David Rocastle – 7 Years On , Tribute & Biography

David “Rocky” Rocastle, a name that will live on through the stories and hearts of all Arsenal fans, but its a name that many of the younger fans will maybe not be familiar with, so Young Guns will turn away from its usual coverage of the Reserves and Youth news, to pay homage to the midfield maestro who sadly died 7 years ago on the 31st of March 2001.

David started out, like many of our young prospects we have at the club now in the Academy, after leaving school in 1983, he joined the club on scholarship terms, before impressive spells led to him being signed to a professional contract a big moment in Rocastle’s career.

He was then granted a debut at the start of 1985-86 season, against Newcastle, his skills and style meant he quickly became a first team regular as well as a fans favourite, things were going fantastic for “Rocky” some described him as “British Brazilian” however he ended his first season without a trophy.

But just a season later, and just before his 20th birthday Rocastle had his first trophy in an Arsenal shirt, as the Gunners beat Liverpool in the League Cup final, he would also go on to be a regular as the then holders Arsenal lost 2-1 against Luton in the final the following year.

In all Rocastle won two League titles with the Gunners, in 1989 and in the 1990-91 season, where after playing nearly every game in the first title win, injuries restricted him to playing just the final few games, in the second win.

By now, his magic skills, agility and energy had pushed him into the England setup, where he played 14 times, with the final appearance coming in 1992, this year would also be when he finally left Arsenal, when he was sold to Leeds United for £2 million.

He finished his career with the Gunners, having played 218 games and scored 24 goals, but a fresh challenge with Leeds awaited David, where he was signed as the replacement for Gordon Strachan, but injuries and competition meant he was kept out of action, and only featured 25 times, before being sold to Manchester City for £2 million in December 1993.

But again injuries took hold, and with manager Brian Horton signing other midfield players, Rocastle faced the same fate as he had at Leeds, and a season later was sold to Chelsea in a £1.25 million deal.

Being back in London seemed to rejuvenated him, playing nearly 40 times and scoring two goals scored two goals as they got to the semi-finals of the European Cup Winners Cup, but a season later, the injury problems came back, and spells on the side-lines continued, it seemed he had luck, and after a failed trial with German outfit Hertha Berlin, Chelsea decided to loan him out in a bid to get him fit, loans at Norwich City and then Hull City failed to kick start his career, and when his contract finished in 1998, he signed for Malaysia side Sabah on a free transfer, further injuries ended his spell, and in 1999 he hung up his boots, and official retired.

If David had little luck towards the end of his football career, it would only get worse after it, when in February 2001 he confirmed he had a type of cancer known as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but with chemotherapy and the support of his family he hoped to recover, the whole of the footballing world was rocked when he died on 31st March 2001, aged just 33.

He left behind a devoting wife, Janet and their four children, as well as thousands of fans and well wishers world wide, through his talents as a footballer and with his cheeky smile, and charismatic personality, David Rocastle has in-bed himself in the hearts and minds of football fans all over.

So the 31st of March is remembered not for David’s death, but for a celebration of his talents.