Classic Arsenal Players - Part 12 - Paul Merson
MAGIC MAN WITH A FLAWED PERSONALITY
FLAWED GENIUS. That is a phrase that has been mentioned about several footballers over the years. George Best, Maradona, Gazza. Another who falls into that category is definitely Paul Merson. A player of real quality who had a constant battle with his demons.
November 1994. Head bowed, Merson spoke very honestly about his problems with gambling, alcohol and cocaine. With the eyes of the world's press fixed on him, the then 26 year old Arsenal striker broke down as he explained how he had been given one last chance to save his career.
And what a career it had been. Over the previous eight years, Merson had become one of the most gifted players in the country who had won five major trophies with Arsenal. But his addiction problems had overwhelmed him and now he had hit rock bottom.
Arsenal manager George Graham and Graham Kelly from the FA showed great understanding to stand by him, and after a three month stay in a rehabilitation facility, Merson was back doing what he did best; playing football.
Paul Charles Merson was born on 20 March 1968 in Harsledon, North-West London. Despite growing up as a Chelsea fan, Merson joined Arsenal as an apprentice in 1984, turning professional a year later.
Merson made his Arsenal debut as an 18 year old on 22 November 1986 coming on a substitute in a 3-0 home win over Manchester City. He was then sent out on loan to Third Division Brentford to gain experience, under the management of former Arsenal captain and close friend of Graham, Frank McClintock.
Merson returned to Arsenal in the spring of 1987, and scored his first goal for the club on his first start away at Wimbledon in a 2-1 victory on Easter Monday. At the end of the 1986/87 season he had made eight appearances and scored three goals.
The following 1987/88 season saw the 19 year old Merson again used sparingly. although he did score five times in eight starts, most of which came in the final month of the season.
Over the summer of 1988 Graham made it clear he was looking to sign a new striker and spent much of the close season pursuing Tony Cottee from West Ham United.
In the end Cottee chose Everton instead so Merson began the 1988/89 season as Alan Smith's regular strike partner.
On the opening day of the season at FA Cup holders Wimbledon, Smith scored a hat-trick with Merson also on target in a 5-1 victory that immediately sent Arsenal to the top of the table.
However Merson, still only 20, would score just once more in the next 14 matches, and that against Hull City in the League Cup, which saw him replaced in the team by first Perry Groves and then Martin Hayes.
But Merson was back in the team and back in top form in the run up to Christmas 1988. After scoring twice at home to Middelsbrough in late-November, Merson went on to hit 10 goals in a 13 game run until mid-January as Arsenal were installed as the new favourites to win the title.
A poor run of form in the early spring of 1989 for both Merson and the team saw him dropped to the bench again, but a change in formation, with Graham opting for a three at back system for the title run in, saw Merson recalled in a wider role.
That led to an upturn in fortunes and one the greatest night of Merson's career at Anfield on 26 May 1989. Needing to win by two clear goals to pip Liverpool to the title, Merson started the game in which Michael Thomas' last gasp effort sealed the famous 2-0 victory.
On top of a first league title medal, Merson, who had scored 14 goals in all competitions, also won the Young Player of the Year award.
The following 1989/90 season was a disappointment for both Merson and Arsenal. As their defence of the title stuttered, the 21 year old was in and out of side as Graham was growing concerned with his off-the-field antics.
In the end he started just 25 matches and scored a mere 7 goals as Arsenal finished 4th and suffered early exits in both cup competitions.
After that disappointment, Merson, an extremely talented forward with an eye for the spectacular, refocused his energies on his football again and over the next three seasons he barely missed a match.
In 1990/91 he won his second league title as the team lost just won match all season, Merson scoring a career high 16 goals.
Merson was rewarded for his fine form with an England call up by manager Graham Taylor for a friendly against Germany in September 1991, and he was selected for the European Championship squad in Sweden in 1992. He also played in the unsuccessful qualifying campaign for the 1994 World Cup.
After being told by new England manager, Terry Venables that he would not be considered for selection for the upcoming Euro 96 tournament in England due to his much publicised off field problems, it appeared as though Merson's international career was over.
But under Glenn Hoddle, the Arsenal man was given a recall and he played in 1998 World Cup in France, scoring in the penalty shoot-out defeat to Argentina in the second round.
In the end Merson won 21 England caps, scoring three goals.
In the 1991/92 season Merson scored 14 times, including many of his now famous long range chips, and the following 1992/93 season saw him feature significantly as Arsenal became the first club to win both domestic cups in the same season.
Merson scored and won the man of the match award in the 1993 League Cup final victory over Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley, and he was also in the side that beat Wednesday again to win the FA Cup in a replay, taking the corner from which Andy Linighan headed the last gasp winner, completing Merson's set of domestic trophies.
The following 1993/94 season saw Merson pick up another winners medal as Arsenal lifted the European Cup Winners Cup.
Merson scored three times on the way to the final against Parma in Copenhagen where a goal from Alan Smith gave Arsenal a 1-0 victory.
By now Merson's off the field problems were beginning to effect his form and in November 1994 he announced to a stunned nation that he had addictions to alcohol, drugs and gambling. The FA and Arsenal stood by him and he was sent on a three month rehabilitation programme in a bid to save his career.
Making his comeback in the Super Cup match at home to AC Milan in February 1995, Merson, given a rousing reception from the crowd, was ever present for the rest of a traumatic season as Graham was sacked and replaced by caretaker, Stewart Houston.
Arsenal again reached the final of the European Cup Winners Cup, Merson scoring in the semi final penalty shoot-out win over Sampdoria, but they lost the final 2-1 in extra time to Real Zarogoza in Paris.
The summer of 1995 saw Bruce Rioch take over as Arsenal manager and with the signings of Dennis Bergkamp and David Platt, it looked as though a new era had arrived. But despite losing his No.10 shirt to the Dutchman, Merson kept his place in the team and was an ever-present playing superbly behind Bergkamp and Ian Wright, scoring five goals.
He did not know it at the time but the following 1996/97 season would be his last at Highbury. Arsene Wenger had replaced Rioch, and although Merson started 40 matches scoring nine times, his future would lie elsewhere.
Over the summer of 1997, Merson, now 29, was offered a new short term contract with Arsenal but instead he was tempted by an improved offer from Division One side Middlesbrough, under the management of Bryan Robson, so reluctantly moved north for £4.5 million.
In total Merson had played 425 times for Arsenal over 11 seasons, and scored 99 goals.
Merson enjoyed a great season at the Riverside, scoring 16 times, one against former club Arsenal in the FA Cup, as Boro sealed promotion to the Premier League.
But feeling homesick, Merson put in a transfer request in the summer of 1998 and was eventually allowed to move to Aston Villa for £6.5 million in September 1998.
Merson stayed at Villa Park for four years, a period he would later describe as the best time of his career, helping them reach the FA Cup final in 2000, where they lost 1-0 to Chelsea, and win the Inter Toto Cup in 2001.
A year later, Merson moved on again to join Harry Redknapp at Division One Portsmouth, scoring 12 times as they won the title and promotion to the top flight for the first time since 1988. However Merson felt that at 35 he was too old to return to the Premier League so he instead he joined Division One side Walsall.
But by early 2004, Merson was again struggling with his addictions and checked into the Sierra Tucson Clinic in Arizona, thanks to help from the PFA.
When he returned to Walsall three months later, Merson he was installed as player/manager after the sacking of Colin Lee, although he could not save the club from inevitable relegation.
The 2004/05 season was a difficult one for Merson as problems in his marriage and with addictions were not helped by Walsall dropping towards a second successive relegation. In the end only a great end of season run saw Walsall survive, although Merson would last only a few months into the new season.
A poor start to 2005/06 saw Merson sacked following a 5-0 defeat at Brentford, and although he received offers from clubs as high as the Championship, Merson instead elected to resume his playing carer at Conference side, Tamworth Town.
This lasted just one game, a 2-1 defeat against Halifax Town, and after being left on the bench for the following match, a 5-0 defeat at Grays Athletic, Merson announced his retirement from playing in March 2006, just a few weeks short of his 38th birthday.
In 2012 Merson briefly made a comeback, playing for Whitton Athletic, scoring once in three matches, before making a guest appearance for Welshpool Town, scoring again in a 4-1 win at Newbridge on Wye.
Since ending his playing career Merson has been a familiar face on Sky Sports, where he is a regular alongside former Arsenal teammate, Charlie Nicholas on Soccer Saturday. Merson also hosted Fantasy Football Club on Sky from 2012-2015.
Away from football Merson has been married three times and has six children, including twin girls. His son, Sam, plays as a striker for St Albans City in the National League South.
In October 2011, Merson was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons again, charged with drink driving after being involved in a crash with a lorry on the M40 near Warwick.
Merson has in recent years participated in Mental Health Week speaking about how his addictions to drink, drugs and gambling fuelled his struggles with mental health.
In 2019 Merson appeared on the TV show, Harry's Heroes; The Full English, where he again broke down over his troubles with addiction and received widespread praise for his honesty about his problems.
For all his issues off the pitch, Merson has always been one of my all time football heroes.
Part of this is down to the fact that we are the same age so he was literally living out all my teenage dreams. His carefree persona on the pitch and outrageous celebrations also endeared him to the fans.
He was a scorer of great goals rather than a great goalscorer and it seemed like every single one of the 99 goals he scored for us was something special. Merse just did not do tap ins.
The fact he also had mental health and addiction issues drew me to him even more. With my own struggles I could really relate to Merse and I cried along with him at that 1994 press conference.
I was really upset when he left us in 1997, just as Arsenal was about to embark on another trophy laden spell under Wenger, but he left with so many great memories.
His performance in the 1993 League Cup final was outstanding of course but one of my favourite memories was not related to his any of his performances on the pitch.
In 1996 we played a two-legged League Cup semi final against Aston Villa. The second leg, at Villa Park, had gone to extra time and would end with Villa winning on away goals.
It just so happened that as the final whistle blew and the Villa fans flooded onto the pitch in celebration and to taunt us, Merse, having just taken a corner at the opposite end to where the tunnel was and right in front of the away end, was stranded.
The next thing I know I am on the pitch standing next to the great man on the touchline having a chat about how he is going out of there. He just smiled and said, 'I'll be fine, but I don't fancy your chances much!' A very surreal moment with all the chaos going on around us.
I was lucky that Merson's time with us came during a period when I was attending most matches home and away so I was able to witness most of his magic moments live.
The goals at Highbury against Crystal Palace, Sheffield Wednesday and Chelsea in 1992 will live long in the memory, as will the one at Everton mentioned in the previous article.
I could literally go for hours about how great he was and how much I loved him but I'm sure you know that already.
Merse, if you're reading this mate, thanks for the memories. It was a blast.
Coming up next time I look back on the career of a player who played alongside Merson in the mid 1980s before going on own his own football club: Niall Quinn. Watch out for that coming soon.
FLAWED GENIUS. That is a phrase that has been mentioned about several footballers over the years. George Best, Maradona, Gazza. Another who falls into that category is definitely Paul Merson. A player of real quality who had a constant battle with his demons.
November 1994. Head bowed, Merson spoke very honestly about his problems with gambling, alcohol and cocaine. With the eyes of the world's press fixed on him, the then 26 year old Arsenal striker broke down as he explained how he had been given one last chance to save his career.
And what a career it had been. Over the previous eight years, Merson had become one of the most gifted players in the country who had won five major trophies with Arsenal. But his addiction problems had overwhelmed him and now he had hit rock bottom.
Paul Charles Merson was born on 20 March 1968 in Harsledon, North-West London. Despite growing up as a Chelsea fan, Merson joined Arsenal as an apprentice in 1984, turning professional a year later.
Merson made his Arsenal debut as an 18 year old on 22 November 1986 coming on a substitute in a 3-0 home win over Manchester City. He was then sent out on loan to Third Division Brentford to gain experience, under the management of former Arsenal captain and close friend of Graham, Frank McClintock.
Merson returned to Arsenal in the spring of 1987, and scored his first goal for the club on his first start away at Wimbledon in a 2-1 victory on Easter Monday. At the end of the 1986/87 season he had made eight appearances and scored three goals.
Over the summer of 1988 Graham made it clear he was looking to sign a new striker and spent much of the close season pursuing Tony Cottee from West Ham United.
In the end Cottee chose Everton instead so Merson began the 1988/89 season as Alan Smith's regular strike partner.
On the opening day of the season at FA Cup holders Wimbledon, Smith scored a hat-trick with Merson also on target in a 5-1 victory that immediately sent Arsenal to the top of the table.
However Merson, still only 20, would score just once more in the next 14 matches, and that against Hull City in the League Cup, which saw him replaced in the team by first Perry Groves and then Martin Hayes.
But Merson was back in the team and back in top form in the run up to Christmas 1988. After scoring twice at home to Middelsbrough in late-November, Merson went on to hit 10 goals in a 13 game run until mid-January as Arsenal were installed as the new favourites to win the title.
A poor run of form in the early spring of 1989 for both Merson and the team saw him dropped to the bench again, but a change in formation, with Graham opting for a three at back system for the title run in, saw Merson recalled in a wider role.
That led to an upturn in fortunes and one the greatest night of Merson's career at Anfield on 26 May 1989. Needing to win by two clear goals to pip Liverpool to the title, Merson started the game in which Michael Thomas' last gasp effort sealed the famous 2-0 victory.
On top of a first league title medal, Merson, who had scored 14 goals in all competitions, also won the Young Player of the Year award.
The following 1989/90 season was a disappointment for both Merson and Arsenal. As their defence of the title stuttered, the 21 year old was in and out of side as Graham was growing concerned with his off-the-field antics.
In the end he started just 25 matches and scored a mere 7 goals as Arsenal finished 4th and suffered early exits in both cup competitions.
After that disappointment, Merson, an extremely talented forward with an eye for the spectacular, refocused his energies on his football again and over the next three seasons he barely missed a match.
In 1990/91 he won his second league title as the team lost just won match all season, Merson scoring a career high 16 goals.
After being told by new England manager, Terry Venables that he would not be considered for selection for the upcoming Euro 96 tournament in England due to his much publicised off field problems, it appeared as though Merson's international career was over.
But under Glenn Hoddle, the Arsenal man was given a recall and he played in 1998 World Cup in France, scoring in the penalty shoot-out defeat to Argentina in the second round.
In the end Merson won 21 England caps, scoring three goals.
In the 1991/92 season Merson scored 14 times, including many of his now famous long range chips, and the following 1992/93 season saw him feature significantly as Arsenal became the first club to win both domestic cups in the same season.
Merson scored and won the man of the match award in the 1993 League Cup final victory over Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley, and he was also in the side that beat Wednesday again to win the FA Cup in a replay, taking the corner from which Andy Linighan headed the last gasp winner, completing Merson's set of domestic trophies.
Merson scored three times on the way to the final against Parma in Copenhagen where a goal from Alan Smith gave Arsenal a 1-0 victory.
By now Merson's off the field problems were beginning to effect his form and in November 1994 he announced to a stunned nation that he had addictions to alcohol, drugs and gambling. The FA and Arsenal stood by him and he was sent on a three month rehabilitation programme in a bid to save his career.
Making his comeback in the Super Cup match at home to AC Milan in February 1995, Merson, given a rousing reception from the crowd, was ever present for the rest of a traumatic season as Graham was sacked and replaced by caretaker, Stewart Houston.
Arsenal again reached the final of the European Cup Winners Cup, Merson scoring in the semi final penalty shoot-out win over Sampdoria, but they lost the final 2-1 in extra time to Real Zarogoza in Paris.
The summer of 1995 saw Bruce Rioch take over as Arsenal manager and with the signings of Dennis Bergkamp and David Platt, it looked as though a new era had arrived. But despite losing his No.10 shirt to the Dutchman, Merson kept his place in the team and was an ever-present playing superbly behind Bergkamp and Ian Wright, scoring five goals.
He did not know it at the time but the following 1996/97 season would be his last at Highbury. Arsene Wenger had replaced Rioch, and although Merson started 40 matches scoring nine times, his future would lie elsewhere.
Over the summer of 1997, Merson, now 29, was offered a new short term contract with Arsenal but instead he was tempted by an improved offer from Division One side Middlesbrough, under the management of Bryan Robson, so reluctantly moved north for £4.5 million.
Merson enjoyed a great season at the Riverside, scoring 16 times, one against former club Arsenal in the FA Cup, as Boro sealed promotion to the Premier League.
But feeling homesick, Merson put in a transfer request in the summer of 1998 and was eventually allowed to move to Aston Villa for £6.5 million in September 1998.
Merson stayed at Villa Park for four years, a period he would later describe as the best time of his career, helping them reach the FA Cup final in 2000, where they lost 1-0 to Chelsea, and win the Inter Toto Cup in 2001.
A year later, Merson moved on again to join Harry Redknapp at Division One Portsmouth, scoring 12 times as they won the title and promotion to the top flight for the first time since 1988. However Merson felt that at 35 he was too old to return to the Premier League so he instead he joined Division One side Walsall.
But by early 2004, Merson was again struggling with his addictions and checked into the Sierra Tucson Clinic in Arizona, thanks to help from the PFA.
When he returned to Walsall three months later, Merson he was installed as player/manager after the sacking of Colin Lee, although he could not save the club from inevitable relegation.
The 2004/05 season was a difficult one for Merson as problems in his marriage and with addictions were not helped by Walsall dropping towards a second successive relegation. In the end only a great end of season run saw Walsall survive, although Merson would last only a few months into the new season.
This lasted just one game, a 2-1 defeat against Halifax Town, and after being left on the bench for the following match, a 5-0 defeat at Grays Athletic, Merson announced his retirement from playing in March 2006, just a few weeks short of his 38th birthday.
In 2012 Merson briefly made a comeback, playing for Whitton Athletic, scoring once in three matches, before making a guest appearance for Welshpool Town, scoring again in a 4-1 win at Newbridge on Wye.
Since ending his playing career Merson has been a familiar face on Sky Sports, where he is a regular alongside former Arsenal teammate, Charlie Nicholas on Soccer Saturday. Merson also hosted Fantasy Football Club on Sky from 2012-2015.
Away from football Merson has been married three times and has six children, including twin girls. His son, Sam, plays as a striker for St Albans City in the National League South.
In October 2011, Merson was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons again, charged with drink driving after being involved in a crash with a lorry on the M40 near Warwick.
Merson has in recent years participated in Mental Health Week speaking about how his addictions to drink, drugs and gambling fuelled his struggles with mental health.
In 2019 Merson appeared on the TV show, Harry's Heroes; The Full English, where he again broke down over his troubles with addiction and received widespread praise for his honesty about his problems.
Part of this is down to the fact that we are the same age so he was literally living out all my teenage dreams. His carefree persona on the pitch and outrageous celebrations also endeared him to the fans.
He was a scorer of great goals rather than a great goalscorer and it seemed like every single one of the 99 goals he scored for us was something special. Merse just did not do tap ins.
The fact he also had mental health and addiction issues drew me to him even more. With my own struggles I could really relate to Merse and I cried along with him at that 1994 press conference.
I was really upset when he left us in 1997, just as Arsenal was about to embark on another trophy laden spell under Wenger, but he left with so many great memories.
His performance in the 1993 League Cup final was outstanding of course but one of my favourite memories was not related to his any of his performances on the pitch.
In 1996 we played a two-legged League Cup semi final against Aston Villa. The second leg, at Villa Park, had gone to extra time and would end with Villa winning on away goals.
It just so happened that as the final whistle blew and the Villa fans flooded onto the pitch in celebration and to taunt us, Merse, having just taken a corner at the opposite end to where the tunnel was and right in front of the away end, was stranded.
The next thing I know I am on the pitch standing next to the great man on the touchline having a chat about how he is going out of there. He just smiled and said, 'I'll be fine, but I don't fancy your chances much!' A very surreal moment with all the chaos going on around us.
I was lucky that Merson's time with us came during a period when I was attending most matches home and away so I was able to witness most of his magic moments live.
The goals at Highbury against Crystal Palace, Sheffield Wednesday and Chelsea in 1992 will live long in the memory, as will the one at Everton mentioned in the previous article.
I could literally go for hours about how great he was and how much I loved him but I'm sure you know that already.
Merse, if you're reading this mate, thanks for the memories. It was a blast.
Coming up next time I look back on the career of a player who played alongside Merson in the mid 1980s before going on own his own football club: Niall Quinn. Watch out for that coming soon.
Comments
Post a Comment