On this day in history [14 May]: Former player George Graham was appointed Arsenal manager

On 14th May 1986, former Arsenal midfielder cum forward George Graham was appointed manager of the club, according to Arsenal.com. At the time of his appointment, the Gunners were treading on dangerous ground, having not won the title since Graham himself lifted it 15 years earlier.

Having been a hero and a charismatic figure during the 1970/71 season where Arsenal won the domestic double under the stewardship of Bertie Mee, the board turned to Graham in a bid to redeem themselves.

Arsene Wenger has without a doubt managed the golden era of Arsenal football, but it is good to acknowledge that Graham set up the right foundations for the glory years. According to the Official Arsenal website, the Scot provided debuts for the likes of Tony Adams and Michael Thomas while at the same time materialised the signings of Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn, players who formed the bedrock of his success at the club.

By the end of his first season as manager, Graham’s side not only finished fourth in the League but also beat Liverpool to lift the Littlewoods Cup, their first piece of silverware in eight years. During his reign as manager, Arsenal won the League during the 1990/91 campaign, the Cup Winners Cup in 1994, not to mention the winning the FA Cup and League Cup in one season, the first club to achieve that fate.

George Graham is without a doubt right up there among the greatest Arsenal managers of all time.