When the new season’s squad numbers were announced last week an article appearing on the Online Gooner queried the fact that Theo hadn’t been given a more significant squad number. A few days later, the club announced that Theo will now be wearing the 14 shirt in the coming season rather than 32.

It’s reassuring to know that those in power (okay - tongue firmly in cheek) know where to surf in order to discover what should be happening at our club!

Difficult though the 14 shirt may be to live up to I find it a trifle sad that more significance is not paid to the lower numbers at Arsenal because those particular numbers carry an even more extensive history. One aspect of shirt numbers is that when players at great clubs such as ours inherit an auspicious number they are effectively becoming part of the Arsenal heritage.

Personally I don’t believe, as some have suggested, the number 14 shirt will add any pressure to a stable, well-rounded individual such as Theo. But who knows how the burden of wearing a legend’s shirt number will effect the new wearer? Can we perhaps expect Theo to open his season with a scything tackle from behind in the manner of a previous number 14 legend: Martin Keown?