Was there an Arsenal player during the 60's or 70's called Bryson?

[barrybueno]

Don't know his first name.

[Luis Anaconda]

[barrybueno]

[wibble the lobster]

was a tricky tall and somewhat inelegant (by all accounts) central midfielder who suffered terribly from repetitive injuries and illness. A prototype Diaby if you like. Signed as a young player from Carlisle he got his unusual moniker from his father who was an American pilot during WW2 and left only his name and genetic contribution to the English gene pool following VE day.

In addition to suffering various ligament injuries in training (which were harder to heal in the 1960s and ultimately forced him to retire), he missed out entirely on the 1965-1966 season with what was though to be a rare form of syphilis contracted on a pre-season tour to Germany.

He made no first team or reserve appearances due to his repeated injuries and was only at the club from 1963 - 1967. On retirement he was retained by the club as a security guard who looked after the players tunnel area and players and refs changing rooms at Highbury.

From Arsenal - an imagined history.

[barrybueno]