10 greatest Arsenal players of all time

#3 Tony Adams

Tony Adams

Mr. Arsenal

Like the club, Tony Adams is a bit of a caricature in the present day, what with ignorant Real Madrid players on the bench making fun of the legend's 'eclectic' dressing sense.

Then again, 'Big Tone' has never been your picture-book footballer. The centre-back battled alcoholism for much of his career, winning titles while hungover, and even being jailed for a drunk-driving crash. He was labelled a 'donkey' for his clumsy defending in his early years, with no one even remotely believing he was capable of the heights he eventually reached.

Like the forwards he faced, Tony Adams battled them all, his inner demons, the jibes from the English press... and he won. You don't become the captain of Arsenal at the age of 21 without something special driving you.

He was there on 26th May 1989, when Arsenal defeated Liverpool 2-0 to win the title in the greatest ending to a season in English football.

He was there on 3rd May, 1998, having overcome his alcoholism to score the final goal as Arsene Wenger's revolution of Arsenal began, and Adams savoured his very first title celebration as a sober man.

He was there on 8th May, 2002 as Arsenal won the Double and underlined their superiority over Manchester United that year.

The only man to have ever captained a league-winning team in three decades. That is Tony Adams. That is Mr. Arsenal.

Isco, you're not fit to lace his boots.