Classic Arsenal Player Profile - Part 5 - David 'Rocky' Rocastle
REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU ARE, AND WHO YOU REPRESENT
FEW PLAYERS summed up Arsenal's return to the glory days at the end of the 1980s quite like David Rocastle. He knew exactly what it meant to play for the club and this was perfectly illustrated in his famous quote in the title of this piece.
For three seasons at the end of the decade he was one of the best young players in the country and was instrumental in the early success Arsenal enjoyed under George Graham. But ultimately it was a career and life that ended far too soon.
David Carlyle Rocastle was born 2 May 1967 in Lewisham, South-East London. Growing up on the same tough Brockley estate as future Arsenal teammate Ian Wright, Rocastle, affectionately known as Rocky, lost his father to pneumonia when he was just five years old.
Rejected by Millwall, Rocky instead joined Arsenal in May 1982 and earned his first professional contract in December 1984.
Rocastle made his first team debut in a 0-0 draw against Newcastle United at Highbury in September 1985, and scored his first goal in an FA Cup tie at Luton Town five months later.
However it was only after the arrival of George Graham as manager in the summer of 1986 that Rocky became a regular in the team.
As well as pace and skill, the young Rocastle possessed great strength and a fearless attitude, and it was that character which summed up the new-look Arsenal under Graham.
An unbeaten run of 17 matches through the autumn and winter of 1986/87 saw Arsenal lead the table, but Rocky was sent off away at Manchester United in January as the record breaking run came to an end, and with it Arsenal's title challenge.
However, Rocastle helped Arsenal reach the semi final of the League Cup, now branded the Littlewoods Cup, and a meeting with local rivals Tottenham Hotspur. It was in the replay at White Hart Lane that Rocky wrote himself into Arsenal folklore.
Having been 1-0 down late in the game, Arsenal had drawn level through Ian Allinson before Rocastle hit the last minute winner to send the Gunners to Wembley.
Rocky then played a key role in the final as Arsenal once again came back from 1-0 down to beat Liverpool 2-1 and give the Gunners their first trophy in nearly eight years.
Rocky did not miss a game in either of the next two seasons, starting 121 consecutive matches, which included a return to Wembley for the 1988 Littlewoods Cup Final against Luton.
Despite winning a penalty for his team with Arsenal already 2-1 ahead, it was subsequently missed by Nigel Winterburn, and Luton came back to win 3-2.
The following 1988/89 season saw Rocastle inspire Arsenal to their first league title in 18 years. A fascinating race with Liverpool went all the way down to the final match with Arsenal needing to win by two goals at Anfield to pip the Scousers to the crown.
Rocky won the free kick from which Alan Smith headed the opener before Mickey Thomas scored one of the most famous goals in football league history to give Rocky the greatest moment of his career.
It was during the early part of that season that Rocky was rewarded for his great form with his first England cap, against Denmark in September 1988.
However his international career never really took off, and despite never appearing on the losing side for his country, Rocky missed the squads for both the 1990 World Cup and the 1992 European Championships.
He ended his all too brief England career against Brazil in May 1992 with just 14 caps and no goals.
As the 1980s gave way to the 90s, Rocky found his days at Arsenal coming to an end. Injuries began to interrupt his progress and although he won another league title in 1991, he started just 13 matches.
The following 1991/92 season proved to be Rocastle's last at Highbury. He left us with some more great memories, such as a wonderful solo goal at Old Trafford, en-capturing his full repertoire of skills, and giving him redemption for his red card there five years earlier.
Rocky's last match for the club was against Southampton at Highbury on the final day of the season, a 5-1 victory during which his mate Wright scored a hat-trick to win the Golden Boot.
Over the summer the club agreed to sell him to newly crowned league champions Leeds United for £2 million, and it was reported that he collapsed in tears when the news was broken to him such was his love for the club.
In the end he had made 228 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 34 goals.
Although he quickly became a fans favourite at Elland Road, injury held him back and Rocky left in December 1993 for Manchester City as part of the deal that saw David White move in the opposite direction. Rocastle played 34 games for Leeds, scoring twice.
The move to Maine Road was not a success and Rocastle returned to London in the summer of 1994 after just 21 appearances for City, to sign for Chelsea for £1.25 million.
Initially Rocky enjoyed success at Stamford Bridge, helping the club reach the semi final of the 1995 European Cup Winners Cup. Victory over Real Zaragoza would have set up an emotional final meeting against Arsenal but Chelsea lost 4-3 on aggregate.
Although Rocastle remained at Chelsea for a further three years, he played only once more for the club.
He spent a spell on loan at Norwich City during the 1996/97 season and another at Hull City the following year, where he scored on his debut against Scarborough.
But a once promising career in England came to an end in 1998 when he moved to Malaysia to play for Sabah FC.
However the old injury problems which had blighted his later career forced him to retire from playing in 1999.
After returning to England, Rocastle was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in October 2000 and he sadly lost his battle with the disease on 31 March 2001, aged just 33. Arsenal played Spurs later that same day in a very emotional North London derby which included several of Rocky's former Arsenal teammates.
Arsenal have since named a training facility at their academy at Hale End after Rocky. The David Rocastle Indoor Centre opened in August 2006 and has seen several of current Arsenal squad come through the doors, such as Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah, Reece Nelson and Joe Willock.
In over 40 years I have seen hundreds of players play for Arsenal but few have made a bigger impression on me than Rocky. Not just for his ability on the pitch, as great as that was, but for his personality. He had a tough upbringing and that made him the man he became.
Of course we will never forget the goal against Spurs in 1987, but for me the ones he scored at Anfield and against Middlesbrough at Highbury in November 1988 will also live long in the memory.
They say only the good die young and while this may not always be true it certainly was in Rocky's case. Over 19 years after he departed this world, the memories remain. David Carlyle Rocastle RIP
Coming up next time I look back at one of Rocky's most memorable matches, the semi final victory over Tottenham at White Hart Lane in 1987.
FEW PLAYERS summed up Arsenal's return to the glory days at the end of the 1980s quite like David Rocastle. He knew exactly what it meant to play for the club and this was perfectly illustrated in his famous quote in the title of this piece.
For three seasons at the end of the decade he was one of the best young players in the country and was instrumental in the early success Arsenal enjoyed under George Graham. But ultimately it was a career and life that ended far too soon.
David Carlyle Rocastle was born 2 May 1967 in Lewisham, South-East London. Growing up on the same tough Brockley estate as future Arsenal teammate Ian Wright, Rocastle, affectionately known as Rocky, lost his father to pneumonia when he was just five years old.
Rejected by Millwall, Rocky instead joined Arsenal in May 1982 and earned his first professional contract in December 1984.
However it was only after the arrival of George Graham as manager in the summer of 1986 that Rocky became a regular in the team.
As well as pace and skill, the young Rocastle possessed great strength and a fearless attitude, and it was that character which summed up the new-look Arsenal under Graham.
An unbeaten run of 17 matches through the autumn and winter of 1986/87 saw Arsenal lead the table, but Rocky was sent off away at Manchester United in January as the record breaking run came to an end, and with it Arsenal's title challenge.
However, Rocastle helped Arsenal reach the semi final of the League Cup, now branded the Littlewoods Cup, and a meeting with local rivals Tottenham Hotspur. It was in the replay at White Hart Lane that Rocky wrote himself into Arsenal folklore.
Having been 1-0 down late in the game, Arsenal had drawn level through Ian Allinson before Rocastle hit the last minute winner to send the Gunners to Wembley.
Rocky did not miss a game in either of the next two seasons, starting 121 consecutive matches, which included a return to Wembley for the 1988 Littlewoods Cup Final against Luton.
Despite winning a penalty for his team with Arsenal already 2-1 ahead, it was subsequently missed by Nigel Winterburn, and Luton came back to win 3-2.
The following 1988/89 season saw Rocastle inspire Arsenal to their first league title in 18 years. A fascinating race with Liverpool went all the way down to the final match with Arsenal needing to win by two goals at Anfield to pip the Scousers to the crown.
It was during the early part of that season that Rocky was rewarded for his great form with his first England cap, against Denmark in September 1988.
However his international career never really took off, and despite never appearing on the losing side for his country, Rocky missed the squads for both the 1990 World Cup and the 1992 European Championships.
As the 1980s gave way to the 90s, Rocky found his days at Arsenal coming to an end. Injuries began to interrupt his progress and although he won another league title in 1991, he started just 13 matches.
The following 1991/92 season proved to be Rocastle's last at Highbury. He left us with some more great memories, such as a wonderful solo goal at Old Trafford, en-capturing his full repertoire of skills, and giving him redemption for his red card there five years earlier.
Rocky's last match for the club was against Southampton at Highbury on the final day of the season, a 5-1 victory during which his mate Wright scored a hat-trick to win the Golden Boot.
Over the summer the club agreed to sell him to newly crowned league champions Leeds United for £2 million, and it was reported that he collapsed in tears when the news was broken to him such was his love for the club.
In the end he had made 228 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 34 goals.
Although he quickly became a fans favourite at Elland Road, injury held him back and Rocky left in December 1993 for Manchester City as part of the deal that saw David White move in the opposite direction. Rocastle played 34 games for Leeds, scoring twice.
Initially Rocky enjoyed success at Stamford Bridge, helping the club reach the semi final of the 1995 European Cup Winners Cup. Victory over Real Zaragoza would have set up an emotional final meeting against Arsenal but Chelsea lost 4-3 on aggregate.
Although Rocastle remained at Chelsea for a further three years, he played only once more for the club.
He spent a spell on loan at Norwich City during the 1996/97 season and another at Hull City the following year, where he scored on his debut against Scarborough.
But a once promising career in England came to an end in 1998 when he moved to Malaysia to play for Sabah FC.
However the old injury problems which had blighted his later career forced him to retire from playing in 1999.
After returning to England, Rocastle was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in October 2000 and he sadly lost his battle with the disease on 31 March 2001, aged just 33. Arsenal played Spurs later that same day in a very emotional North London derby which included several of Rocky's former Arsenal teammates.
Arsenal have since named a training facility at their academy at Hale End after Rocky. The David Rocastle Indoor Centre opened in August 2006 and has seen several of current Arsenal squad come through the doors, such as Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah, Reece Nelson and Joe Willock.
In over 40 years I have seen hundreds of players play for Arsenal but few have made a bigger impression on me than Rocky. Not just for his ability on the pitch, as great as that was, but for his personality. He had a tough upbringing and that made him the man he became.
Of course we will never forget the goal against Spurs in 1987, but for me the ones he scored at Anfield and against Middlesbrough at Highbury in November 1988 will also live long in the memory.
They say only the good die young and while this may not always be true it certainly was in Rocky's case. Over 19 years after he departed this world, the memories remain. David Carlyle Rocastle RIP
Coming up next time I look back at one of Rocky's most memorable matches, the semi final victory over Tottenham at White Hart Lane in 1987.
Great reading about one of the most talented players I have had the the pleasure of seeing when.watching The Arsenal for the last 50 years.
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