Richie POWLING

Richie Powling - Arsenal FC - Biography of Gooners career.

Photo/Foto: George Herringshaw

Date: 03 January 1976

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    • POSITION
      Central Defender
    • DATE OF BIRTH
      Monday, 21 May 1956
    • PLACE OF BIRTH
      Barking, England.
  • CLUBS
  • Arsenal FC
    • Club Career Dates
      1973-1980
    • League Debut
      Saturday, 27th October 1973 in a 2-0 defeat at Queens Park Rangers (Aged: 17)
    • Club Career
      50 League apps (+5 as sub), 3 goals
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Richie POWLING - Arsenal FC - Biography of Gooners career.

Richie Powling joined Arsenal as an apprentice at the start of the 1971/72 season and before turning professional won England Youth honours. He made his debut in a 0-2 defeat at Queens Park Rangers in October 1973 and also played the next match, another 0-2 defeat this time at Highbury against Liverpool, but didn't feature again that season. The following campaign Richie was a little more involved, making eight appearances all at centre-half. His introduction had been gradual and his progress steady. However, in the 1975/76 season Powling established himself as a key member of the Highbury playing staff, making twenty-nine appearances, more than any of the other more established central defenders at the club such as Mancini, Simpson and O'Leary.

 

While 1975/76 was not the happiest season for the Gunners, it was certainly Powling's most successful. For much of the dogfight run-in to the season's close he formed a sound partnership with Mancini, which contributed to the club's successful battle against relegation. He even scored his first goal in a 1-1 draw at Coventry City. However, Terry Neil became manager in the summer of 1976 and the immediate arrival of Pat Howard from Newcastle United pushed Richie down the pecking order; and then when Willie Young joined from Spurs in the spring Powling's chances seemed even more limited. He did, though, make twelve appearances, three of them at left-back deputising for Sammy Nelson.

 

When the 1977/78 season started Young and O'Leary had established themselves as the first choice central pairing and Richie seemed set for a peripheral role until Neil moved him into midfield to play the defensive holding position. He appeared in all of the first five games and even scored twice, against Everton in a 1-0 win at Highbury and in the next game, a 1-1 draw at Wolves. Unfortunately, Powling then suffered a bad injury that kept him out of the game for the remainder of the season. It proved to be the beginning of the end, for although he stayed on Arsenal's books until the end of the 1979/80 season he never fully recovered from his injury, or played again, effectively missing nearly three seasons. Sadly, Richie was forced to retire from football because of his injury after making fifty-eight league and cup appearances, and scoring three goals. Since leaving the professional game he has had a number of management positions in non-league football.