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Somewhat of a football nomad, Swedish international Stefan Schwarz
pitched up at Highbury in the summer of 1994 when George Graham paid
Benfica £1.75m for his services. A strong tackler and good distributor
of the ball, Schwarz, who earned 69 caps for his country, was seen as
the midfield general by Graham. It was his job to provide the platform
for the Gunners' attacking talents, such as Paul Merson, Kevin Campbell
and Ian Wright, to take the game to the opposition. Given his position
in the team, Schwarz wasn't often on the scoresheet, but did notch his
first Gunners goal in the European Cup Winners Cup tie with Cypriot side
Omonia Nicosia in September 1994, Arsenal winning 6-1 on aggregate.
Stefan's first league strike came a month later at Goodison Park,
earning the Gunners a draw against Everton, with his only other league
goal for Arsenal coming in a 2-1 success at Maine Road against
Manchester City. Despite Schwarz's best efforts Arsenal's 1994/95 league
campaign was one of the most disappointing in their history. The club
finished twelfth against the backdrop of Paul Merson's off-field
problems and, in February 1995, the sacking of George Graham, who had
steered the Gunners to such success during the late eighties and early
nineties. Graham's assistant Stewart Houston took over for the rest of
the season, and he was indebted to Schwarz's late free kick in the Cup
Winners Cup semi-final against Italian side Sampdoria, which took the
tie to extra time and ultimately penalties.
The Gunners won the shootout
and took on Real Zaragoza in the final in Paris but were to be left
devastated by the stunning winning goal from ex-Tottenham midfielder
Nayim in the last minute of extra time. That would prove to be Stefan's
last outing in the famous red and white of Arsenal and he moved onto
Fiorentina in the summer of 1995 for a fee of £2.5 million. After a
spell at Valencia, he later came back to the Premiership with
Sunderland, and scored against the Gunners in a 1-1 draw in October
2001. (Mark Jones)
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