Arsenal Managers


Sam Hollis

1894 - 1897
Sam Hollis was appointed ‘secretary-manager’ of Arsenal in 1894. He was the first individual to be placed in charge of team affairs. Prior to his appointment, the team had been managed by a committee of players and club members. Hollis spent three years at the club during which time the Club remained mid-table in the Second Division. He moved on to Bristol City in the summer of 1897.

Thomas Brown Mitchell

1897 - 1898
Thomas Brown Mitchell was Arsenal’s first professional manager, joining the club in 1897. A Scotsman from the Dumfries area, Mitchell moved south of the border around 1867 and held the title of secretary at Blackburn Rovers for approximately 12 years. He spent less than a season at Arsenal but in that time, managed to guide the club through three FA Cup qualifying rounds before succumbing to Burnley in the first round proper. He also took the club from tenth to fifth place in the League before resigning in March 1898. Mitchell later rejoined Blackburn, where he passed away in August 1921, aged 78.

George Elcoat

1898 - 1899
George Elcoat, like his predecessor Thomas Brown Mitchell, only remained at Arsenal for one season. Elcoat, who hailed from Stockton-on-Tees, showed a strong preference for players north of the border as illustrated by him having eight Scotsman in his first-team at one stage. Arsenal finished seventh under his leadership but as the League has been increased to 18 teams, it was on par with the previous season. Arsenal were heavily beaten by Derby in the first round proper of the FA Cup having been given a bye to that stage.

Harry Bradshaw

1899 - 1904
Harry Bradshaw took over the reigns from George Elcoat and in the space of five years, had transformed the fortunes of the club. Regarded as Arsenal’s first successful manager, Bradshaw built his reputation at Burnley from 1891 to 1899 and was a clever tactician, guiding Arsenal to a top-three finish in the League in 1902/03. Bradshaw moved on to Fulham and later became secretary of the Southern League before his death in 1924.

Phil Kelso

1904 - 1908
Phil Kelso was a hard, rugged Scot who was a coach at Hibernian, before taking over as manager of newly-promoted Woolwich Arsenal from 1904 until 1908. Kelso guided the club to two consecutive last-four finishes in the FA Cup but did not make much progress in the League. After leaving Arsenal, he returned briefly to Scotland to run a hotel in Largs, before becoming manager of Fulham in 1909. He stayed with the West-London outfit for 15 years before his death in 1935, aged 64.

George Morrell

1908 - 1915
George Morrell was manager of Woolwich Arsenal from 1908 to 1915, and oversaw the club’s move from Plumstead in south east London, to it’s current home at Highbury in North London. Morrell was forced to sell many of his best players but still guided the team to sixth in the League in his first season. Unfortunately, he holds the distinction of being the only Arsenal manager to have experienced relegation; Woolwich Arsenal dropped from the First Division to the Second after finishing bottom in 1913. But Morrell's Arsenal finished 5th in the Second Division in 1915 - high enough to get them elected back into the First Division.

Leslie Knighton

1919 - 1925
Leslie Knighton was appointed manager of Arsenal in 1919, following stints as an assistant manager at Leeds United and Manchester City. He was manager for six years, but Arsenal never finished higher than 10th, coming 20th in 1924-25. Knighton was sacked at the end of that season, and was replaced by the now legendary, Herbert Chapman. After leaving the Gunners, Knighton went on to manage Bournemouth, Birmingham City and Chelsea.

Herbert Chapman

1925 - 1934
Sheffield-born Herbert Chapman not only established Arsenal as English football’s dominant force, but his football concepts and ideas served as a template for teams and managers the globe over.

I seen children grow on this field of green
On this field of dreams the years have passed away
I've stood side by side with London's Pride
We've laughed and we've cried,
We've lived another day

To those Highbury Highs,
Under North London Skies
Oh yes we will remember
Those Highbury Highs
And those Highbury Days
And those Highbury ways,
Oh yes we will remember those Highbury Highs

From Rockey,Ray and Raddy
To Dennis,Chippy,Prady
The rock of Tony Adams
To the joy of Charlie George
From Chapman,Graham,Wenger
Oh Yes,We will remember
Henry,Bastin,Wright
And those record breaking scores

To those Highbury Highs,
Under North London Skies
Oh yes we will remember
Those Highbury Highs
And those Highbury Days
And those Highbury ways,
Oh yes we will remember those Highbury Highs

May those Highbury Highs be with you all your days
My your Highbury days last forever
Well there's one thing thats certain,
When they drop this final curtain,
Something you can put your shirt on,
The Arsenal is here to stay

To those Highbury Highs,
Under North London Skies
Oh yes we will remember
Those Highbury Highs
And those Highbury Days
And those Highbury ways,
Oh yes we will remember those Highbury Highs
Say you're bye old Goodbyes
To those Highbury Highs

We will always remember
Those highbuey highs

Aug 8/9 Champions League 3QR 1L
Sat Aug 19 Aston Villa H
Aug 22/23 Champions League 3QR 2L
Sat Aug 26 Manchester City A
Sat Sep 9 Middlesbrough H
Sept 12/13 Champions League matchday 1
Sat Sep 16 Manchester United A
Sat Sep 23 Sheffield United H
Sept 26/27 Champions League matchday 2
Sat Sep 30 Charlton Athletic A
Sat Oct 14 Watford H
Oct 17/18 Champions League matchday 3
Sat Oct 21 Reading A
Wed Oct 25 Carling Cup 3
Sat Oct 28 Everton H
Oct 31/Nov 1 Champions League matchday 4
Sat Nov 4 West Ham United A
Wed Nov 8 Carling Cup 4
Sat Nov 11 Liverpool H
Sat Nov 18 Newcastle United H
Nov 21/22 Champions League matchday 5
Sat Nov 25 Bolton Wanderers A
Wed Nov 29 Fulham A
Sat Dec 2 Tottenham Hotspur H
Dec 5/6 Champions League matchday 6
Sat Dec 9 Chelsea A
Sat Dec 16 Portsmouth H
Wed Dec 20 Carling Cup 5
Sat Dec 23 Blackburn Rovers H
Tue Dec 26 Watford A
Sat Dec 30 Sheffield United A
Mon Jan 1 Charlton Athletic H
Sat Jan 6 F.A. Cup 3
Wed Jan 10 Carling Cup Semi-Final (1)
Sat Jan 13 Blackburn Rovers A
Sat Jan 20 Manchester United H
Wed Jan 24 Carling Cup Semi-Final (2)
Sat Jan 27 F.A. Cup 4
Tue Jan 30 Manchester City H
Sat Feb 3 Middlesbrough A
Sat Feb 10 Wigan Athletic H
Sat Feb 17 F.A. Cup 5
Feb 20/21 Champions League Knockout Rnd 1st
Sat Feb 24 Aston Villa A
Sun Feb 25 Carling Cup Final
Sat Mar 3 Reading H
Mar 6/7 Champions League Knockout Rnd 2
Sat Mar 10 F.A. Cup 6
Sat Mar 17 Everton A
Sat Mar 31 Liverpool A
Apr 3/4 Champions League QF 1
Sat Apr 7 West Ham United H
Mon Apr 9 Newcastle United A
Apr 10/11 Champions League QF 2
Sat Apr 14 Bolton Wanderers H (F.A. Cup Semi-Final)
Sat Apr 21 Tottenham Hotspur A
Apr 24/25 Champions League SF 1
Sat Apr 28 Fulham H
May 1/2 Champions League SF 2
Sat May 5 Chelsea H
Sun May 13 Portsmouth A
Sat May 19 F.A. Cup Final
May 23 Champions League Final