|
David Rocastle: 1967 - 2001
A favourite son of the Highbury faithful, David ‘Rocky’ Rocastle rose through the ranks from apprentice to first-team star and enjoyed great success - including 14 England caps - along the way. An integral part of the Arsenal side that won the League Championship in 1989 and 1991, by common consent in the media and from football fans he was among the most naturally talented footballers of his generation. Having joined Arsenal as a schoolboy in May 1982, he signed apprentice forms just before his 16th birthday, joining a crop of young players progressing through the club's youth system that included Niall Quinn, Michael Thomas, Paul Davis, Kevin Campbell, Paul Merson and Tony Adams. Overseen by the encouraging eye of Pat Rice, they forged an undoubtedly strong bond of loyalty to each other, which would later stand them in good stead as their careers at the club progressed. As a group, they served notice of their future intentions by winning the FA Youth Cup in 1984. However, this was a mere taster for the success that was to follow.
His mercurial rise through the club's system resulted in his first-team debut in a goalless draw against Newcastle in September 1985. Even at this tender age of 18, his skill, panache, pace and strength stood out amongst his peers. As well as providing the crucial right-hand balance within the midfield alongside Thomas and Davis, Rocky possessed pace and acceleration in abundance. Also he had power that allowed him to get past opponents and produce pinpoint crosses for the likes of Alan Smith. Renowned for his accurate passing and ferocious tackling, he enjoyed a productive partnership on the right flank with his good friend - full-back Lee Dixon.
Rocky played a leading role in Arsenal's Championship season in 1989, not least in their extraordinary decisive victory over Liverpool at Anfield in the final match of the season. Rocastle was named the Young Player of the Year and, having captained the England Under-21 side, made his full international debut against Denmark at the start of the following season. One great disappointment was that he missed playing for England in the 1990 World Cup in Italy. He was one of 26 players chosen by Bobby Robson, to go to the training camp before the tournament, but he was one of the unlucky four dropped from the official 22-man squad, along with club-mates Tony Adams and Alan Smith. Despite this, aged 22, he still seemed assured of a long and successful career for both club and country. However, during Arsenal's Championship-winning 1990-91 season, he was sadly blighted by a serious knee injury, and only managed to play 13 full games, although this did ensure he received a second Championship medal in three seasons.
By now he had begun to play in the centre of midfield, but although recalled by Graham Taylor to the England side, his club manager seemed to rate him less highly as time passed. George Graham had decided to pack the centre of Arsenal's midfield with holding players such as John Jensen, and David Hillier, and so it was that Graham summoned Rocastle to his office and told him that he was no longer part of his plans. Rocky later recalled his astonishment at the news after Graham broke it to him. The feeling of parting from Arsenal, where he had been since he was a boy, was, he said, "like a son leaving a father". When Rocastle was transferred to Leeds for £2million, his close friend and team-mate Paul Davis recalled: "He cried. We spoke about it quite often over the years. He couldn't understand why they ever wanted him to go. The club's line was that he was injured, he was struggling with his weight, and he'd had a knee operation. I don't think he ever recovered from the fact of leaving Arsenal."
Altogether, Rocky made 260 appearances for Arsenal, with 17 appearances as a sub, scoring 34 goals. He helped them to win the Football League (the Littlewoods) Cup in 1987 and was in the team beaten by Luton Town in the 1988 Final. From Leeds, Rocky went on to successfully play for Manchester City, Chelsea, Norwich City, Hull City and finished his playing career in Malaysia. After retiring from his career in January 2000 due to a recurring knee injury, Rocky devoted his time to his wife Janet and their three young children. However, later that year he was diagnosed as suffering from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma - an aggressive form of cancer that attacks the immune system. Despite initial hope that he would recover, sadly Rocky died on Saturday 31st March 2001, at the cruelly young age of just 33.
Paul Davis will always remember Rocky as "a bubbly character, lovely spirit, fantastic spirit. Really, he was an Arsenal person. I always remember when he left the club: it was one of the saddest moments for him. Pleasant, modest and humorous, it was hard to upset him on or off the field. He was an exciting player.''
Davis added that “he was an adventurous player, and the fans absolutely loved him. There were no airs and graces about him; he would speak to everyone the same. He was a fantastic guy to have known, and I just feel so sorry for his wife and kids. It's only over the last few months when people have known he's been ill that people would constantly stop me in the street to ask me how he was, and whether they would see him again. It's only then that I realised what he meant to people. There's not many people who have the privilege of having that level of respect from Arsenal fans.''
And judging by the reactions of Arsenal fans to the news of Rocky's premature death that statement sadly rings true. Many players have passed through the Marble Halls over the years, but few have excited the masses and been loved by them quite as much as David Carlyle Rocastle.
Following his death, Alan Hansen related a story on the BBC's Match Of The Day that, when playing against him for Liverpool, Hansen mistimed a tackle and brought Rocky crashing down quite badly. Rocastle merely smiled at him, got up and smirked "Getting old, Alan?" He was that kind of man, and that kind of player.
Unquestionably an Arsenal legend and a true gentleman.
RIP David Rocastle.
|
