Tony Adams

Mr. Arsenal: captain, legend, and recovering alcoholic who led Arsenal to multiple titles across three decades.

Tony Alexander Adams (born 10 October 1966) is an English former football player and manager. Adams played for Arsenal and England, captaining both. Known as "Mr. Arsenal", he spent his entire playing career of 19 years as a centre-back there, making 672 total appearances and winning four English league titles. He is considered one of Arsenal's greatest-ever players and is also included in the Football League 100 Legends.

Quick Facts

Full name: Tony Alexander Adams
Born: 10 October 1966
Birthplace: Romford, Greater London, England
Position: Centre-back

Lore & Background

With Arsenal, uniquely he captained a title-winning team in three different decades, won three FA Cups, two Football League Cups, a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and two FA Community Shields. Adams is one of six people honoured with a statue outside the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal's home ground. He won 66 caps for England between 1987 and 2000 and played at four major tournaments. From early in his career Adams was an alcoholic. He was sentenced to four months in prison for driving while four times over the limit for blood alcohol, after crashing his car. From 1996 he recovered completely and became involved in helping sportspeople with drink, drug or gambling addictions by founding the Sporting Chance Clinic.

Reader's Guide

Adams signed for Arsenal as a schoolboy in 1980, and made his first-team debut on 5 November 1983 against Sunderland, aged 17. He accidentally put his shorts on back-to-front before the match. Then, with virtually his first touch of the ball during the game, he gave it away, leading to Sunderland's opening goal. He put the ball into the opponents' net, but the goal was disallowed.

Adams became a regular player in the 1986–87 season, winning his first major trophy that season when playing in the Football League Cup Final win over Liverpool at Wembley. On 1 January 1988, he became Arsenal captain at the age of 21, remaining as club captain for the next 14 years until his retirement. Together with Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn and Steve Bould, Adams was part of the "famous back four". In 1992–93 Adams was the captain of the first English side to win the League Cup and FA Cup double.

In 1994, Adams led Arsenal to their first European trophy in 24 years by defeating Parma 1–0 in the 1994 European Cup Winners' Cup final. Six weeks into Adams's sobriety, Arsène Wenger arrived as Arsenal manager in October 1996. Adams captained the club to two Premiership and FA Cup Doubles, in 1997–98 and 2001–02. In August 2002, just before the start of the 2002–03 season, Adams retired from professional football, his last match being the 2002 FA Cup Final. He played 674 matches for Arsenal.

Did You Know?

Adams made his England debut against Spain in 1987 and was the first player to represent England who had been born after the 1966 World Cup win.
He was sentenced to four months in prison on 19 December 1990 for drink-driving, and was freed after half of his sentence on 15 February 1991.
His autobiography Addicted was released in May 1998 to critical acclaim.
Adams's last match at Wembley Stadium was England's World Cup qualifier against Germany in October 2000, his 60th Wembley appearance, a record.