Jersey numbers are an important part of football, icons have blazed their trails all while adorned by a familiar number on their back. Some numbers are historic, attached to some of the best of the best, like the goalkeeper’s back being adorned by the number one. Which is why in this, we’ll be looking at the best Arsenal players to ever wear the number 1 jersey.
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Best Arsenal Players to Wear the Number 1 Jersey of All Time
John Lukic
John Lukic joined the Gunners in 1983 and saw out the 80s as their first option. He was a ridiculously consistent player, totalling five different seasons in which he kept 15+ clean sheets, with his best campaign seeing him keep 20. He left for Leeds after making 277 appearances across all competitions, with 106 clean sheets to his name.
He was the starting goalkeeper in the 1988/89 First Division winning campaign and won the League Cup during his time with the club.
Pat Jennings
Despite making the move from a hated rival, Pat Jennings was able to fight for his place and becoming the main goalkeeper at Arsenal for around eight years. He has one of the best clean sheet records in club history, keeping 27 in the 1979/80 campaign. He went back to Tottenham to see out his career after making 316 appearances.
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He didn’t win much during his time in red, only hoisting the FA Cup, but he managed to overcome enough to become a long-time shot-stopper at Highbury.
Jens Lehmann
Jens Lehmann was the main man in goal for the Gunners in the 2000s. Signed after two stints in the Bundesliga that were successful he made the move to the Premier League and in 2005/06 kept 24 clean sheets, putting him fifth for most clean sheets in a single season. He kept 80 blanks in his 200 appearances for the club.
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His successful stint in England saw him win the Premier League, FA Cup, Community Shield, and finish as the runner-up for the Champions League.
David Seaman
Arguably the greatest goalkeeper in team history. David Seaman made over 550 appearances for Arsenal and won a number of trophies. His honours list is a mile long as he was inducted into the England football hall of fame, was named in the team of the decade for Arsenal’s 10 seasons awards, was twice named in the PFA team of the season, and won the Premier League, First Division, FA Cup, European Cup Winners’ Cup, and the League Cup.
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He holds two of the top three spots for most clean sheets in a season with 29 in 1990/91 and 1993/94. In total he kept 239 clean sheets in 563 matches, conceding less than one per game as he finished with 467 strikes conceded. There is no proper list of the best players in team history to adorn the number 1 jersey without a legendary figure like Seaman.
Bob Wilson
Bob Wilson holds the record for most clean sheets kept in a single season for the Gunners. His 35 shutouts in 1970/71 put him clear of anyone as the only player to get over 30 in a single campaign for the team. He kept 24 and 22 in other seasons, both good enough for places in the top 15 for the team.
He finished as player of the season in 1970/71 when the team won the first division and totalled 116 clean sheets in his time at the club, which, depending on the source, saw him make roughly 300 appearances.