Mr Arsenal To Be Arsene's Successor?

Former Arsenal captain Tony Adams, currently assisting Harry Redknapp in the first team affairs at Hampshire side Portsmouth, has one eye on a return to N5, this time as manager...

Tony Adams is an Arsenal legend. He was a cockney defender who amassed over a monkey (669 in total) of appearances, and was recently voted 3rd 'greatest Gunner' in an online poll conducted by the club's official website.

There was outcry from some Arsenal quarters concerning the result. He was pipped to the post by Dennis Bergkamp, and Thierry Henry. Both outstanding players, and certainly contained more elegance on the ball, but the poll did not ask for Arsenal's greatest player - it was for the greatest Gunner.

Adams was the very embodiment of the Arsenal ethos. He had flawless leadership credentials, incessant courage, unrivalled passion, and constantly carried an inspiration to win. He is one of the few players to have spent their entire career at only one club, and only the third in Arsenal's long and illustrious history, along with the Compton brothers.

He is the north London club's youngest ever captain, taking the armband at a tender age of 22, five years after his first-team debut. He then guided the side to a plethora of silverware including three league titles, two FA Cups, one League Cup and a European Cup Winners Cup.

Since he has left Arsenal, he spent a brief stint managing lower league side Wycombe Wanderers, before linking up with Harry Redknapp at Fratton Park.

On the prospect of rejoining the Gunners, the 41-year old is quoted by Setanta Sports as saying: "Arsene won't move over will he?!" Before adding: "I keep saying to him: 'When are you going to move over and let me have a bash?' But, at the moment, he still seems to be enjoying himself although, one day [maybe]."

His is one face that the red and white army will no doubt welcome with open arms.

Alan Dawson