On This Day – 29th December
Arsenal trainee Andy Cole made his first-team debut for the club on this day back in 1990. Cole came on for Perry Groves as a second half substitute against Sheffield United at Highbury
Cole joined Arsenal as an apprentice in 1988 and signed his first professional contract a year later. In 1990, he was trying to get into the first team at a time where there were several attacking options at Highbury for manager George Graham to choose from.
Arsenal also had Alan Smith and Paul Merson as first-team regulars and Kevin Campbell had just broken into the first team, so opportunities to play regular football would be hard to come by.
It would be his only league appearance for Arsenal, before he moved to Bristol City after a loan spell at Fulham. From there, Cole would forge a great career, winning five League titles, two FA Cups, and the Champions League with Manchester United. He also broke the British record transfer when he moved from Newcastle United to Manchester United in 1995, in a move worth £7 million.
Incidentally, Arsenal won 4-1 in Cole’s solitary league appearance thanks to goals from Lee Dixon, Michael Thomas, and a double from Alan Smith.
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