Former Gunner News

I was browsing the internet today and noticed that a few names from Arsenal’s past have landed  a deal somewhere (or are close) recently having spent a while as a free agent.

Alex Manninger: Austrian goalkeeper Manninger left Arsenal in 2002 and the best memories of him were during the 1997/98 Double winning season when he stepped into David Seaman’s shoes when he got injured, recording six clean sheets in a row during that spell. He won the March 1998 Premier League Player of the Month award and in particular he impressed during the crucial 1-0 win at Old Trafford that season that swung the title battle in Arsenal’s favour. When the Gunners signed Richard Wright in 2001, Manninger was sent out on loan for the 2001/02 season and left the next summer. He has played for a lot of clubs since then and was most recently with Italian giants Juventus. He has now landed a trial with Premier League club Everton.

Luis Boa Morte: Boa Morte joined Arsenal in 1997 and spent 2 years at the club before joining Southampton in 1999. He had further successful Premier League spells with Fulham and West Ham before leaving last summer. After a couple of short spells in Greece and South Africa, Boa Morte was recently on trial at League One club Portsmouth. They couldn’t work out a deal and he has now joined League Two club Chesterfield.

Boa Morte has dropped to League Two with Chesterfield.

Francis Jeffers: Jeffers joined Arsenal from Everton in 2001, but flopped at Highbury after a successful spell on Merseyside. In 2003 he was sent back on loan to Everton. He left Highbury permanently in 2004, joining Charlton who were then a Premier League side. He then moved on to Blackburn before playing for a whole host of clubs including the Newcastle United Jets in Australia. He is now set to join Maltese club Floriana.

Jeffers celebrates a rare Arsenal goal.