraguay before moving to Highbury on loan in October 1998, also featuring in the Gunners' 5-0 Worthington Cup fourth round defeat at home to Chelsea and 4-2 FA Cup third round victory at Preston. After playing back in Paraguay for Atletico Tembetary and Sol de America, he joined Dundee in July 2000 and featured in the 2003 Scottish Cup final. He has since returned to Paraguay again and is currently playing for Tacuary.

GUS CAESAR
England U-21 defender Gus Caesar played for Arsenal in the 1988 Littlewoods Cup final. Signing professional at Highbury in February 1984, he made his league debut in Arsenal's 1-0 win at Manchester United in December 1985. He provided reliable defensive cover and was a member of the Gunners' 1988/89 League Championship squad. Making 44 First Division appearances prior to joining Cambridge United in July 1991, he then played for Bristol City, Airdrie, Colchester, Dagenham & Redbridge and Hong Kong sides Eastern, Golden, Sing Tao and Hong Kong Rangers. He is now a financial consultant in Hong Kong.

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