We pick out the best players who have crossed the north London divide to play for both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal return from the international break in the ascendancy of the Premier League title race, but Mikel Arteta knows he can’t afford for his players to be below-par in the first north London derby of the season against fierce rivals Tottenham.
With Spurs fifth, eight points behind the leaders, Sunday’s derby dust-up from the Emirates could have a big say on final proceedings and the Gunners will be full of confidence having not lost in any competition since August 31st.
Arteta’s side have won the last three derbies, so will start as strong favourites in the Premier League betting, and to enhance the excitement levels we have picked 10 players to have played for both of the north London powerhouses.
1 – Pat Jennings
Goalkeeper Pat Jennings was considered a legend at both Arsenal and Tottenham so would be very much different from the norm.
Jennings spent 13 years at Spurs between 1964 and 1977 before joining fierce rivals Arsenal, where he honed his skills for a further seven years, and he is still recognised as one of the greatest goalkeepers in history.
The Northern Ireland international won the FA Cup at both clubs, while also winning the UEFA Cup during the 1971-72 season with Spurs, which was their first-ever European knockout success.
2 – Sol Campbell
Sol Campbell made his first team debut for Tottenham in December 1992, scoring in a 2-1 loss to Chelsea at White Hart Lane and the centre-back went on to make over 300 appearances for Spurs.
However, Campbell had run down his contract and turned down a new deal which could have made him the highest-paid player at the club in order to seek Champions League football.
Few would have envisaged the England international moving just a few miles down the road to join Arsenal, but that is how things transpired, with him signing for the Gunners on a free transfer in 2001.
This move caused outrage amongst the Lilywhites faithful, but his decision proved justified as he went on to secure a double with Arsenal in his first season and was a key component of the ‘Invincibles’ squad in 2003-04.
The towering defender featured over 200 times for the Gunners, winning two league titles, three FA Cups while his side also lost to Barcelona in the 2006 Champions League final.
3 – Vic Groves
Vic Groves became only the fourth player to represent both Arsenal and Tottenham, although it would be his allegiance with the Gunners that defined his career.
Groves played for the Lilywhites first, winning an FA Cup, but he was club captain during his time at Arsenal and he graced Highbury for nine years between 1955 and 1964, scoring 37 goals in 203 appearances.
He also received three Ballon d’Or nominations during his career to mark himself as a true class act of his generation.
4 – William Gallas
William Gallas wasn’t shy of stepping on toes as not only did the French defender play for Arsenal and Tottenham, but he also spent time at Stamford Bridge with Chelsea.
The Frenchman impressed at Highbury between 2006 and 2010 and became Arsenal captain, with many unlikely to forget his infamous solo protest following a 2-2 draw with Birmingham.
Gallas joined Spurs on a free transfer in 2010, captaining them to their first-ever win at the Emirates Stadium, but his glory days came at Chelsea where he claimed two Premier League titles.
5 – Emmanuel Adebayor
The enigmatic Emmanuel Adebayor signed for Arsenal in 2006 in a deal believed to be in the region of £3million from Monaco and it proved to be money well spent.
The striker scored 46 goals in 104 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, but quickly ruined his reputation with the club, not helped by running the entire length of the field to celebrate right in front of the Gunners fans having scored for Manchester City.
Adebayor later signed for Tottenham in 2011, a move that infuriated Arsenal further, with him scoring 42 goals in 113 appearances for the Lilywhites.
6 – David Bentley
Big things were initially expected from David Bentley, who came through the Arsenal academy only to make one league appearance for the Gunners before being shipped off to Blackburn.
A move to Tottenham followed, with him making 42 Premier League appearances for the Lilywhites, the defining moment of which came as he scored a 40-yard volley in a thrilling 4-4 draw against boyhood club Arsenal in October 2008.
Bentley failed to hit the heights expected, although did earn seven caps for England.
7 – Willie Young
Willie Young, a towering centre-back with trademark ginger hair, initially spent two seasons at Tottenham before making the controversial move to Arsenal to link up with his former manager at Spurs, Terry Neill.
The Scotland defender spent four years at Highbury, making 170 league appearances and scoring 11 times, and he reached three straight FA Cup finals between 1978 and 1980, landing the prize with victory over Manchester United in 1979.
8 – Jimmy Brain
Jimmy Brain was the first player to ply his trade for both Arsenal and Tottenham, but it was his time with the Gunners between 1923 and 1931 where he enjoyed the most success.
The centre-forward scored 139 goals for the Gunners and he remains the fifth highest goalscorer in the club’s history. His time at Tottenham was less productive as he netted only 10 league goals.
9 – George Hunt
George Hunt is considered a Tottenham legend due to his heroics between 1930 and 1937, when he showed his knack for scoring with 125 goals in 185 appearances.
However, his impact caught the attention of Arsenal in 1937 as they paid money for his services, seeking a temporary replacement for the injured Ted Drake, and he went on to win the First Division title with the Gunners in his only season at the club.
10 – Laurie Brown
Laurie Brown played as a defender for Arsenal between 1961 and 1964, chalking up over 100 appearances before making the move to Spurs.
Soon after joining Tottenham, Brown lined up against his former side and was deployed as a striker, showing his versatility and dedication to the cause.
He spent two seasons at White Hart Lane before heading on to Norwich City and Bradford Park Avenue.
