George Eastham Obituary 

Peter Le Beau pays tribute to George Eastham RIP: An Arsenal Trailblazer 

Not every Gooner may have seen the news about the death of George Eastham at the age of 88.

George had lived in South Africa for many years.

There will be many Arsenal fans, certainly below the age of 60 who might react to the news by asking 'George who'?

But to a generation of Arsenal fans of 70 and above George was a very special player.

I don't think it's hyperbole to class George alongside the likes of Mezut Ozil, Cesc Fabregas and Paul Davis as a very special midfield talent, albeit one from another age.

George was the only Arsenal player in the 22 man England squad that won the 1966 World Cup. George didn't play a minute of the tournament (there were no substitutes then) and at first he didn't qualify for a medal, an oversight that was only corrected in 2009 when, at the age of 73 he finally received recognition for his presence in the most historic squad of players England have ever fielded.

But George had a very important Arsenal story to tell as well.

He was the light that shined brightest in our erratic but occasionally brilliant team of the early sixties.

George also played a massive role in the development of improving the contractual situation of professional footballers  in the sixties.

He was a very significant player in more ways than one. George was the son of an English international, also George, who played for Bolton Wanderers and England but saw his career decimated by World War Two.

He served in the desert with my father who had the pleasure of playing in a regimental game with him and a number of Bolton Wanderers colleagues.

George junior began his career in Northern Ireland with Ards before moving to Newcastle in 1956.

George was what was called then an inside left (probably he would be a number 10 in current parlance) and he played 124 times for them scoring 29 goals.

Assists weren't recorded then but there is no doubt he contributed a shed load to a Newcastle side that were an attacking powerhouse.

George struggled with the off-field aspects of his Newcastle  career in an era of the maximum wage. In 1959 he refused to sign a new contract and requested a transfer, a request that Newcastle refused.

The retain and transfer system which operated then worked very much in favour of the club holding a player's registration.

Eastham effectively went on strike and got a job outside football before joining Arsenal for £47,500 in October 1960.

He subsequently sued Newcastle successfully in the High Court and his case was responsible for the change in the contractual situation of players going forward.

George was much more than the man at the centre of a landmark legal case.

He was a brilliant, inventive inside forward with a particularly good left foot. The Arsenal side he came into in 1960 was mediocre but after the signing of Joe Baker in 1962 he found a striker of huge quality to work with.

That side under Billy Wright were exciting going forwards, but chaotic in defence. I went to see an Arsenal vs Manchester United game in 1964 with my father.

United scorched into a 3-0 lead before half time with Denis Law electric in attack. Arsenal looked  set for humiliation, but Eastham refused to buckle and dragged the team back into the game scoring a spectacular volley to make it 3-2.

My dad who had watched a lot of football including the eras of James, Logie and Bastin, said that Eastham's performance that day was the finest he had ever seen, albeit in an ultimately losing cause.

The problem with Arsenal at that time was that there were too many losing causes and after an abject 3-0 FA Cup defeat at Blackburn under pressure Arsenal manager Billy Wright took the incredible decision to transfer list Joe Baker and George Eastham.

As a young lad I was heartbroken and incredulous- it was the equivalent of transfer listing Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka today.

Eastham was absent for several weeks before playing his last game at Highbury in a 1-0 win vs Leicester a few days after Arsenal had recorded a gate of just over 4,000 for the visit of Leeds United.

It was a dismal time at the club - however during his Arsenal career he made 207 appearances and scored 41 goals.

He was the creative heart of an unpredictable team but he invariably produced moments of magic which looked unlikely if you viewed his spindly frame and unusual running style.

Eastham went to Stoke City after the World Cup when they were a very serious football team and achieved his finest moment scoring the winning goal in the 1972 League Cup  final against Chelsea. He also become - briefly - manager of Stoke post Tony Waddington.

After Stoke, he moved abroad first to USA and then to South Africa.

He was a modest, quiet man but he deserves a place in the pantheon of great Arsenal midfielders.

It was just a pity that his timing was flawed, joining a great club at a time when we had a very average side - but one that he constantly elevated by his brilliance.

By Peter Le Beau