By Tony Attwood
It seems that 59 year old Terry Burton is going to be the new Arsenal Reserve coach.
Terry has been first team coach at Sheffield Wednesday for the last few months, but has a history with Arsenal, as he was the captain of Arsenal’s FA Youth Cup winning side in 1971, and started coaching at Arsenal, before moving on.
He did not get a playing contract at Arsenal, and instead played with Folkestone, Epping, Hayes and Leyton Wingate as well as coaching at a local school.
Burton came back to Highbury as youth team coach in 1979 – and oversaw the emergence of Tony Adams. He became first team coach under Don Howe, and reserve coach with George Graham, before being released in 1987.
He then became manager of Wealdstone, and coach of Wimbledon, working with Joe Kinnear during the era when Wimbledon were in the first division as well as being manager of the club for a while. He converted the side from their notorious kick and muscle long ball game to a short passing game, but he opposed the relocation to Milton Keynes and was replaced in the summer of 2002.
He was then assistant manager at Watford, and then at Cardiff, where he brought through Aaron Ramsey, and recommended him to Arsène Wenger, while advising Ramsey to join Arsenal. He lost his place when Dave Jones was sacked as manager.
In 2011 he went to WBA as first team coach, and then in 2012 became assistant manager under Dave Jones at Sheffield Wednesday.
Steve Bould has moved from the youth team to take over Pat Rice’s job, and Neil Banfield has moved from reserve team manager to assistant with the first team. It is Banfield’s job that Terry Burton takes over.
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Sounds like a good move. Thanks for this.
Nice to see that it is someone who has connections with Arsenal, that should help to bed him in. Also it sounds like he has a good eye for quality young players!
Great reporting Tony, I haven’t seen anything on this anywhere but here. He sounds like a solid Wenger type, it’ll be interesting to get some new blood into the setup and see how he gets on.
He is a good man but the report in the independent said he had been interviewed. Wednesday Chairman said he is under contract and no apprach made from Arsenal. The above article does not say he has signed for definite, think you will find speculation at this stage.
Interesting reading all about Terry but what has he ever won in the top divisions?.
Yes he appears to be a very nice chap, but to be in charge of our reserve side we need a proven winner a person who’s played at the top, seen it all, done it all, who can pass on that winning experience to eager young players.
I know there’ll be lots of Gooners who’ll disagree with me
Anyway good luck to Terry I hope he proves me wrong.
Arsenal forever!!!
Here’s his previous record in charge of Arsenal’s reserves:
1982-83 6th (11th the previous season)
1983-84 1st
1985-86 2nd (scoring 124 goals in 41 games)
1986-87 3rd
I used to watch the reserves back then. He was blessed with some fine young players but he got them playing fantastic football against seasoned pros. He even turned Chris Whyte into a centre forward who scored 6 goals in 1 game!
Tony,
Only slightly off-topic but I hope our Board have given or will give Pat Rice a good pension and golden handshake on his retirement. A good and faithful servant.
Due to the appearance of ‘goona’ , I would like clarify that we are too different folk.
I was hoping that people would be able to discern the difference in quality of comment, but I thought I’d better state the obvious anyway.
…Elsewhere I can feel my £100 sweepstake slipping through my fingers! 0-2 Italy, who would of thunk it!
..Back on topic! If it’s true that Terry helped with the Rambo transfer and with the development of messrs Adams then he gets a big thumbs up from me!
I think the top reserves role will be of increasing importance with the advent of the Elite Player Performance Plan (well if it ever develops legs) and us signing up for Nextgen, which looks like an interesting ‘CL type yoof’ competition.
@ Andy Kelly good comment.
Also, I don’t think the player that has done it all and won everything at the highest level actually makes for a better manager. Historically this not been the case anyway.
Goona, then I think we should get Pep in to do the reserves next season….. 😉
@ Walter – were you talking to me or the rip off?
Oh right, I see…..It was aimed at the other one…
Goona Gal: yes I agree that those managers who have won all in sundry don’t always make the best managers. However this kind of winning manager in a reserve team teaching youngsters the tricks of the trade, how nice it is to win, the feeling etc will give them the incentive to try and do just that very thing…
Terry seems quite a nice bloke but so are McLaren, Dowie and Jones and many other english managers. Yes Gal it’s better to have a winner in charge of a reserve team….I hope Terry proves me wrong! Good luck Terry! Gooners forever!
…off topic, Stuart Pearce yet again adding to his CV. I don’t know anyone that is taking the team GB football team too seriously. In my opinion for the great ambassadorial role Beckham has played for the UK, British football, World cup bid and not to mention winning the games, he should of been an automatic inclusion and shown a bit more respect.
I wonder if Micah Richards has been told that he won’t feature much at Citeh season? I am suprised he agreed to be involved.
I was afraid it might happen Gal… :-/
@ goona(teef), haha – what a load of strange gibberish.
@ Walter, I suppose imitation is considered a form of flattery…
What is more important is a training n developing method to bring out the best in potential first candidates. Players that can fill in should their be a list of injuries in the first team. Young players that will make those on the fringes of the first team very nervous. A system and method that will make reserves players more rounded and better equip for the challenge of first team football.
Having connections to Arsenal in the past must not be top of the list in terms of his competences or achievements! Time to bring to an end the old school tie method!
Is he the best in the long list of coaches applying for this post and not how well he is connected!
We need a quality coach not a wheeler dealer! What has happened to the long list of wonder kids Arsenal purchased in recent years?
Okay, no arry then 😉
THE BEAR MAN: Best one on this blog, a true Gooner you talk a lot of sense……..
Bear Man – which wonder kids
Oxlade Chamberlain
Ramsey
Theo Walcott
Coquelin
Czechzczchyczch
Fabregas
Djourou
Almunia
That young Argentine keeper that everyone says is a sensation but whose name I can’t remember
Bob Dylan
Chuck Berry
Bo Diddley
sorry seem to have lost the plot a bit here
Well done Tony, you managed to mention my two favourite teams in one article, Arsenal and my local side Wealdstone.