How Arsenal Nearly Missed Out on Legendary Striker Ted Drake

As many know who read the greatest Gunners platform, Just Arsenal, Ted Drake is one of our greatest strikers of all time and is my great-grandfather, who I managed to have a remembrance plaque erected for.

However, his move to Arsenal was a miracle and could’ve easily not happened, which sounds crazy to even consider, but that’s the truth according to historical sources.

Drake was born down Holyrood in Southampton, which is one of the most recognisable streets in the city’s history. His mum was a landlady at a pub on the main high street and his dad was once a fireman, then a sea merchant, who he hardly saw.

The family received the occasional postcard from him containing his usual slightly comedic message, “from me to you Eli”, whilst his mum was running around after lodgers trying to make them welcome, amongst looking after many children of her own at the same time.

A Young Ted Drake Dreams of Playing Football

When Ted was younger, he used to keenly watch Southampton play at the old Dell before Saints moved to St Mary’s just over 20 years ago.

He took inspiration from their key striker at the time, Billy Rawlings, who was a local folklore hero and reigning top goalscorer for eight out of nine seasons between 1921 and 1928.

The young Drake dreamt of becoming the first Southampton-born individual to play for his country, England, which he did, scoring six times in five appearances during the 1930s and famously featuring in the brutal Battle of Highbury in 1934, witnessing the Three Lions win 3-2 versus the World Cup winners Italy at the time.

The future Arsenal talisman would end up joining his boyhood club in 1931 after signing from non-league side Winchester City.

When Ted signed for Saints, he was able to drop his daytime job of being a gas inspector at Southampton Gas and Coke Company, now a professional footballer.

His ambitions were starting to turn into a real-life reality and, for the next two seasons, he was Southampton’s key talisman, taking over from his maestro Rawlings, who switched to Manchester United in 1928.

When Arsenal First Came Calling

During this time, when Saints were in the Second Division, the south coast side were struggling for cash.

In the 1932/33 season, The Arsenal came calling whilst on their way to an eventual hat-trick of League titles, which they haven’t eclipsed since (1935). However, Ted refused to bargain with the greatest club in the land at the time.

At heart, Ted was a Saint in the footballing sense, although, as local folklore says, during his local community cricket days he smashed a ball from Hogs Park over the road, hitting the tip of St Mary’s Church, which apparently no one has done since or come close to.

I only found this out during my time at uni in the city when speaking to a local lecturer who had grown up playing cricket within the city walls.

Arsenal Return for Ted Drake

In March 1934, The Arsenal came calling for him again and, with Saints desperate for money, gave in, selling the player who was described at the time as “the best centre forward in the world” for £6,500, which today couldn’t even buy you a mortgage for a decent-sized one-bedroom apartment.

The Hampshire Advertiser, which ceased to exist in 1940, said: “Ted Drake at the centre of a controversial storm”.

The opening lines read from Saturday 17th March 1934: “has been the most talked about footballer in England this week. Few young players have risen so rapidly into the public eye. He is yet only 21 years of age, and is in only second full season as a professional”, putting things into perspective.

Drake made his final Southampton appearance versus Brentford on March 10th during a 0-0 draw which attracted 10,439 people to the game. The next home contest versus Manchester United saw less than half that figure turn up for the occasion (4,900).

Drake also explained in the Daily Echo that he didn’t really want to leave and felt guilty in doing so due to his strong love for his home place.

Whilst being interviewed at the Dell in his later years, he told the cameras: “I’m always happy when I know I have to come down to Southampton, whether I’ve got to come down and meet my family, but it’s always nice to come back here, there’s always been a saying since I was a little boy, ‘once a Saint always a Saint’ and I shall remain a Saint for the rest of my days”.

“I was born in Holyrood and I served my time at the gas company, so I am a real local if anyone’s a local I am, yes…”

It’s crazy to think that one of Arsenal’s all-time greats, who holds the record for the most goals scored in an English top-flight game of football (7) and highest number of strikes achieved in a season (44), came so close to not signing for the Gunners.

Liam Harding

How differently might Arsenal’s history have looked if Ted Drake had turned the club down for a second time?

Where does Drake rank among Arsenal’s greatest-ever strikers, and do you enjoy hearing these stories about the Gunners’ history?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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