Tommy Lawton was in the twilight of his career when he joined Arsenal from Brentford for £10,000 in September 1953.
The prolific striker rose to prominence before the outbreak of the Second World War, enjoying a distinguished career with Burnley, Everton, Chelsea and Notts County.
Lawton was a real force in his heyday and won 23 caps for England from 1938 to 1948. The striker also played for Great Britain v Rest of Europe in 1947.
He served in the Army during the war as a physical training instructor and appeared for other clubs away from his Everton commitments. His situation led him to play for Liverpool and Tranmere on the same day on Christmas Day 1940.
Lawton scored 15 goals in 38 starts for Arsenal after making his debut in a 2-2 draw against Manchester City in September 1953.
The striker played nine times in his first season at the Club and helped Arsenal win the 1953 Charity Shield with a goal in the 3-1 win over Stanley Matthews' Blackpool.
He appeared more often in his remaining two campaigns at Highbury but his advancing years meant he did not start every week.
Lawton transferred to Kettering Town as player-manager for £1,000 in February 1956.
Tommy Lawton
