Wikipedia

1987–88 Arsenal F.C. season

The 1987–88 season was Arsenal Football Club's 62nd consecutive season in the top flight of English football.[1][2] Arsenal finished sixth in the Football League First Division. Although the team again reached the final of the League Cup, Arsenal could not replicate the previous season's success, losing 3-2 to Luton Town. Arsenal lost in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup to Nottingham Forest.

Arsenal
1987–88 season
ChairmanPeter Hill-Wood
ManagerGeorge Graham
StadiumHighbury
First Division6th
FA CupQuarter-finals
League CupRunners-up
Top goalscorerLeague:
Alan Smith (11)
All:
Alan Smith (16)
Highest home attendance54,703 vs. Liverpool
(15 August 1987)
Lowest home attendance18,321 vs. Doncaster Rovers
(6 October 1987)
Average home league attendance30,111

Arsenal saw several notable changes in the transfer market. Charlie Nicholas, hardly playing, departed and defender Viv Anderson left for Manchester United. Manager George Graham looked to strengthen Arsenal's defensive options, bringing in Nigel Winterburn at left-back and later in the season, Lee Dixon at right-back. Brian Marwood was also signed in the late window as an alternative to Martin Hayes, and soon formed a good relationship with striker Alan Smith. Michael Thomas and Paul Merson, Arsenal academy products, also became first team regulars.

Near the end of the season, 21-year-old Tony Adams was named captain.

Season summary

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After finishing fourth in the league and winning the Football League Cup a year earlier, Arsenal slipped to finish sixth. They did reach the League Cup final for the second year in a row. Although Arsenal took a 2–1 lead against Luton Town at Wembley, Nigel Winterburn missed a penalty which would have given them a 3–1 lead, and ended up losing the game 3–2.[3] Arsenal were quarter-finalists in the FA Cup, losing to Nottingham Forest.[4]

In the league, Arsenal got off to a slow start, winning just one of their first five games, before going top of the table with a 10-match winning run. They won 14 consecutive games between 12 September and 17 November 1987, in all competitions, a club record at the time.[4]

However, Arsenal then went into freefall, winning just one of their next 11 league games. Injury to David O'Leary weakened the team's traditionally strong defense. Liverpool, the eventual league champion, easily won both their matches against Arsenal.[4] Although their form improved during the final four months of the season, Arsenal could only manage a sixth-place finish. Young midfielders Michael Thomas and Paul Merson became regular members of the first team during this season.[3] Defender Tony Adams, still only 21, succeeded Kenny Sansom as captain, on 6 March 1988 against Tottenham Hotspur at Highbury.

Arsenal had agreed an £850,000 deal for Leicester City striker Alan Smith two months before the end of the previous season, although he had remained on loan back at the East Midlands club until the end of the campaign.[5] Smith finished as Arsenal's top scorer in his first season at the club, finding the net 16 times in all competitions. Charlie Nicholas, meanwhile, fell into Arsenal obscurity. After playing in the first three matches, he exclusively featured for the reserves before being sold to Aberdeen in January of 1988.[3][4]

A new signing at the start of the season was Nigel Winterburn, who arrived from Wimbledon to fill the right-back position left vacant by the sale of Viv Anderson to Manchester United.[4] Michael Thomas started the 1987/88 season at right back but his athleticism and passing ability soon brought a move to central midfield. From January 1988 Winterburn, the left-footed defender initially had to settle for the right-back role. Later signings at the club, were defender Lee Dixon in January 1988, who started in six matches as right-back, as well as winger Brian Marwood in March 1988, who started in four before the end of the season.[3][6][7]

Arsenal were in a great run of form when they travelled to The Dell to face Southampton on 9 April 1988. Arsenal were unbeaten in eight league games and, even though they were missing Tony Adams and David O’Leary, Southampton won 4–2. All the talk was centred on Southampton's new star, Alan Shearer who, at 17 years and 240 days, and broke Jimmy Greaves’ record of the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the English top flight. It had also been 21 years since a player had scored a hat-trick on his full debut in English football.[8][9]

Squad

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK   ENG John Lukic
— DF   ENG Michael Thomas
— DF   ENG Kenny Sansom (captain 1)
— MF   ENG Steve Williams
— DF   IRL David O'Leary
— DF   ENG Tony Adams (captain 2)
— MF   ENG David Rocastle
— MF   ENG Paul Davis
— FW   ENG Alan Smith
— FW   ENG Perry Groves
— MF   ENG Kevin Richardson
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF   ENG Martin Hayes
— DF   ENG Gus Caesar
— DF   ENG Nigel Winterburn
— FW   ENG Paul Merson
— MF   ENG Graham Rix
— FW   IRL Niall Quinn
— DF   ENG Lee Dixon
— MF   ENG Brian Marwood
— FW   SCO Charlie Nicholas
— FW   ENG Kevin Campbell
— GK   WAL Rhys Wilmot

Top scorers

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First Division

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Results

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First Division

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Main article: 1987–88 Football League § First Division

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
4 Everton 40 19 13 8 53 27 +26 70
5 Queens Park Rangers 40 19 10 11 48 38 +10 67
6 Arsenal 40 18 12 10 58 39 +19 66
7 Wimbledon[a] 40 14 15 11 58 47 +11 57 Disqualified from European Cup Winners' Cup[10]
8 Newcastle United 40 14 14 12 55 53 +2 56
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
  1. ^ Wimbledon would have qualified as FA Cup winners.
15 August 1987 1 Arsenal 1–2 Liverpool London
Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 54,073
19 August 1987 2 Manchester United 0–0 Arsenal Manchester
Stadium: Old Trafford
22 August 1987 3 Queen's Park Rangers 2–0 Arsenal London
Stadium: Loftus Road
29 August 1987 4 Arsenal 6–0 Portsmouth London
Stadium: Highbury
31 August 1987 5 Luton Town 1–1 Arsenal Luton
Stadium: Kenilworth Road
12 September 1987 6 Nottingham Forest 0–1 Arsenal Nottingham
Stadium: City Ground
19 September 1987 7 Arsenal 3–0 Wimbledon London
Stadium: Highbury
26 September 1987 8 Arsenal 1–0 West Ham United London
Stadium: Highbury
3 October 1987 9 Charlton Athletic 0–3 Arsenal London
Stadium: Selhurst Park
10 October 1987 10 Arsenal 2–0 Oxford United London
Stadium: Highbury
18 October 1987 11 Tottenham Hotspur 1–2 Arsenal London
Stadium: White Hart Lane
24 October 1987 12 Arsenal 2–1 Derby County London
Stadium: Highbury
31 October 1987 13 Newcastle United 0–1 Arsenal Newcastle
Stadium: St James' Park
3 November 1987 14 Arsenal 3–1 Chelsea London
Stadium: Highbury
14 November 1987 15 Norwich City 2–4 Arsenal Norwich
Stadium: Carrow Road
21 November 1987 16 Arsenal 0–1 Southampton London
Stadium: Highbury
28 November 1987 17 Watford 2–0 Arsenal London
Stadium: Vicarage Road
5 December 1987 18 Arsenal 3–1 Sheffield Wednesday London
Stadium: Highbury
13 December 1987 19 Coventry City 0–0 Arsenal Coventry
Stadium: Highfield Road
19 December 1987 20 Arsenal 1–1 Everton London
Stadium: Highbury
26 December 1987 21 Arsenal 0–2 Nottingham Forest London
Stadium: Highbury
28 December 1987 22 Wimbledon 3–1 Arsenal London
Stadium: Plough Lane
1 January 1988 23 Portsmouth 1–1 Arsenal Portsmouth
Stadium: Fratton Park
2 January 1988 24 Arsenal 0–0 Queen's Park Rangers London
Stadium: Highbury
16 January 1988 25 Liverpool 2–0 Arsenal Liverpool
Stadium: Anfield
24 January 1988 26 Arsenal 1–2 Manchester United London
Stadium: Highbury
13 February 1988 27 Arsenal 2–1 Luton Town London
Stadium: Highbury
27 February 1988 28 Arsenal 4–0 Charlton Athletic London
Stadium: Highbury
6 March 1988 29 Arsenal 2–1 Tottenham Hotspur London
Stadium: Highbury
19 March 1988 30 Arsenal 1–1 Newcastle United London
Stadium: Highbury
26 March 1988 31 Derby County 0–0 Arsenal Derby
Stadium: Baseball Ground
30 March 1988 32 Oxford United 0–0 Arsenal Oxford
Stadium: Manor Ground
2 April 1988 33 Chelsea 1–1 Arsenal London
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
4 April 1988 34 Arsenal 2–0 Norwich City London
Stadium: Highbury
9 April 1988 35 Southampton 4–2 Arsenal Southampton
Stadium: The Dell
12 April 1988 36 West Ham United 0–1 Arsenal London
Stadium: Upton Park
15 April 1988 37 Arsenal 0–1 Watford London
Stadium: Highbury
30 April 1988 38 Sheffield Wednesday 3–3 Arsenal Sheffield
Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium
2 May 1988 39 Arsenal 1–1 Coventry City London
Stadium: Highbury
7 May 1988 40 Everton 1–2 Arsenal Liverpool
Stadium: Goodison Park

Football League Cup

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Main article: 1987–88 Football League Cup
23 September 1987 Second round
(1st Leg)		 Doncaster Rovers 0–3 Arsenal Doncaster
Stadium: Belle Vue
6 October 1987 Second round
(2nd Leg)		 Arsenal 1–0
(4–0 agg.)		 Doncaster Rovers London
Stadium: Highbury
27 October 1987 Third round Arsenal 3–0 Bournemouth London
Stadium: Highbury
17 November 1987 Fourth round Arsenal 3–0 Stoke City London
Stadium: Highbury
20 January 1988 Quarter-Final Sheffield Wednesday 0–1 Arsenal Sheffield
Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium
7 February 1988 Semi-Final
(1st Leg)		 Everton 0–1 Arsenal Liverpool
Stadium: Goodison Park
24 February 1988 Semi-Final
(2nd Leg)		 Arsenal 3–1
(4–1 agg.)		 Everton London
Stadium: Highbury
24 April 1988 Final Arsenal 2–3 Luton Town London
Hayes, Smith Stadium: Wembley Stadium
Attendance: 95,732

FA Cup

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See also: 1987–88 FA Cup

Arsenal entered the FA Cup in the third round proper, in which they were drawn to face Millwall.

9 January 1988 Third round Arsenal 2–0 Millwall London
Hayes, Rocastle Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 42,083
30 January 1988 Fourth round Brighton & Hove Albion 1–2 Arsenal Brighton
Richardson, Groves Stadium: Goldstone Ground
Attendance: 26,467
20 February 1988 Fifth round Arsenal 2–1 Manchester United London
Smith, o.g. Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 54,161
12 March 1988 Sixth round Arsenal 1–2 Nottingham Forest London
Rocastle Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 50,157

See also

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References

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  1. ^ James, Josh (18 June 2013). "All-time Arsenal". Arsenal F.C. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  2. ^ Ross, James; Heneghan, Michael; Orford, Stuart; Culliton, Eoin (25 August 2016). "English Clubs Divisional Movements 1888–2016". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Soar, Phil (2011). Arsenal: The Official Illustrated History, 1996-2011. Hamlyn. pp. 104–106. ISBN 978-0600623533.
  4. ^ a b c d e Soar, Phil; Tyler, Martin (1995). Arsenal: Official History. London: Hamlyn. pp. 211–213. ISBN 0600588262.
  5. ^ Tanner, Rob (8 November 2019). "'I'm not going to play against Arsenal, am I?!' – when Alan Smith joined Arsenal from Leicester, then played for Leicester against Arsenal". The Athletic. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022.
  6. ^ Spurling, Jon. All Guns Blazing: Arsenal in the 1980s. Aureus Publishing.
  7. ^ James, Josh (2018). Arsenal: The Complete Record. deCoubertin Books.
  8. ^ Pye, Steven (13 August 2020). "When Alan Shearer scored a hat-trick on his full debut – while on £35 a week". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Today in history: Alan Shearer becomes the youngest player to score hat-trick". Modern Ghana. 1 March 2022. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022.
  10. ^ English teams were banned by UEFA from its competitions from season 1985–86 until 1990–91 because of the Heysel Disaster.
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