List of Arsenal F.C. players explained

Arsenal Football Club, an association football club based in Islington, London, was founded in 1886 as Dial Square. They became the first southern member admitted into the Football League in 1893, having spent their first four seasons solely participating in cup tournaments and friendlies. The club's name, which shortly changed to Woolwich Arsenal, was shortened to Arsenal in 1914, a year after moving to Highbury. Despite finishing fifth in the Second Division in 1914–15, Arsenal rejoined the First Division at the expense of local rivals Tottenham Hotspur when football resumed after the First World War. Since that time, they have not fallen below the first tier of the English football league system and hold the record for the longest uninterrupted period in the top flight.^[1] The club's first team has competed in numerous nationally and internationally organised competitions, and all players who have played in 100 or more such matches are listed below.

David O'Leary holds the record for the greatest number of appearances for Arsenal. Between 1975 and 1993 the Irish defender played 722 times for the club.^[2] As of 2009, seven other players have made more than 500 appearances for Arsenal, including four of the so-called "famous five" defenders of the 1990s,^[3] Tony Adams, Lee Dixon, David Seaman and Nigel Winterburn. The club's goalscoring record is held by Thierry Henry, who scored 228 goals in all competitions between 1999 and 2007 and during a loan spell with the club in 2012.^[4] He surpassed the previous record of 185 goals, held by Ian Wright, in 2005,^[5] and became the first player to score 200 goals for Arsenal the following year.^[6]

In 2013, Arsenal launched the "100 Club" to formally recognise retired players with over 100 league appearances. As of September 2016, 75 living players have been inducted with a further 26 automatically enrolled once they end their careers.^[7]

Key

• The list is ordered first by date of debut, and then if necessary in alphabetical order.
• Appearances as a substitute are included. This feature of the game was introduced in the Football League at the start of the 1965–66 season.^[8]
• Statistics are correct up to and including the match played on 17 August 2024. Where a player left the club permanently after this date, his statistics are updated to his date of leaving.

Positions key

Pre-1960s		1960s–
GK	Goalkeeper
FB	Full-back	DF	Defender
HB	Half-back	MF	Midfielder
FW	Forward

Players

Players highlighted in bold are still actively playing at Arsenal.

List of Arsenal F.C. players with 100 or more appearances

scope=col rowspan="2"	Player	scope=col rowspan="2"	Nationality	scope=col rowspan="2"	Pos	scope=col rowspan="2"	Club career	scope=col	Starts	scope=col	Subs	scope=col	Total	Goals
scope=col colspan="3"	Appearances
scope=row			FW		138	0	138	18
scope=row			HB	1893–1899	150	0	150	10
scope=row			HB	1896–1903	153	0	153	11
scope=row			HB	1898–1912	284	0	284	13
scope=row			FB	1899–1903	112	0	112	1
scope=row			FB	1899–1905	204	0	204	1
scope=row			FB	1900–1910	149	0	149	0
scope=row			GK	1900–1908	303	0	303	0
scope=row			FW	1901–1905	133	0	133	34
scope=row			FW	1901–1905	106	0	106	48
scope=row			FW	1902–1908	196	0	196	84
scope=row			HB	1902–1915	346	0	346	0
scope=row			HB	1902–1919	350	0	350	12
scope=row			FB	1904–1912	200	0	200	0
scope=row			FW	1904–1912	168	0	168	32
scope=row			FW	1904–1910	141	0	141	48
scope=row			HB	1905–1912	188	0	188	21
scope=row			FB	1905–1908	116	0	116	5
scope=row			GK	1906 1908–1910 1912–1913	103	0	103	0
scope=row			FW	1907–1920	220	0	220	34
scope=row			FB	1907–1923	326	0	326	0
scope=row			FW	1908–1921	170	0	170	13
scope=row			HB	1908–1922	217	0	217	4
scope=row			FW	1910–1917	121	0	121	28
scope=row			HB	1911–1924	179	0	179	20
scope=row			FW	1913–1923 1923–1926	232	0	232	27
scope=row			HB	1914–1929	343	0	343	51
scope=row			FB	1914–1923	142	0	142	14
scope=row			HB	1914–1930	296	0	296	8
scope=row			FB	1919–1923	108	0	108	1
scope=row			FW	1919–1923	109	0	109	45
scope=row			FW	1919–1926	100	0	100	6
scope=row			GK	1919–1923	113	0	113	0
scope=row			HB	1919–1931	351	0	351	26
scope=row			FB	1921–1926	118	0	118	1
scope=row			HB	1921–1927	124	0	124	3
scope=row			GK	1921–1925	101	0	101	0
scope=row			HB	1922–1937	470	0	470	13
scope=row			FB	1922–1928	129	0	129	0
scope=row			FW	1924–1931	232	0	232	139
scope=row			FW	1924–1929	117	0	117	18
scope=row			GK	1924–1931	167	0	167	0
scope=row			FW	1925–1928	120	0	120	56
scope=row			FW	1926–1937	374	0	374	125
scope=row			FW	1926–1933	161	0	161	109
scope=row			FB	1926–1932	294	0	294	17
scope=row			HB	1926–1937	335	0	335	5
scope=row			FB	1927–1939	440	0	440	2
scope=row			HB	1928–1934	208	0	208	124
scope=row			FW	1928–1934	195	0	195	8
scope=row			FW	1929–1947	396	0	396	178
scope=row			HB	1929–1937	261	0	261	27
scope=row			HB	1930–1950	273	0	273	6
scope=row			FB	1930–1948	318	0	318	0
scope=row			GK	1931–1936	161	0	161	1
scope=row			FW	1933–1937	138	0	138	48
scope=row			HB	1934–1939	189	0	189	0
scope=row			HB	1934–1939	187	0	187	17
scope=row			FW	1934–1939	184	0	184	139
scope=row			FW	1935–1939	101	0	101	45
scope=row			FW	1935–1953	176	0	176	118
scope=row			GK	1936–1953	297	0	297	0
scope=row			FB	1946–1955	294	0	294	12
scope=row			HB	1946–1955	328	0	328	76
scope=row			FW	1946–1951	163	0	163	21
scope=row			HB	1946–1954	275	0	275	2
scope=row			FB	1946–1951	126	0	126	0
scope=row			HB	1947–1950	108	0	108	1
scope=row			FW	1947–1956	321	0	321	95
scope=row			HB	1948–1956	240	0	240	20
scope=row			FW	1948–1955	244	0	244	137
scope=row			FB	1948–1954	181	0	181	0
scope=row			FW/MF	1949–1959	240	0	240	53
scope=row			GK	1949–1962	352	0	352	0
scope=row			FW	1950–1958	217	0	217	88
scope=row			HB	1951–1959	162	0	162	2
scope=row			FB	1951–1960	207	0	207	12
scope=row			HB	1953–1960	207	0	207	1
scope=row			FB	1953–1961	209	0	209	4
scope=row			FW	1954–1960	227	0	227	56
scope=row			FW	1954–1962	225	0	225	27
scope=row			FW	1954–1961	122	0	122	26
scope=row			HB	1954–1958	132	0	132	68
scope=row			FB	1955–1958	110	0	110	3
scope=row			HB	1955–1964	203	0	203	37
scope=row			FW	1955–1961	180	0	180	107
scope=row			HB	1957–1964	151	0	151	24
scope=row			FW	1958–1961	111	0	111	29
scope=row			DF	1958–1966	268	0	268	5
scope=row			DF	1959–1965	131	0	131	0
scope=row			FW	1960–1966	223	0	223	41
scope=row			DF	1960–1970	272	3	275	10
scope=row			MF	1960–1966	153	1	154	54
scope=row			FW	1960–1964	137	0	137	77
scope=row			DF	1961–1963	109	0	109	2
scope=row			MF	1961–1964	112	0	112	28
scope=row			MF	1962–1977	607	14	621	68
scope=row			FW	1962–1966	156	0	156	100
scope=row			MF	1962–1970	194	10	204	18
scope=row			GK	1963–1968	167	0	167	0
scope=row			MF	1963–1971	266	4	270	52
scope=row			DF	1963–1969	202	0	202	2
scope=row			GK	1963–1974	308	0	308	0
scope=row			DF	1964–1973	401	2	403	32
scope=row			FW	1964–1976	475	6	481	149
scope=row			DF	1964–1978	458	19	477	15
scope=row			DF	1965–1977	494	7	501	17
scope=row			FW	1966–1972	296	12	308	77
scope=row			DF	1966–1975	362	3	365	6
scope=row			DF	1967–1980	521	7	528	13
scope=row			FW	1969–1975	157	22	179	49
scope=row			MF	1969–1975	211	11	222	19
scope=row			FW	1969–1974	206	6	212	71
scope=row			DF	1969–1981	325	14	339	12
scope=row			MF	1971–1976	217	0	217	52
scope=row			MF	1973–1980	295	12	307	59
scope=row			MF	1973–1981	165	11	176	19
scope=row			GK	1974–1977	146	0	146	0
scope=row			DF	1973–1993	681	41	722	14
scope=row			FW	1975–1981	297	3	300	108
scope=row			DF	1976–1983	108	3	111	0
scope=row			FW	1976–1979	107	1	108	57
scope=row			GK	1977–1984	327	0	327	0
scope=row			MF	1977–1988	447	17	464	51
scope=row			FW	1977–1983	278	3	281	92
scope=row			DF	1977–1981	236	1	237	19
scope=row			MF	1979–1983	164	9	172	13
scope=row			MF	1979–1985	311	16	327	49
scope=row			MF	1980–1994	416	31	447	37
scope=row			DF	1980–1988	394	0	394	6
scope=row			MF	1981–1986	185	1	186	21
scope=row			DF	1981–1985	108	5	113	8
scope=row			FW	1982–1986	164	5	169	68
scope=row			DF	1983–2002	663	6	669	48
scope=row			MF	1983–1987	75	30	105	23
scope=row			FW	1983–1987	176	8	184	54
scope=row			DF	1984–1987	150	0	150	15
scope=row			MF	1984–1988	119	2	121	5
scope=row			GK	1984–1990 1996–2001	298	0	298	0
scope=row			MF	1985–1990	92	40	132	34
scope=row			MF	1985–1992	260	17	277	34
scope=row			DF	1985–1986 1993–2004	408	41	449	8
scope=row			MF	1986–1992	120	83	203	28
scope=row			FW	1986–1997	381	44	425	99
scope=row			FW	1987–1995	318	29	347	115
scope=row			MF	1987–1990	111	11	121	8
scope=row			MF	1987–1991	187	21	208	30
scope=row			DF	1988–1999	348	24	372	22
scope=row			FW	1988–1995	166	62	228	59
scope=row			DF	1988–2002	598	21	618	28
scope=row			DF	1987–2000	572	12	584	12
scope=row			MF	1990–1996	113	30	143	2
scope=row			MF	1990–1994	96	20	116	20
scope=row			DF	1990–1996	135	21	156	8
scope=row			GK	1990–2003	564	0	564	0
scope=row			FW	1991–1998	279	9	288	185
scope=row			MF	1992–1996	130	8	138	1
scope=row			MF	1992–2004	390	76	464	32
scope=row			FW	1995–2006	345	78	423	120
scope=row			MF	1995–1998	77	31	108	15
scope=row			MF	1996–2005	396	10	406	33
scope=row			DF/MF	1997–2002	128	42	170	6
scope=row			MF	1997–2000	127	15	142	41
scope=row			MF	1997–2000	114	4	118	11
scope=row			MF	1998–2007	285	43	328	72
scope=row			DF	1999–2006	218	10	228	9
scope=row			FW	1999–2007 2012	337	40	377	228
scope=row			FW	1999–2004	104	94	198	44
scope=row			DF	1999–2003	91	19	110	0
scope=row			FW	2000–2004	124	51	175	49
scope=row			MF	2000–2006	238	46	284	84
scope=row	Lauren		DF	2000–2007	227	14	241	9
scope=row			DF	2001–2006 2010	208	3	211	12
scope=row	Edu		MF	2001–2005	76	51	127	15
scope=row			MF	2002–2008	213	31	244	24
scope=row			DF	2002–2009	295	31	326	14
scope=row			GK	2003–2008 2011	199	1	200	0
scope=row			MF	2003–2011	266	37	303	57
scope=row			DF	2003–2011	230	34	264	2
scope=row			DF	2003–2010	105	12	117	4
scope=row			GK	2004–2012	173	2	175	0
scope=row			FW	2004–2007	89	21	110	23
scope=row			FW	2004–2012	211	67	278	132
scope=row			MF	2004–2008 2013–2016	174	72	246	13
scope=row			DF	2004–2014	123	21	144	1
scope=row			DF	2005–2011	159	55	214	10
scope=row			MF	2005–2008	109	21	130	10
scope=row			FW	2005–2014	83	88	171	47
scope=row			MF	2005–2012	179	25	204	10
scope=row			MF	2006–2015	136	44	180	19
scope=row			FW	2006–2009	114	28	142	62
scope=row			MF	2006–2016	158	88	246	28
scope=row			FW	2006–2018	252	145	397	108
scope=row			DF	2006–2010	142	0	142	17
scope=row			MF	2006–2013	120	33	153	10
scope=row			DF	2007–2014	272	12	284	5
scope=row			DF	2007–2017	183	47	230	6
scope=row			MF	2008–2019	261	108	369	64
scope=row			MF	2008–2011	110	15	125	27
scope=row			MF	2008–2018	150	47	197	14
scope=row			MF	2008–2018	115	45	160	0
scope=row			MF	2009–2013	97	47	144	31
scope=row			DF	2009–2014	136	14	150	15
scope=row			GK	2009–2017	181	0	181	0
scope=row			DF	2010–2019	342	11	353	27
scope=row			MF	2011–2017	115	83	198	20
scope=row			DF	2011–2018	215	6	221	10
scope=row			MF	2011–2016	131	19	150	16
scope=row			FW	2012–2018	169	84	253	105
scope=row			MF	2012–2018	166	14	180	29
scope=row			DF	2013–2019	223	28	251	10
scope=row			MF	2013–2021	237	17	254	44
scope=row			DF	2013–2022	220	19	239	9
scope=row			FW	2014–2018	153	13	166	80
scope=row			DF	2014–2022	87	35	122	5
scope=row			FW	2014–2019	78	48	126	32
scope=row			MF	2014–2023	88	44	132	3
scope=row			GK	2015–2019	139	0	139	0
scope=row			MF	2015–2019	103	46	149	15
scope=row			MF	2016–2024	108	53	161	6
scope=row			DF	2016–2023	132	30	162	5
scope=row			MF	2016–2023	279	18	297	23
scope=row			DF	2016–2021	142	9	151	9
scope=row			DF	2017–2022	94	24	118	5
scope=row			FW	2017–2022	150	56	206	71
scope=row			FW	2017–	70	98	168	38
scope=row			FW	2018–2022	142	21	163	92
scope=row			GK	2018–2022	124	1	125	0
scope=row			MF	2018–2024	63	52	115	18
scope=row			FW	2018–	200	27	227	59
scope=row			FW	2019–2023	67	45	112	27
scope=row			FW	2019–	122	53	175	41
scope=row			DF	2019–	91	33	124	5
scope=row			DF	2020–	162	7	169	15
scope=row			MF	2020–	88	28	116	5
scope=row			MF	2021–	140	14	154	35
scope=row			DF	2021–	123	12	135	6

Captains

64 players have captained Arsenal since it was founded as Dial Square F.C. in 1886, the first being club founder David Danskin, who captained the team until he was forced to retire due to injury in 1889. The club's longest-serving captain is Tony Adams, who captained the club for 14 years between 1988 and 2002, and is frequently known as "Mr. Arsenal" for this achievement. The current captain is Martin Ødegaard.^[9]

Dates	Captain^[10] ^[11]
1886–1889	David Danskin
1889	Arthur Brown
1889–1890
1890–1891	Bill Julian
1891–1892	Sandy Robertson^[12] Robert Buist David Howat^[13] Tom Graham William Stewart
1892–1893
1893–1894
1894–1895	David Howat
1895–1896
1896–1898	Gavin Crawford
1898–1899
1899–1900	Joe Murphy
1900–1901	Duncan McNichol
1901–1905	Jimmy Jackson
1905–1906
1906–1919	Percy Sands
1919–1920	Joe Shaw
1920–1922
1922–1923	Alex Graham
1923–1924	Billy Blyth
1924–1925	Alf Baker
1925–1928	Charlie Buchan
1928–1929	Billy Blyth
1929–1932	Tom Parker
1932–1933
1933–1937	Alex James
1937–1944	Eddie Hapgood
1944–1947	George Male
1947–1954	Joe Mercer
1954
1954–1955	Walley Barnes
1955–1956	Don Roper
1956
1956–1957
1957	Cliff Holton
1957–1958
1958–1959	Dave Bowen
1959–1962	Vic Groves
1962–1963	Terry Neill
1963–1966	George Eastham
1966–1967	Don Howe
1967–1973
1973–1974	Bob McNab
1974–1975	Alan Ball^[14]
1975	Eddie Kelly^[15] ^[16]
1975–1976	Alan Ball
1976–1980	Pat Rice
1980–1983
1983–1986	Graham Rix
1986–1988	Kenny Sansom
1988–2002
2002–2005
2005–2007	Thierry Henry
2007–2008
2008–2011	Cesc Fabregas
2011–2012
2012–2014
2014–2016	Mikel Arteta
2016–2018
2018–2019
2019	Granit Xhaka
2019–2021	Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
2021–2022	Alexandre Lacazette
2022–present	Martin Ødegaard

References

General

• Web site: Player Database . https://web.archive.org/web/20160506010643/http://www.arsenal.com/history/arsenal-player-database . Arsenal F.C . 28 September 2009 . 6 May 2016.
• Book: Joy, Bernard . Forward, Arsenal! . 1952 . GCR Books . London . 0-9559211-1-2 .
• Book: Harris, Jeff. Hogg. Tony . Arsenal Who's Who . Independent UK Sports . London . 1995 . 1-899429-03-4 . .
• Web site: Andy . Kelly . Every Arsenal player in chronological order . The Arsenal History . 29 July 2015 . 21 July 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160826070950/http://www.thearsenalhistory.com/?p=10830 . 26 August 2016.
• Web site: Arsenal first team line-ups . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304025259/http://thearsenalhistory.com/stat/aftlu.htm . The Arsenal History . 21 July 2016 . 4 March 2016.
• Book: Phil . Soar . Martin . Tyler . Arsenal 125: The Official Illustrated History 1886–2011 . 2011 . Hamlyn . London . 978-0-600-35871-8 . registration .
• Book: Iain . Spragg . Adrian . Clarke . The Official Arsenal FC Book of Records . 2015 . Carlton Books Ltd . London . 2nd . 978-1-78097-668-6.
• Web site: Arsenal . https://web.archive.org/web/20160609173502/http://www.uefa.com/teamsandplayers/teams/club%3D52280/domestic . UEFA . 21 July 2016 . 9 June 2016.

Specific

Notes and References

1. Web site: Club profile – Arsenal . https://web.archive.org/web/20160415030152/http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/clubs/profile.tickets.html/arsenal . Premier League . 21 July 2016 . 15 April 2016.
2. News: Dream Teams: Arsenal . 28 September 2009 . The Independent . London . Matthew . Fearon . 18 March 2009 . 22 April 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090422112533/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/dream-teams-arsenal-1647069.html?action=Popup&ino=3 . live .
3. News: Missing link is hurting Gunners . Jonathan . Pearce . BBC Sport . 28 September 2009 . 18 September 2009 . 23 September 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090923001354/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/8263012.stm . live .
4. News: Thierry Henry Arsenal return would be a masterstroke – John Hartson . BBC Sport . 2 December 2014 . 21 July 2016 . 28 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181128003137/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30303133 . live .
5. News: Henry strikes twice to secure Arsenal record . The Daily Telegraph . 29 September 2009 . 19 October 2005 . Christopher . Davies . London . 10 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121110130207/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2366875/Henry-strikes-twice-to-secure-Arsenal-record.html . live .
6. Web site: Henry scores 200th goal for Arsenal . Arsenal F.C . 6 February 2006 . 21 July 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160809135443/http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/henry-scores-200th-goal-for-arsenal . 9 August 2016.
7. Web site: The Arsenal 100 Club . Arsenal F.C . 30 September 2016 . 21 July 2016 . 7 July 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160707164142/http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/arsenal-launches-the-100-club? . live .
8. Web site: Nick . Watts . 1963 to 1988 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160417050452/http://www.fl125.co.uk/history/1963-1988 . The Football League . 21 July 2016 . 17 April 2016.
9. Web site: Martin Odegaard named captain . 30 July 2022 . Arsenal F.C. . 30 July 2022 . 2 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230202174614/https://www.arsenal.com/news/martin-odegaard-named-captain . live .
10. Web site: Arsenal's captains from day one. Kelly. Andy. 17 November 2014. thearsenalhistory.com. 22 October 2020. 10 August 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230810232605/http://www.thearsenalhistory.com/?p=8955. live.
11. Web site: Arsenal's greatest captain? Join the debate. arsenal.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20090709114139/https://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/youngest-arsenal-captains. 9 July 2009. 22 October 2020.
12. Web site: Sandy Robertson - Arsenal's First Invincible. thearsenalhistory.com. 28 October 2020. 12 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201112005740/http://www.thearsenalhistory.com/?p=6267. live.
13. Web site: David Howat. arsenal.com. 22 October 2020. 26 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201026104014/https://www.arsenal.com/historic/players/david-howat. live.
14. Web site: Greatest 50 Players - 45. Alan Ball. 1 June 2017. arsenal.com. 22 October 2020. 16 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170316231843/http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/gunners-greatest-players-45.-alan-ball. live.
15. Web site: Eddie Kelly. Jones. Max. 6 January 2016. arsenal.com. 22 October 2020. 26 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201026192741/https://www.arsenal.com/news/features/20160106/eddie-kelly. live.
16. Web site: Arsenal's Youngest Captain – Too Much too Young for Eddie Kelly. Lawrence. Gary. 23 July 2017. gunnerstown.com. 22 October 2020. 24 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201024232755/https://www.gunnerstown.com/arsenal/2017/07/23/arsenals-youngest-captain-too-much-too-young-for-eddie-kelly/. live.