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OTD 1970 final #Arsenal game for David Court, a Gooner with some 30yr associaton with the club. Joined as a schoolboy aged 15 in 1959, David signed professional terms in Jan 1962.

Originally a forward, but ended up playing multiple positions, very much a utility player. Court made his debut at Villa Park in September 1962.

Just three weeks later, everyone was talking about this 18yr old fresh face after a league game on October 6 at White Hart Lane against that lot.

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Sp*rs were flying and led 3-0 after just 26 mins before Court scored his first goal for #Arsenal.

Inside 6 mins, Court scored twice but still before halftime Sp*rs made it 4-2. In the 2nd half David assisted John MacLeod's goal before Geoff Strong's equaliser, 4-4 at full time.

Despite his heroics, David played only 7 games that season and scored one more goal.

In 1963/64 Court still got only 10 games, but six of those in the last 7 games, so clearly in manager Billy Wright's plans.

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So it proved as in the next two seasons he featured 73 times in various positions and scored once more against Sp*rs in 1-1 draw on March 8, 1966.

Billy Wright was sacked and Bertie Mee stepped in in June 1966 and David Court find himself on the fringes. Only 26 starts in the first two seasons under Mee, but David kept fighting.

The fight was rewarded and in 1968/69 he played in all but three of #Arsenal's 53 games scoring seven goals. Still a regular in 1969/70, Court suffered an injury.

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It came in the Fairs Cup match against Rouen in Jan 1970 and it basically ended Court's #Arsenal career.

Having been on the losing side in the 1969 League Cup Final, it really was a shame as we went on to win that European trophy.

After 11yr at #Arsenal, with 204 appearances and 18 goals, David Court was sold to Luton Town in July 1970.

Two seasons there, one at Brentford, some non league football at Barnet before retiring in 1974.

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Later Court ran a baker & deli in Brooksman Park before his financial career.

In 1996 David was back home, becoming a 'right hand' man to Liam Brady at #Arsenal's Youth Development for some 20yr.

Within my knowledge he left the club in 2014. Whatever, David Court is true Red & White great!

As ever, please do correct if misinformation. And how nice a time for this thread, as it's David Court's 79th birthday tomorrow 1st of March.

So Happy Birthday to the man!

Thank You for reading.

Need to say this out loud.. This server and/or Mastodon in general is in #Arsenal relegation battle?

Please do comment and do use the hashtags needed..

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OTD 1966 #Arsenal sold Joe Baker to Nottingham Forest. Bought from Torino day before his 22nd birthday on July 16, 1962 meant his Gunners career lasted less than four seasons.

But what a career it was; 156 games and 100 goals, 9th lethal goalscorer in the club's history.

Some 6 months before joining, Baker crashed his new Alfa Romeo into the Garibaldi monument at early hours in Turin, had serious head injuries and underwent emergency surgery.

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He spent couple of months in hospital, was being fed by a drip for weeks & feeling homesick.

Baker was declared fully fit and new manager Billy Wright made Joe his first signing as #Arsenal paid a club record fee of £67,500 for him.

The tiny forward at 5'8" was an instant hit. He banged in 31 goals in 42 games in his first season at Highbury.

Highbury faithful fell in love with Baker, but he was also highly popular within the team being very non arrogant for a such a talented player.

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But make no mistake, Joe was a fierce, bullied when at school, he'd joined the boxing club with his brother.

During his time in Italy, he'd punch paparazzi to the canal on the trip to Venice and in FA Cup game against Liverpool Joe famously knocked out Ron Yeats, the 6'2" centre-back.

Joe could defend himself but also his owns, first volunteer.

In 1963/64, Joe's second season at Highbury, he and Geoff Strong were truly on fire. Of all the 108 #Arsenal's goals the pair netted 62.

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7th in the league, scored joint 3rd most goals but only two of the relegated teams conceded more.

Something needed to be done and was, but clearly not the right moves. Strong was moved into midfield, transferred to Liverpool in Nov, FA Cup loss to 3rd Div Peterborough..

Baker still did what he does, scored 25 goals as #Arsenal slumped to 13th.

In 1965/66 everything was a mess. We finished 14th, two points above relegated Fulham and as written above, Baker was sold at the prime age of 25.