Terry MANCINI

Terry Mancini signed for Arsenal from Queens Park Rangers in October 1974 for £20, 000. His move to Highbury was greeted with surprise and a widespread belief that he was 'hardly Arsenal material'. At thirty-two he was also at the tail end of his career. However, the big, balding centre-half proved an inspired signing by Bertie Mee. The manager had moved for Mancini with the encouragement of coach Bobby Campbell, who had worked with Terry at Queens Park Rangers. The jovial defender soon lifted the spirits of a disenchanted dressing room still experiencing the slow break up of the 1971 'Double' winning team. Coming from a famous east-end boxing family, Mancini also had Irish parentage and was good enough to win five caps for the Republic of Ireland.

He made his debut for the Gunners on 26th October 1974 in a 3-0 victory over West Ham at Highbury. Arsenal had only won two of their previous thirteen games. By the time this victory had been followed with further successes, 3-1 at Anfield against Liverpool and 3-1 at home against eventual champions Derby County, the big defender had become a folk-hero on the North Bank. Terry made twenty-six appearances in the 1974/75 season and played a major part in the club's successful fight against relegation, as well as helping the Gunners to the FA Cup quarter-finals. The 1975/76 season, Mee's last as manager, was a bleak affair. After early exits from both Cup competitions the season only offered a long fight against relegation. In the end Arsenal narrowly avoided the drop with Mancini making the timely contribution of his only goal for the club in a 2-1 home win over Wolves on 13th April, the Gunners' last win of the Mee era. At the end of the season Mee resigned and at the age of thirty-three Mancini was considered surplus to requirements.

Terry moved from Highbury to Aldershot, but left behind him both great affection and a genuine respect for his wholehearted approach and reliability. The virtues of the stopper centre-half don't lend themselves easily to hero-worship, but the character of players like Mancini will always transcend mere ability in the hearts of supporters. (David Fensome)