Phil71 wrote:5th November 1983. Big Tony made his debut aged 17 years and 4 weeks in a 2-1 home defeat against Sunderland.
I was probably there.
I was
It wasn’t pretty
Within 5 minutes he miscontrolled a pass from Colin hill, landed on his arse while the Sunderland player ran on to score.
He then proceeded to run around like bambi
The fact that he was kicking people meant the fans were giving him jocular support.
The words future club legend would not dance across anyone’s lips. Thank god you couldn’t go running to the internet then with full hyperbolic outrage in tow claiming with your vast knowledge of arsenal history that may extend to a full 18 months to declare him the worst arsenal player ever.
No
You put arsenal into that other box in your mind and didn’t give it much thought till we played again
He was no better when he came on the following season at Oxford in the league club and such was his inability to keep the ball on the pitch that it seemed the basic dimensions of a football pitch eluded him.
It would be a Year from his debut before he picked up a win bonus.
Keown on the other hand looke the real deal from day dot and when he was allowed to leave it felt like the wrong guy had departed.
As it turned out Adams flourished under graham, took it to another level under wenger.
Keown came back probably a better player for the bruising games he had played at a slightly lesser level with villa and Everton.
I guess it all goes to show
Give a younger player a break
Some will make it
Many don’t
But I have always been pretty proud of arsenals record of giving youth its head