Charlie George

Frederick Charles George (born 10 October 1950) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward.

Club career

Arsenal Born in Islington, London, George attended the local Grafton, Holloway Road and Hugh Myddleton Schools. George supported Arsenal as a boy and played for Islington Schoolboys before joining Arsenal in May 1966.

He turned professional in 1968 and made his first-team debut on 9 August 1969 against Everton, on the first day of the 1969–70 season; Arsenal lost the match 1–0. George became a regular in the side that season making a total of 39 appearances. He was particularly prolific in Arsenal's 1969–70 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup campaign, including against Dinamo Bacau and Ajax. He played in both legs of the final against RSC Anderlecht, which Arsenal won 4–3 on aggregate.

George broke his ankle at the start of the following season in a collision with Everton goalkeeper Gordon West. After being out for five months he returned to play a significant part in Arsenal's run-in to the 1970–71 Division One title, scoring five times in 17 appearances in the League. However, the highlight of his season came in the FA Cup; he scored in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds as well as proving the difference in the final against Liverpool. With the score at 1–1 in extra time, in the 111th minute George latched onto John Radford's square ball and scored a spectacular winner from 20 yards to win the match. He celebrated by lying flat on his back with arms aloft. With that Cup win, Arsenal completed their first Double win. In the Cup Final at Wembley, Arsenal lost to Leeds United.

The latter stages of George's career with Arsenal were hampered by injuries and a rebellious streak at odds with the club's management; during the 1971–72 season he was disciplined by the club twice, first after headbutting Liverpool's Kevin Keegan, and then for flicking a V-sign at Derby County's fans after scoring away at the Baseball Ground. Derby eventually lost the cup tie by a margin of 6–5 on aggregate in all. In June and July 1977 He also had a loan spell at St George Budapest in Australia where he played six matches in the first edition of the National Soccer League. George, whose exploits with the Rams earned him the chant "Charlie, Charlie, the King of Derby", remains a legendary and beloved figure among many of the fans of Derby County. George then returned to England with Southampton in December 1978. He then had a short period on loan to Nottingham Forest in January 1980, where he played four games. One of these included the final of the 1979 UEFA Super Cup against FC Barcelona, where he scored the only goal in the home leg as Forest won 2–1 on aggregate. In the summer of 1981 he left the club to move to Bulova in Hong Kong. He made a total of 52 appearances for Southampton in which he scored 14 goals.

A year later, in 1982, he returned to England to have a short time at AFC Bournemouth and subsequently rejoined Derby County for a second spell. He also had a brief spell later with Scottish side Dundee United. He then linked up with Coventry City on a short-term contract prior to the 1983–84 season, but made no competitive appearances and retired soon after.

In April 1980, George lost a finger in a lawnmower accident.

After football After retiring from football he moved to New Milton, Hampshire to run a pub. He later had joint-ownership for some years in a garage business. George is now employed by Arsenal in roles within corporate hospitality at the club.

International career George was capped five times for England at under-23 level. Whilst with Derby, he also won a solitary cap at senior level for England, playing for 60 minutes against the Republic of Ireland on 8 September 1976, out of position on the left wing, but fell out with coach Don Revie after being substituted and he was never picked again.

Honours Arsenal Football League First Division: 1970–71 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: 1969–70

Derby County FA Charity Shield: 1975

Nottingham Forest UEFA Super Cup: 1979

Individual Derby County Player of the Year: 1976