1987–88 Arsenal F.C. season
The 1987–88 season was Arsenal's 68th season in the top flight of English football. After finishing fourth in the league and winning the Football League Cup a year earlier, they slipped to finish sixth this season. They did reach the League Cup final again, and took a 2–1 lead against Luton Town at Wembley before missing a penalty which would have given them a 3–1 lead, and ended up losing the game 3–2. Arsenal were quarter-finalists in the FA Cup.
| 1987–88 season | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Peter Hill-Wood |
| Manager | George Graham |
| Stadium | Highbury |
| First Division | 6th |
| FA Cup | Quarter-finals |
| League Cup | Runners-up |
| Top goalscorer | League: Alan Smith (11) All: Alan Smith (16) |
| Highest home attendance | 54,703 vs. Liverpool (15 August 1987) |
| Lowest home attendance | 18,321 vs. Doncaster Rovers (6 October 1987) |
| Average home league attendance | 30,111 |
In the league, Arsenal got off to a slow start, winning just one of their first five games, before going top of the table with a 10-match winning run. However, they then went into freefall, winning just one of their next 11 league games, and although their form improved during the final four months of the season, they could only manage a sixth-place finish.
A new signing at the start of the season was Nigel Winterburn, who arrived from Wimbledon to fill the right-back position left vacant by the sale of Viv Anderson to Manchester United. Arsenal had agreed an £850,000 deal for Leicester City striker Alan Smith two months before the end of the previous season, although he had remained on loan back at the East Midlands club until the end of the campaign. Smith finished as Arsenal's top scorer in his first season at the club, finding the net 16 times in all competitions.
New signings at the club late in the season were defenders Lee Dixon and Steve Bould, as well as winger Brian Marwood. Young midfielders Michael Thomas and Paul Merson became regular members of the first team during this season, while at the end of the campaign defender Tony Adams, still only 21, succeeded Kenny Sansom as captain.
Squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Results
First Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Everton | 40 | 19 | 13 | 8 | 53 | 27 | +26 | 70 | |
| 5 | Queens Park Rangers | 40 | 19 | 10 | 11 | 48 | 38 | +10 | 67 | |
| 6 | Arsenal | 40 | 18 | 12 | 10 | 58 | 39 | +19 | 66 | |
| 7 | Wimbledon | 40 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 58 | 47 | +11 | 57 | FA Cup winners |
| 8 | Newcastle United | 40 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 55 | 53 | +2 | 56 |
| 19 August 1987 2 | Manchester United | 0–0 | Arsenal | Manchester |
| Stadium: Old Trafford |
| 22 August 1987 3 | Queen's Park Rangers | 2–0 | Arsenal | London |
| Stadium: Loftus Road |
| 29 August 1987 4 | Arsenal | 6–0 | Portsmouth | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 31 August 1987 5 | Luton Town | 1–1 | Arsenal | Luton |
| Stadium: Kenilworth Road |
| 12 September 1987 6 | Nottingham Forest | 0–1 | Arsenal | Nottingham |
| Stadium: City Ground |
| 26 September 1987 8 | Arsenal | 1–0 | West Ham United | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 3 October 1987 9 | Charlton Athletic | 0–3 | Arsenal | London |
| Stadium: Selhurst Park |
| 10 October 1987 10 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Oxford United | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 18 October 1987 11 | Tottenham Hotspur | 1–2 | Arsenal | London |
| Stadium: White Hart Lane |
| 24 October 1987 12 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Derby County | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 31 October 1987 13 | Newcastle United | 0–1 | Arsenal | Newcastle |
| Stadium: St James' Park |
| 14 November 1987 15 | Norwich City | 2–4 | Arsenal | Norwich |
| Stadium: Carrow Road |
| 21 November 1987 16 | Arsenal | 0–1 | Southampton | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 28 November 1987 17 | Watford | 2–0 | Arsenal | London |
| Stadium: Vicarage Road |
| 5 December 1987 18 | Arsenal | 3–1 | Sheffield Wednesday | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 13 December 1987 19 | Coventry City | 0–0 | Arsenal | Coventry |
| Stadium: Highfield Road |
| 26 December 1987 21 | Arsenal | 0–2 | Nottingham Forest | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 28 December 1987 22 | Wimbledon | 3–1 | Arsenal | London |
| Stadium: Plough Lane |
| 1 January 1988 23 | Portsmouth | 1–1 | Arsenal | Portsmouth |
| Stadium: Fratton Park |
| 2 January 1988 24 | Arsenal | 0–0 | Queen's Park Rangers | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 24 January 1988 26 | Arsenal | 1–2 | Manchester United | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 13 February 1988 27 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Luton Town | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 27 February 1988 28 | Arsenal | 4–0 | Charlton Athletic | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 6 March 1988 29 | Arsenal | 2–1 | Tottenham Hotspur | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 19 March 1988 30 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Newcastle United | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 26 March 1988 31 | Derby County | 0–0 | Arsenal | Derby |
| Stadium: Baseball Ground |
| 30 March 1988 32 | Oxford United | 0–0 | Arsenal | Oxford |
| Stadium: Manor Ground |
| 2 April 1988 33 | Chelsea | 1–1 | Arsenal | London |
| Stadium: Stamford Bridge |
| 4 April 1988 34 | Arsenal | 2–0 | Norwich City | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 9 April 1988 35 | Southampton | 4–2 | Arsenal | Southampton |
| Stadium: The Dell |
| 12 April 1988 36 | West Ham United | 0–1 | Arsenal | London |
| Stadium: Upton Park |
| 30 April 1988 38 | Sheffield Wednesday | 3–3 | Arsenal | Sheffield |
| Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium |
| 2 May 1988 39 | Arsenal | 1–1 | Coventry City | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 7 May 1988 40 | Everton | 1–2 | Arsenal | Liverpool |
| Stadium: Goodison Park |
Football League Cup
| 23 September 1987 Second round (1st Leg) | Doncaster Rovers | 0–3 | Arsenal | Doncaster |
| Stadium: Belle Vue |
| 6 October 1987 Second round (2nd Leg) | Arsenal | 1–0 (4–0 agg.) | Doncaster Rovers | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 27 October 1987 Third round | Arsenal | 3–0 | Bournemouth | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 17 November 1987 Fourth round | Arsenal | 3–0 | Stoke City | London |
| Stadium: Highbury |
| 20 January 1988 Quarter-Final | Sheffield Wednesday | 0–1 | Arsenal | Sheffield |
| Stadium: Hillsborough Stadium |
| 7 February 1988 Semi-Final (1st Leg) | Everton | 0–1 | Arsenal | Liverpool |
| Stadium: Goodison Park |
| 24 April 1988 Final | Arsenal | 2–3 | Luton Town | London |
| Hayes, Smith | Stadium: Wembley Stadium Attendance: 95,732 |
FA Cup
Arsenal entered the FA Cup in the third round proper, in which they were drawn to face Millwall.
| 9 January 1988 Third round | Arsenal | 2–0 | Millwall | London |
| Hayes, Rocastle | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 42,083 |
| 30 January 1988 Fourth round | Brighton & Hove Albion | 1–2 | Arsenal | Brighton |
| Richardson, Groves | Stadium: Goldstone Ground Attendance: 26,467 |
| 20 February 1988 Fifth round | Arsenal | 2–1 | Manchester United | London |
| Smith, o.g. | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 54,161 |
| 12 March 1988 Sixth round | Arsenal | 1–2 | Nottingham Forest | London |
| Rocastle | Stadium: Highbury Attendance: 50,157 |