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Charlie George

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Charlie George

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

George began his career as a youngster with Arsenal and was part of their 1970–71 League and FA Cup Double-winning team, scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup Final. In 1975, he left Arsenal to join up with Derby County. After playing for US club Minnesota Kicks, in 1978 George joined Southampton, where he spent another three seasons. Whilst there he had a brief spell on loan with Nottingham Forest with whom he won the 1979 European Super Cup. He then had a spell with Hong Kong side Bulova before he returned to England for short stints with AFC Bournemouth and Derby County. George was capped once for the England national team.

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.

George was prolific in the Gunners' FA Cup run in the 1971–72 season, scoring the equalising goal in the Cup semi-final against Stoke City which Arsenal won by a 2–1 margin at Goodison Park. 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.

As the Double-winning side were gradually broken up, Arsenal began to descend down the table, and although George hit eleven goals in both 1971–72 and 1972–73 his form declined alongside Arsenal's; he only scored five times in 28 matches in 1973–74 and he was dropped from the first team in 1974–75 after falling out with manager Bertie Mee. By Christmas 1974, he had been transfer-listed, and he moved to Derby County in July 1975 for £100,000. In total he played 179 times for Arsenal and scored 49 goals. George was ranked at No. 9 in a feature of Arsenal's greatest 50 players of all time.

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