Alf Common was English football's first £1,000 player.
Although the former England international had enjoyed the best days of his career by the time he signed for Woolwich Arsenal in August 1910, Common was a relative success at the age of 30.
Joining from Middlesbrough for £250, Common had already twice broken the transfer record with moves to Sunderland (£520) and their North East rivals (£1,000).
The inside forward made his league debut against Manchester United in September 1910 and scored 23 goals in 80 starts for the Club.
His best season was his second for Woolwich as he netted 17 times as top goalscorer and missed only two matches.
But Common struggled to find the net in 1912/13 as the Gunners suffered relegation back to the Second Division and was promptly sold to Preston North End for £250 in December 1912.
He left football in 1914 and lived in Darlington where he became a publican.
Alf Common
