Les Crang
The end of season 1979-80 marked a watershed moment in Arsenal FC history. Having played 70-odd games and two finals, Arsenal had lost two finals and their last two away games, which included a 5-0 away defeat to Middlesborough. Four games and four defeats had meant that Arsenal had lost out on a place in Europe to Ipswich (who went on to win it). They had also lost their best player in Liam Brady to Juventus. Season 1980-1981 would be a big year for Arsenal and Vaessen.
Before season 1980-81 even started, though, Terry Neill seemed to have stopped Paul Vaessen’s progress by buying our first £1,000,000 player, Clive Allen, signed from QPR for less than two months before being swapped for a full-back, Kenny Samson. Clive though, is remembered for many things - getting injured in the FA Cup Final for QPR in 1982 and missing the replay; scoring three semi-final goals against Arsenal and losing; scoring the fastest (at the time) FA Cup Final goal (and losing). But mostly, he’s remembered for not getting a handshake from Arsène Wenger. The last three incidents all while he was with Spurs. That’s Karma I think.
Although Paul played no part in the two finals, he did play in the last three league games, scoring the winner against Coventry City. In season 1980-1981, Vaessen played only a handful of games, being injured between September and December. On his comeback game against Manchester United, he scored in a 2-1 victory. Spurling described it as a game in which ‘Vaessen clattered Kevin Moran all game’. The game though is mainly remembered for Graham Rix scoring directly from a corner (45 second mark) with Gary Bailey grasping for a cross. Does that sound familiar?
Two games later, in January, 1981, Paul again scored the winner against Everton away. And that was Vaessen’s season over. Seven games and two goals. Again, Spurling said, ‘the hero of Turin was the kind of towering aerial presence that was a constant threat to opposition defences, but the hideously unlucky Vaessen had just played his last game of the season, as his crippling knee injuries began’. The knee injury would continually hamper his promising career. The following season (1981-82) would promise many things. Firstly, the opportunity to partner Alan Sunderland up front, as Frank Stapleton acrimoniously had joined Manchester United to ‘further his career’. Unlike David O’Leary, who stayed, he never won a League title (or two) or League Cup (or two) at the delights of Old Trafford. Bitter? Me?
As replacements to ‘Big Frank’, Terry Neill had a nose for strikers. Useless strikers. First up was John Hawley. 20 games and three goals for £80,000. A carthorse who wasn’t worth melting down for glue.
Next was Lee Chapman. Oh, Lee Chapman. Stoke City’s finest striker (well, actually Adrian Heath was). But Terry Neill still spent £500,000 on him. Chapman was terrible. Think Chamakh crossed with Park and divide by ten. That is Lee Chapman. God, and he won a league title for Christ’s sake? How could Vaessen fail to get into a team with this much dross?
Again, Paul tried but Neill was a man who protected his bought players rather than his youngsters. 1981-82 was again a year to forget for Vaessen. He was now expected to fill the big boots of Frank Stapleton. Although Frank was a regular scorer (but never a 30 plus striker), it was a hard thing to follow. Unfortunately, his knee was giving him much pain physically. But the mental pain Vaessen got was even worse during this season.
With bad knees, John Hawley as his strike partner, and the club playing in the UEFA Cup against part-timers, Winterslag, Arsenal would face their biggest European shock defeat. Having lost 1-0 in Belgium, Arsenal had to overturn the score. Vaessen tried all game, but he was roundly booed all match. Spurling described the game as the ‘wall of hatred encountered by Paul Vaessen’. One fan described how he heard shouts for Vasinov, Vasinov, not realising they were saying Vaessen off. Arsenal went on to win 2-1 and lose on away goals.
The Times ran with the headline, ‘Now is the Winterslag of Arsenal’s discontent.’ The paper also noted sadly, ‘Arsenal's impotence in attack, now without Sunderland. who failed a test on his injured calf, was highlighted by Vaessen, the replacelient. His sleepy manner, topped mith an abject failure to do little sight, made him the butt of Arsenal supporters' frustration. The cheers that greeted his substitution were heartless and severe on a young man who was the toast of Highbury two years ago when he headed a semi-final winner against Juventus in the Cup Winners' Cup.’
Booing at Arsenal is not uncommon (the oft-heard blog quote ‘I paid me money, I can do what I like in the stadium’ the justification for this behaviour). Eddie Hapgood, Arsenal’s 1930s captain, relates how Jack Lambert ‘fell foul of a certain section of Highbury supporters’. It is not uncommon for the boo-ing even now to be for Arsenal players. For Vaessen, it hurt as much as his knee. I’ve heard many stories from fans who said Vaessen suffered tremendous barracking - at 20 years of age. Later in life, Vaessen said he found it hard to forgive them for this.
Paul’s last goals were against Leeds and Wolves ‘but the horrible truth was despite his aerial dominance, his awkwardness on the ground spoke volumes for the agony his knee was giving him’ as Spurling said.
Ironically, Vaessen’s last game was a home defeat to Swansea (we love them?). Vaessen, a man seen with the world ahead of him, was outshone by Arsenal legend Ray Kennedy scoring Swansea’s second goal.
Paul Vaessen retired, aged 21 years old, in 1982.
To be continued
If anyone is still in contact with Paul Vaessen's family, or was a friend of Paul's I would really appreciate the opportunity to interview them, either for a possible book or to add to this series of articles. Please email me if you are able to help.
