Arsenal’s managers analysed by history, games and success

By Tony Attwood

With each of the articles on managers in this long-running series I have tried to do a little summary of their achievements.  But I felt that before I went further with Terry Neil it would be good to have an overall summary of all Arsenal managers.

The table of Arsenal management and its success exists in many forms – I have added my own little bit by adding a “Top 4” column.  By which I simply mean, achieving a place in the top 4 of the top division.

Although it is only in recent years that the top 4 finish has brought its own rewards it is nevertheless a guide as to how well the club was doing above and beyond the ultimate accolade of winning things.

Having done this I suppose it might be a good idea to add how many Cup Finals the manager achieved – but I’ll leave that for another day.

 Here is the table in historical order

 

Name	From	To	P	Win%	Top 4	Honours
Thomas Mitchell	August 1897	March 1898	26	53.85
William Elcoat	April 1898	Feb 1899	43	53.49
Harry Bradshaw	August 1899	May 1904	189	50.79
Phil Kelso	July 1904	Feb 1908[	152	41.45
George Morrell	Feb  1908	April 1915	292	35.27
James Punch McEwen	April 1915	April 1919	1	100.00
Leslie Knighton	April 1919	May 1925	268	34.33
Herbert Chapman	June 1925	Jan 1934	403	49.88	4	2 Leagues, 1 FA Cup
Joe Shaw	January 1934	May 1934	23	60.87	1	1 League
George Allison	May 1934	May 1947	279	46.24	3	2 Leagues, 1 FA Cup
Tom Whittaker	June 1947	Octobe1956	429	47.09	3	2 Leagues 1 FA Cup
Jack Crayston	October 1956	May 1958	77	42.86
George Swindin	June 1958	1 May 1962	179	39.11	1
Billy Wright	May 1962	June 1966	182	38.46
Bertie Mee	June 1966	May 1976	539	44.71	3	1 League  1 FA Cup1 Fairs C.
Terry Neill	July 1976	Dec 1983	416	44.95	2	1 FA Cup
Don Howe	Dec 1983	March 1986[	117	46.15
Steve Burtenshaw	March 1986	May 1986	11	27.27
George Graham	May 1986	Feb 1995	460	48.91	6	2 Leagues 1 FA Cup, 2 Lg Cups1 CWCup
Stewart Houston	Feb 1995	June 1995	19	36.84
Bruce Rioch	June 1995	August 1996	47	46.81
Stewart Houston	August 1996	Sep 1996	6	33.33
Pat Rice	Sep 1996	Sep1996	4	75.00
Arsène Wenger	October 1996		848	57.78	15	3 Leagues  4 FA Cups

 

If we do the table again by win percentage order we get quite an interesting run:

Name	From	To	P	Win%	Top 4	Honours
Steve Burtenshaw	March 1986	May 1986	11	27.27
Stewart Houston	August 1996	Sep 1996	6	33.33
Leslie Knighton	April 1919	May 1925	268	34.33
George Morrell	Feb  1908	April 1915	292	35.27
Stewart Houston	Feb 1995	June 1995	19	36.84
Billy Wright	May 1962	June 1966	182	38.46
George Swindin	June 1958	1 May 1962	179	39.11	1
Phil Kelso	July 1904	Feb 1908[	152	41.45
Jack Crayston	October 1956	May 1958	77	42.86
Bertie Mee	June 1966	May 1976	539	44.71	3	1 League  1 FA Cup 1 Fairs C.
Terry Neill	July 1976	Dec 1983	416	44.95	2	1 FA Cup
Don Howe	Dec 1983	March 1986[	117	46.15
George Allison	May 1934	May 1947	279	46.24	3	2 Leagues, 1 FA Cup
Bruce Rioch	June 1995	August 1996	47	46.81
Tom Whittaker	June 1947	Octobe1956	429	47.09	3	2 Leagues 1 FA Cup
George Graham	May 1986	Feb 1995	460	48.91	6	2 Leagues 1 FA Cup, 2 Lg Cups 1 CWCup
Herbert Chapman	June 1925	Jan 1934	403	49.88	4	2 Leagues, 1 FA Cup
Harry Bradshaw	August 1899	May 1904	189	50.79
William Elcoat	April 1898	Feb 1899	43	53.49
Thomas Mitchell	August 1897	March 1898	26	53.85
Arsène Wenger	October 1996		848	57.78	15	3 Leagues 4 FA Cups
Joe Shaw	January 1934	May 1934	23	60.87	1	1 League
Pat Rice	Sep 1996	Sep 1996	4	75.00
James Punch McEwen	April 1915	April 1919	1	100.00

 

And just for the hell of it, by number of games…

 

Name	From	To	P	Win%	Top 4	Honours
James Punch McEwen	April 1915	April 1919	1	100.00
Pat Rice	Sep 1996	Sep 1996	4	75.00
Stewart Houston	August 1996	Sep 1996	6	33.33
Steve Burtenshaw	March 1986	May 1986	11	27.27
Stewart Houston	Feb 1995	June 1995	19	36.84
Joe Shaw	January 1934	May 1934	23	60.87	1	1 League
Thomas Mitchell	August 1897	March 1898	26	53.85
William Elcoat	April 1898	Feb 1899	43	53.49
Bruce Rioch	June 1995	August 1996	47	46.81
Jack Crayston	October 1956	May 1958	77	42.86
Don Howe	Dec 1983	March 1986[	117	46.15
Phil Kelso	July 1904	Feb 1908[	152	41.45
George Swindin	June 1958	1 May 1962	179	39.11	1
Billy Wright	May 1962	June 1966	182	38.46
Harry Bradshaw	August 1899	May 1904	189	50.79
Leslie Knighton	April 1919	May 1925	268	34.33
George Allison	May 1934	May 1947	279	46.24	3	2 Leagues, 1 FA Cup
George Morrell	Feb  1908	April 1915	292	35.27
Herbert Chapman	June 1925	Jan 1934	403	49.88	4	2 Leagues, 1 FA Cup
Terry Neill	July 1976	Dec 1983	416	44.95	2	1 FA Cup
Tom Whittaker	June 1947	Octobe1956	429	47.09	3	2 Leagues 1 FA Cup
George Graham	May 1986	Feb 1995	460	48.91	6	2 Leagues 1 FA Cup, 2 Lg Cups 1 CWCup
Bertie Mee	June 1966	May 1976	539	44.71	3	1 League  1 FA Cup 1 Fairs C.
Arsène Wenger	October 1996		848	57.78	15	3 Leagues 4 FA Cups

 

What the table overall in its various formats shows that Arsenal have tended to move on unsuccessful managers fairly early in their careers – although perhaps not always fast enough.  The 1959-67 era without a top four finish or a cup final was only exceeded in the pre-Chapman years.

But all of our top four finishes except two have come via our successful managers – and one of those (Joe Shaw) came because Herbert Chapman died half way through the season, and Joe, the reserve team coach and ex-captain of the side, took over.  George Morrell was a long serving manager, but working at a time when Arsenal were stretched financially – a situation none of the later managers had to contend with.

In terms of overall success, if we take out the three short term managers of Joe Shaw (see above), Pat Rice (stand in while we awaited Mr Wenger) and Punch McEwen who served the club through his working life, and was (as it were) the caretaker manager through the first world war, it is obvious who Arsenal’s greatest manager is.

Arsenal History