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Ranking the 5 best Arsenal central defenders of all-time

By Adam Schultz

26 Dec 2000: Tony Adams celebrates his goal for Arsenal during the FA Carling Premier League match against Leicester City played at Highbury in London. Arsenal won the game 6-1. \ Mandatory Credit: Mike Hewitt /Allsport
26 Dec 2000: Tony Adams celebrates his goal for Arsenal during the FA Carling Premier League match against Leicester City played at Highbury in London. Arsenal won the game 6-1. \ Mandatory Credit: Mike Hewitt /Allsport /
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Arsenal Football Club has been blessed with some sensational central defenders over time, but who ranks inside the top five of all time?

Central defenders often carry the typical leadership traits that most follow to a tee. They can set the tone either with instruction or by how they carry themselves both on and off the pitch.

Often a critical part of the make-up of the team, having a solid centre-back pairing goes a long way to winning football matches. The famous “one-nil to the Arsenal” anyone?

Over the years, some superb players have set up shop in the heart of the Arsenal defence. Although there was a lean period towards the end of Arsene Wenger’s reign, some of the Gunners’ best players from a leadership standpoint have been members of the back four.

Ranking Arsenal’s top 5 centre-backs of all-time

With so many star central defenders worthy of a place on the top five list, just who makes the cut? Here are PITA’s top five central defenders of all time.

5. Frank McLintock

Probably a bit early for some young Arsenal fans, but Frank McLintock is a legend in every sense of the word. Signed from Leicester City in 1964 for a fee of £80,000. He did not start his career in the heart of defence as he was deployed as a wing-back.

But such was his nature of getting forward, sometimes to the detriment of the team, as goals would flow in at his expense. However, as they say, change is as good as a holiday, and in the 1969/70 season, due to the squad being decimated by injuries, McLintock found himself at the heart of Arsenal’s defence. He never looked back.

In 1970, he would lead the Gunners to a European Fairs Cup win over Anderlecht, and the following season was named Arsenal captain as the club completed the double (league title and FA Cup).

McLintock was also named the Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year in 1971
In total, McLintock made 314 league appearances for Arsenal and is a true champion of the club.

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