One former Arsenal player’s service to the club spans a lot wider than merely being a sensational talent on the pitch.
Mikel Arteta’s side are hoping to write their names into Arsenal history by emulating the successes of those before them.
Unlike any other Premier League club, Arsenal’s benchmark for history-making is remarkably high, given that Arsene Wenger’s Invincible squad went a whole season unbeaten.
The Invincibles are undoubtedly one of the greatest achievements in the club’s history, but what about the long list of talent that came before them and Wenger’s era?
Arsenal hit the jackpot by unearthing Liam Brady
There was a world before the Premier League was founded in 1992, as many Arsenal legends will tell you.
One of the Gunners’ greatest ever players was Liam Brady, who was signed in 1971 and remains a figure whose talent has stood the test of time.
Still spoken about in the highest regard at Arsenal, Brady left his mark on the North Londoners, something very few would’ve expected when the Gunners recruited the teenager as an apprentice.
On June 9th 1971, Arsenal captured the Irishman as a 15-year-old, signing him as an apprentice from St Kevin’s Boys after his talent caught the attention of those in N5.
It took Brady only two years to make his debut, and the rest was history.
After nine years on Arsenal’s books, the Ireland international departed to sign for Juventus, where he became a two-time Italian champion.
Brady left Arsenal with a record that is still referenced today, making 304 appearances and contributing to a total of 86 goals as an attacking midfielder.
Just because the playmaker cut ties with Arsenal as a player in 1980, that didn’t by any means mark the end of his association with the Gunners.
Brady’s £400m Arsenal triumph
After hanging up his boots, Brady took the path that many before him have and turned to coaching.
The Arsenal star, who is now 69, oversaw brief roles at Celtic and Brighton before he returned to Highbury in a contrasting capacity to his playing days.
In 1996, Brady became Head of Youth Development and Academy Director under Wenger, a position that he upheld until 2014.
When reminiscing on his time in and around Hale End, Brady told FourFourTwo that he’d raised ‘close to £400m’ through talent acquisition.
“I’d never put guys down by saying who should have made it, but I’m happy to talk about the ones who played in the first team,” he told FourFourTwo in 2023.
“Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe were recruited when I was head of the academy.
“Then you’ve got Ashley Cole, Jack Wilshere, Wojciech Szczesny… The sheer amount of money I’ve brought into the club is something I’m proud of.
“I still count it up when we transfer someone. It must be close to £400 million, dating back to 1996 when I started.”
How many players can say they’ve put back into Arsenal’s profit pot?
Very few are the answer, hence why it’s an achievement that Brady is incredibly proud of.
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