If it hadn’t been for Nayim lobbing David Seaman from 40 yards in the UEFA Cup Winners Cup final in 1995, John Hartson’s name may hold a more high profile place in Arsenal’s history.
With fifteen minutes to go, and with Arsenal trailing 1-0 to Real Zaragoza, Hartson equalised with a nicely taken right foot shot - and Arsenal looked favourites to go on and win the match and retain the trophy they had won in 1994. But Nayim scored his ridiculous goal in the last minute of extra-time, and Hartson’s strike, and his all-round excellent performance was largely forgotten. David Lacey had written in The Guardian: “Hartson's power, persistence and steady control were one of Arsenal's best attacking features last night.”
When 19 year old Hartson signed for Arsenal in January 1995 for £2.5m, he became the most expensive teenager in English football. While George Graham had the firepower of Ian Wright, Kevin Campbell and Alan Smith at his disposal, Arsenal were struggling for goals; and Smith (who would retire at the end of the season) was struggling for form and fitness which left space in the squad for a target man. Hartson hadn’t been prolific for Luton Town but his all round game and link up play had attracted plenty of interest; he was seen as a strong but skillful striker - in the Alan Shearer or Chris Sutton mold.
Hartson later told the BBC that he arrived at Highbury full of confidence and with few nerves: "I always got a bit more nervous as I got older, because you question yourself when you get older, can I still do it, can I still perform? But at 19 I was like a raging bull: I had lots of energy, I had the legs for it, I had the desire. This was what I wanted to be, this was where I belonged."
Hartson started well and, after making his debut against Everton on 14th January, scored two important goals in a week. The Welshman bagged his first Arsenal goal at Highfield Road, where he scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win against Coventry. Hartson’s deflected shot on a muddy pitch wouldn’t make any highlights reel, but he would have been delighted to get off the mark on only his second Arsenal appearance. Plenty of big money Arsenal strikers have taken far longer to settle. Hartson followed that up three days later with Arsenal’s only goal in a 1-1 draw against Southampton. His good form would earn him an international call up and his first cap for Wales against Bulgaria, in Sofia, in March.
In the midst of this good start, Arsenal were in turmoil. Hartson turned out to be one of George Graham’s last signings, as the Scot was sacked by the club on the 21st February - following allegations that he had personally taken a slice of the transfer fee paid to Arsenal for John Jensen, and Stewart Houston took control, though this did not appear to have too much impact on Hartson’s form. His role in the Gunners’ run to the Cup Winners Cup final was limited - though he did score his penalty in the crucial semi-final shoot-out against Sampdoria.
His goal return in the Premier League was more than respectable, with braces against Norwich and Aston Villa, and he finished the season with seven goals in fifteen league appearances. Hartson finished as Arsenal’s second top scorer that season, with only the ever-prolific Ian Wright ahead of him. Not bad for a young player who had only joined the club in January - and in an Arsenal team that generally struggled for goals all season.
Having finished the 1994/95 season so strongly, Hartson must have felt he was in with a good chance of a regular starting spot under new manager Bruce Rioch. However, the signings of Dennis Bergkamp and David Platt added to Ian Wright, meant Hartson had three world class attacking players in front of him. When he did get his chance, Hartson was able to show his talent, with wonderful goals against Manchester City and Sheffield Wednesday - but the season was largely a disappointment.
Wenger felt Hartson was a valuable squad member and didn’t want him to leave, but West Ham offered both good money and a place in their first team. Returning to Highbury as a Wimbledon player in 1999, Hartson said: “I made a lot of friends at Arsenal and I still have an affection for the club. I really didn’t want to leave, but I needed regular first team football.”
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Hartson’s start to the 1996/97 season was very promising. He scored Arsenal’s first goal of the season against West Ham in a 2-0 home win, following this up with two more goals in September. These were the last last two matches before Arsene Wenger became Arsenal manager, and Hartson featured in Wenger’s first starting line up alongside Ian Wright, away at Blackburn. Hartson assisted the first of two Wright goals in a 2-0 win, but would only score one more goal for the club - in an FA Cup match against Sunderland - the following January.
Wenger felt Hartson was a valuable squad member and didn’t want him to leave, but West Ham offered both good money and a place in their first team. Returning to Highbury as a Wimbledon player in 1999, Hartson said: “I made a lot of friends at Arsenal and I still have an affection for the club. I really didn’t want to leave, but I needed regular first team football.”
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