Ted Drake once of Southampton FC and dubbed “The World’s greatest centre forward” has had a plaque unveiled on the site of the old Arsenal Stadium Highbury, a short walk from the current Emirates Stadium.
The honour was placed out of respect at Highbury for Arsenals fifth all-time top goalscorer Ted Drake, whose ashes are buried at the ground. The monument sits across the front of the old Clock End, in tribute to the 1930s Gunner who was the North Londoner’s top talisman in every season he played for them, following a move from Second Division side Southampton.
The memorial was arranged by Ted Drakes Great Grandson and forever passionate Arsenal fan Liam Harding.
Drake to this day holds the record for the most goals (7) scored in an English top-flight game of football still standing nearly 90 years later, which he set on 14th December 1935 at Villa Park with a rightful eighth denied for greed in the final minutes.
The England International who scored six goals in five games, remembrance plaque reads "In loving memory of TED DRAKE whose ashes are buried at this stadium. The scorer of 139 goals in 184 games between 1934 and 1939, he was one of Arsenals greatest ever strikers.” With the Arsenal badge printed below.
The former gas-reader was born in Southampton in 1912 and although it is fair to say that he is an Arsenal legend , it was Southampton that started his career, discovering him playing for Winchester City, Drake was a boyhood Southampton fan and he recalled in one interview how he kicked a ball around the back streets of Southampton and dreamed of being the first Southampton born player to play for England.
He signed for Saints in November 1931, still only 19 years old, in just 71 League appearances for Saints he scored 47 goals.
He left in March 1934, at the time the leading scorer in the old Division 2, , but with Saints languishing in mid table he finally succumbed to the offers of Arsenal who had made several previous offers and sent the then Town of Southampton into mourning.
The fee was £6,000 and according to Saints Official historian Duncan Holley's excellent website saintsplayers.co.uk after the club had paid off it's debt's there was just £250 of the £6,000 left.
Within 8 months of leaving Saints he had achieved his dream of representing England, although whether he would be the first Southampton born player to do so I am not sure.
At Highbury he lifted two Division One titles as well as one FA Cup in the final of which he scored the winner and only goal of in 1936 when injured late on versus Sheffield United in a 1-0 triumph for Arsenal at Wembley.
He is the quickest Arsenal player in history to bag 100 goals in 108 appearances.
Ted also set the current goalscoring feat at The Gunners for the most strikes (44) achieved in a season at Arsenal during the 1934/35 campaign.
Liam Harding who couldn’t have been any prouder to have sorted out the plaque for his Great Grandad, empathically said:
” It’s a great honour to have the plaque sorted out for not only my Great Grandad and family but for the Arsenal community and future generations of supporters, who have the opportunity and privilege to walk through Highbury Square to pay respect to as stated ‘one of Arsenals greatest ever strikers’. He’s forever immortalised at the once ‘home of football’ and one of the greatest designed stadiums in English football history!”
After his playing career came to an end due to a back injury picked up as a PT in the RAF during the Second World War, Drake went into management with Reading, after that it was to Chelsea where In 1955 he heralded the League Championship, becoming the first player then manager to clinch the top flight of English football, sealing The Blues their first ever major honour.
After leading Chelsea in 1961 he became a bookmaker and then went back into football to assist Vic Buckingham first at Fulham and then at Barcelona.
He died aged 82 in May 1995, the legendary talismans legacy shall live long in the game, not just at Arsenal or Southampton, but through history books and of course the plaque at Highbury.
More can be found about Ted Drake and his legacy in our previous article from June 2024
Ted Drake - A Saintly Connection