Classic Arsenal Players Profile - Part 1 - Graham Rix
WE ALL AGREE, RIXY IS BETTER THAN HODDLE
THAT WAS the chant from the North Bank in the early 1980s in praise of a player who came through the Arsenal ranks to the England team before suffering a rather spectacular fall from grace. Here I look back on the life and career of Graham Cyril Rix.
Rix was born on 23 October 1957 in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. He joined Arsenal as an apprentice after leaving school in 1974 and signed as a full time professional the following year.
Rix, a scrawny left footed midfield player who was much tougher than his physical appearance suggested, made his first team debut in April 1977, aged 19, scoring the opening goal with his first touch; with his weaker right foot, in a 3-0 win.
The following season he became a regular on the left side of midfield, building a productive partnership with Liam Brady, as he helped the club reach the semi final of the League Cup, before defeat to Liverpool, and go one step further in the FA Cup; Rix scoring in the 3-0 semi final victory at Stamford Bridge over Orient.
At Wembley, which would become a second home for Rix and Arsenal over the next few years, the Gunners were beaten 1-0 by Bobby Robson's Ipswich Town but, driven on by that disappointment, they returned the following year to face Manchester United in what would become known as the five minute final. This proved to be Rix's only trophy with Arsenal, setting up the dramatic last gasp winner for Alan Sunderland, after Arsenal looked to have blown a 2-0 lead late in the second half.
The 1979/80 season which followed proved to the peak for Terry Neill's young Arsenal side. Rix played in 66 of the record breaking 70 matches as they chased glory on three fronts. The league challenge ended due to an inability to turn draws into wins; 16 from 42 league matches, but the Gunners reached the final of both the European Cup Winners Cup and the FA Cup, for a record breaking third consecutive year.
In a heartbreaking end to the season, Arsenal lost 1-0 to West Ham at Wembley before heading to Brussels to face Valencia in the Cup Winners Cup. Rix had played a key role in the run to the final, especially in the semi final second leg win away at Juventus, the first British side to ever win in Turin.
But the final ended in more disappointment. Despite a superb individual performance, Rix missed the crucial penalty in the shoot out after the final had finished goalless, and Arsenal ended what had once been such a promising season empty-handed.
That summer saw Brady depart for Juventus, and although still only 21, Rix took on far greater responsibility in the team. He was rewarded with a first England cap in September 1980 against Norway, and his 17 appearances for his country included five at the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
Over the next few years Rix began adding goals to his repertoire, scoring 10 in both the 1981/82 and 1982/83 seasons, before in the summer of 1983 he was appointed captain, taking over that role from David O'Leary.
The club were in transition, coming to terms with the departures of both Brady and Frank Stapelton, leading to Neill's sacking in December 1983.
Rix remained a regular in the side, alternating between his original left wing position and a more central role, even occasionally up front, until the arrival of George Graham as manager in 1986. The writing was on the wall when Graham named Kenny Sansom as his new captain, and although Arsenal finished the season winning the League Cup for the first time, Rix had long since lost his place in the side to Martin Hayes.
Rix remained at the club for the 1987/88 season but started only 10 matches and left that summer; his 464th and final appearance came on the final day of the season at Everton.
Despite offers from Sheffield Wednesday and Queen Park Rangers, Rix instead moved abroad, to France to join Caen. In three seasons at Stade de Venoix he made nearly 100 appearances, before a further season at Le Harve.
Following years of injury problems in his latter career, Rix finally ended his playing days in 1993 at Dundee before taking up the role of youth coach at Chelsea. During an injury crisis he made his only appearance for their first team in 1995, ironically against former club Arsenal.
The following year Rix was appointed assistant to Ruud Gullit, a role he kept when the Dutchman was replaced by Gianluca Vialli, helping the club win two FA Cups, a League Cup and a Cup Winners Cup.
However it was during his time at Stamford Bridge that Rix's personal life hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons when in March 1999 he was sentenced to 12 months in prison and placed on the sex offenders register for two counts of underage sex with a 15 year old girl. In the end he served 6 months and immediately returned to his role at Chelsea, although the FA banned him from dealing with players under the age of 16.
In 2000 he briefly took over as caretaker manager following the sacking of Vialli, before in 2001 being appointed manager of Portsmouth. After a bright start to life on the South Coast, Rix was sacked in 2002 following a poor run of results, particularly a 4-1 FA Cup defeat at the hands of the League's bottom side, Leyton Orient.
In 2004 Rix briefly managed Oxford United before, in November 2005, taking over at Hearts. Following a turbulent relationship with club owner Vladimir Romanov, Rix left the club after just six months.
After over six years out of the game, Rix returned to management in 2012 with Central FC in Trinadad & Tobago, a club set up by former pro Brett Sancho, but he left in December of that year. Rix then ended his managerial career in August 2017 with Wessex League side AFC Porchester, where he had been head coach since February 2013.
Towards the end of his time at Porchester in April 2017, Rix suffered a minor heart attack, before a year later he was accused by numerous former Chelsea trainees of racism and physical assault. The case was later dropped due to insufficient evidence.
Now aged 62, Rix lives with his second wife Linda on the South Coast.
Despite some rather dubious later life choices, such as joining Chelsea, I will always have fond memories of Rixy at Arsenal. He played in the first match at Highbury I went to in October 1981, and was one of our best players in my early years watching the team. In fact as a teenager I tried to model my game on him as I always felt we were quite similar; skinny, quick and left footed, although, unfortunately for me that was where the similarities ended!
Coming up in Part 2 I look at the life and career of a player who played alongside Rixy for several years in the late 70s and early 80s; Brian Talbot. Look out for that one coming soon.
THAT WAS the chant from the North Bank in the early 1980s in praise of a player who came through the Arsenal ranks to the England team before suffering a rather spectacular fall from grace. Here I look back on the life and career of Graham Cyril Rix.
Rix was born on 23 October 1957 in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. He joined Arsenal as an apprentice after leaving school in 1974 and signed as a full time professional the following year.
Rix, a scrawny left footed midfield player who was much tougher than his physical appearance suggested, made his first team debut in April 1977, aged 19, scoring the opening goal with his first touch; with his weaker right foot, in a 3-0 win.
At Wembley, which would become a second home for Rix and Arsenal over the next few years, the Gunners were beaten 1-0 by Bobby Robson's Ipswich Town but, driven on by that disappointment, they returned the following year to face Manchester United in what would become known as the five minute final. This proved to be Rix's only trophy with Arsenal, setting up the dramatic last gasp winner for Alan Sunderland, after Arsenal looked to have blown a 2-0 lead late in the second half.
The 1979/80 season which followed proved to the peak for Terry Neill's young Arsenal side. Rix played in 66 of the record breaking 70 matches as they chased glory on three fronts. The league challenge ended due to an inability to turn draws into wins; 16 from 42 league matches, but the Gunners reached the final of both the European Cup Winners Cup and the FA Cup, for a record breaking third consecutive year.
In a heartbreaking end to the season, Arsenal lost 1-0 to West Ham at Wembley before heading to Brussels to face Valencia in the Cup Winners Cup. Rix had played a key role in the run to the final, especially in the semi final second leg win away at Juventus, the first British side to ever win in Turin.
But the final ended in more disappointment. Despite a superb individual performance, Rix missed the crucial penalty in the shoot out after the final had finished goalless, and Arsenal ended what had once been such a promising season empty-handed.
That summer saw Brady depart for Juventus, and although still only 21, Rix took on far greater responsibility in the team. He was rewarded with a first England cap in September 1980 against Norway, and his 17 appearances for his country included five at the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
Over the next few years Rix began adding goals to his repertoire, scoring 10 in both the 1981/82 and 1982/83 seasons, before in the summer of 1983 he was appointed captain, taking over that role from David O'Leary.
The club were in transition, coming to terms with the departures of both Brady and Frank Stapelton, leading to Neill's sacking in December 1983.
Rix remained a regular in the side, alternating between his original left wing position and a more central role, even occasionally up front, until the arrival of George Graham as manager in 1986. The writing was on the wall when Graham named Kenny Sansom as his new captain, and although Arsenal finished the season winning the League Cup for the first time, Rix had long since lost his place in the side to Martin Hayes.
Rix remained at the club for the 1987/88 season but started only 10 matches and left that summer; his 464th and final appearance came on the final day of the season at Everton.
Despite offers from Sheffield Wednesday and Queen Park Rangers, Rix instead moved abroad, to France to join Caen. In three seasons at Stade de Venoix he made nearly 100 appearances, before a further season at Le Harve.
Following years of injury problems in his latter career, Rix finally ended his playing days in 1993 at Dundee before taking up the role of youth coach at Chelsea. During an injury crisis he made his only appearance for their first team in 1995, ironically against former club Arsenal.
The following year Rix was appointed assistant to Ruud Gullit, a role he kept when the Dutchman was replaced by Gianluca Vialli, helping the club win two FA Cups, a League Cup and a Cup Winners Cup.However it was during his time at Stamford Bridge that Rix's personal life hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons when in March 1999 he was sentenced to 12 months in prison and placed on the sex offenders register for two counts of underage sex with a 15 year old girl. In the end he served 6 months and immediately returned to his role at Chelsea, although the FA banned him from dealing with players under the age of 16.
In 2000 he briefly took over as caretaker manager following the sacking of Vialli, before in 2001 being appointed manager of Portsmouth. After a bright start to life on the South Coast, Rix was sacked in 2002 following a poor run of results, particularly a 4-1 FA Cup defeat at the hands of the League's bottom side, Leyton Orient.
In 2004 Rix briefly managed Oxford United before, in November 2005, taking over at Hearts. Following a turbulent relationship with club owner Vladimir Romanov, Rix left the club after just six months.After over six years out of the game, Rix returned to management in 2012 with Central FC in Trinadad & Tobago, a club set up by former pro Brett Sancho, but he left in December of that year. Rix then ended his managerial career in August 2017 with Wessex League side AFC Porchester, where he had been head coach since February 2013.
Towards the end of his time at Porchester in April 2017, Rix suffered a minor heart attack, before a year later he was accused by numerous former Chelsea trainees of racism and physical assault. The case was later dropped due to insufficient evidence.
Now aged 62, Rix lives with his second wife Linda on the South Coast.
Despite some rather dubious later life choices, such as joining Chelsea, I will always have fond memories of Rixy at Arsenal. He played in the first match at Highbury I went to in October 1981, and was one of our best players in my early years watching the team. In fact as a teenager I tried to model my game on him as I always felt we were quite similar; skinny, quick and left footed, although, unfortunately for me that was where the similarities ended!
Coming up in Part 2 I look at the life and career of a player who played alongside Rixy for several years in the late 70s and early 80s; Brian Talbot. Look out for that one coming soon.
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