List of Arsenal F.C. managers

A bronze-statued Herbert Chapman, standing with hands behind his back. The statue was erected to commemorate his time at Arsenal.
A statue of Herbert Chapman (1878–1934), Arsenal manager from 1925 to 1934

Arsenal Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Islington, London. The club was formed in Woolwich in 1886 as Dial Square before it was shortly renamed to Royal Arsenal, and then Woolwich Arsenal in 1893.[1] They became the first southern member[nb 1] admitted into the Football League in 1893, having spent their first four seasons solely participating in cup tournaments and friendlies.[4] The club's name was shortened to Arsenal in 1914, a year after moving to Highbury.[5] In spite of finishing fifth in the Second Division in 1915, Arsenal rejoined the First Division at the expense of local rivals Tottenham Hotspur when football resumed after the First World War.[6] Since that time, they have not fallen below the first tier of the English football league system and hold the record for the longest uninterrupted period in the top flight.[7]

There have been twenty permanent and eight caretaker managers of Arsenal since 1897; Stewart Houston has managed the club in two separate spells as caretaker. The most successful person to manage Arsenal is Arsène Wenger, who won three Premier League titles, seven FA Cups and seven Community Shields between 1996 and 2018. Wenger is the club's longest-serving manager; he surpassed George Allison's record of 13 years in October 2009. Two Arsenal managers have died in the job – Herbert Chapman and Tom Whittaker.

This chronological list comprises all those who have held the position of manager of the first team of Arsenal since their foundation in 1886. Each manager's entry includes his dates of tenure and the club's overall competitive record (in terms of matches won, drawn and lost), honours won and significant achievements while under his care. Caretaker managers are included, where known, as well as those who have been in permanent charge.

  1. ^ Soar & Tyler (2011), p. 24.
  2. ^ Tomlinson, Alan (2010). A Dictionary of Sports Studies. Oxford University Press. p. 196. ISBN 978-0-19-921381-8.
  3. ^ Freeman, Nicholas (2011). 1895: Drama, Disaster and Disgrace in Late Victorian Britain. Edinburgh University Press. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-7486-4056-0. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  4. ^ Joy (1952), p. 9.
  5. ^ Joy (1952), p. 32.
  6. ^ Joy (1952), p. 28.
  7. ^ "Club profile – Arsenal". Premier League. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2015.


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