Great Past Arsenal Managers Series no 4 David Danskin

[Calo]

Today Gooner Fans Forum HONOUR our founder and fiorst ever player manager

He paid for the football and the ten had a wip round to start the club

Arsenal Football Club was founded by David Danskin, who until 2001 had always been described as being "from Kirkcaldy". But David Danskin was in fact born in Burntisland in January 1863. The initial source of this welcome news was Richard Wyatt, David's grandson, whose home is near Montreal in Canada. Richard got in touch with me in March 2001 as part of his family history research, and was surprised to learn that the Burntisland connection was apparently unknown in the town.

David's birth registration that he was born at 11.30 p.m. on Friday 9 January 1863 in Back Street (now Somerville Street), Burntisland. The birth was registered by the proud father, also David Danskin.

"In October 1886, after several attempts, David was the main instigator in encouraging a group of football enthusiasts to subscribe towards purchasing a football with a view to forming a football club under the name of Dial Square, the workshop in the factory. Following a meeting on 1 December 1886 at the Royal Oak public house, the club was officially formed and the name changed to Royal Arsenal.

The first fixture was played on 11 December 1886 against Eastern Wanderers at Millwall which Arsenal won by 6-0. David Danskin played and was captain, and the club played 10 matches in all that season. Arsenal continued to develop over the next two seasons, and from the reports, Danskin appeared regularly as a player."

Below - Another photo of the 'Royal Arsenal'.

http://www.burntisland.net/danskin.htm

Fred Ollier (to whom I am grateful for the copy of the photo) believes that David Danskin (in the lighter shirt) is third from the right in the second row from the back, and dates the photo as 1889. However, Soar and Tyler, in their 'Official Illustrated History of Arsenal', say that David Danskin is seated at the very front, second from the left, and give the date of the photo as summer 1890. Soar and Tyler add that "The trophies are the Kent Senior Cup, the Kent Junior Cup, the London Charity Cup (probably the Shield in fact) and a cup won in a six a side competition at the Agricultural Hall, Islington. The picture seems to be have been taken at their new ground, the Invicta, to which they moved that summer."

"In 1889-90, however, he [David Danskin] is mentioned less frequently, and after three years, his association with the club appears to end. It has never been clear what happened to him from that point.

Arsenal in 1891 became the first club in the south to adopt professionalism, and joined the Football League in 1893. The only other reference we have to David Danskin was that he was still alive in the 1930's, it being reported that he listened on the radio to Arsenal's 1936 FA Cup Final success from his sickbed."

David Danskin's formal involvement with Arsenal does indeed appear to have ended in the 1892-93 season, although he continued to be active in local football.

David Danskin (9 January 1863 – August 4, 1948) was a Scottish mechanical engineer and footballer. He was a principal founding member of Dial Square FC, later renamed Royal Arsenal, the team that are today known as Arsenal.

Born in Burntisland, Fife, Danskin grew up in Kirkcaldy. He played as an amateur for Kirkcaldy Wanderers, and amongst their players were Jack McBean and Peter Connolly, two players who would later join Danskin at Royal Arsenal. In 1885 Danskin moved to London to find work, and took a job at the Dial Square workshop at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich. There he met several football enthusiasts, amongst them Jack Humble and former Nottingham Forest players Fred Beardsley and Morris Bates. Together with Humble, Danskin is generally credited as the driving force behind the formation of a works football team, Dial Square FC.

Danskin organised a whip-round amongst his fellow enthusiasts and purchased Dial Square's first football, and captained the team in their very first match against Eastern Wanderers on December 11, 1886; Dial Square won 6-0. Danskin continued to play for Royal Arsenal, as the club were soon renamed afterwards, for the next two years. However after an injury incurred in a match against Clapton in January 1889, Danskin elected to step down from the side and only played a few more rare occasions after that.

Arsenal turned professional in 1891, and although Danskin stood for election to the club's committee in 1892, he did not succeed in getting elected.

Stabed in the back - disgracful

He ended his official association with Arsenal and later became associated with a new works team from the area, Royal Ordnance Factories, which folded in c. 1896.

He also officiated as a referee in local matches. He was still fond enough of Arsenal to attend their games, and his son Billy used to sell programmes at their Manor Ground as a child.

Arsenal's squad for the 1888-89 season. Danskin is seated on the right hand end of the bench.He later started up his own bicycle manufacturing business in Plumstead, before moving to Coventry in 1907 to work for the Standard Motor Company.

In his later life he was troubled by ill-health, caused by injuries to his legs in his footballing days, and took early retirement. Nevertheless, he was one of the few founding members of Arsenal to live to see the club's rise to success in the 1930s; he reportedly cheered the side's 1936 FA Cup win from his sickbed, whilst listening to the radio commentary.

After many years of ill-health, he died in a hospice in Warwick in 1948, at the age of 85.

[QuartzGooner]

Legend.

I believe there is now blue plaque marking his place of birth..the club were represented at the unveling ceremoney.

[jockgooner]

Yes that is right mate. I helped to arrange it last July (2007) and Bob Wilson (who is Arsenal Scotland's honorary president) unveiled the blue plaque to around 100 guests. Sue Campbell the Supporters Membership manager represented Arsenal.

This is a piece I wrote for our club last year.

It was fantastic. Fraz Raymond and I collected Bob Wilson from the airport and we took him over to Burntisland. On the way he was telling us so many stories behind the scenes at Arsenal. Stuff that the media would never get to hear. About Thierry Henry and his marriage problems, about George Graham , about Arsene Wengers house and the wall to wall TV he has which apparently only seems to show football channels, or at least thats only the channels he seems to find. He does a great impression of AW. About David Dein, Keith Edelman, Pat Rice, David Seaman, Pat Jennings, Alan Ball, Roger Daltry. Stories about Charlie George and George Best, Bobby Gould and Frank McLintock. Brilliant stuff.

When we arrived the rest of my crew had set things up really well. The Supporters Membership Manager Sue Campbell had also been collected from her hotel with her husband and taken over as representatives of Arsenal. We had guests from the Burntisland Heritage Trust (who helped us organise the event) Fife Council, the Burntisland Community Council, the Highland Games Committee, the Civic Week Committee and a group of smartly dressed blazer and tie guys from the famous Burntisland Shipyard Football Club that I especially wanted to invite from a football point of view.

Special guest was Richard Wyatt and his Wife Michelle who had come over from Canada especially. Richard is the grandson of David Danskin and was especially pleased to be at the event.

BBC London TV, BBC London radio and Sky Sports News all turned up together with the Fife Free Press and The Dundee Courier so Bob, Richard , Ian (from the Heritage Trust) and I were all asked to do various interviews.

We then walked outside to the blue plaque site which was only about 50 yards from the Chambers and in stunning sunshine with blue skies. Some locals had gathered so I think we had about 90 - 100 people watching it all. I welcomed everyone as I stood on some wooden steps borrowed from the parish church, introduced our guests and then asked Ian Archibald to say a bit about the history of David Danskin in Burntisland . I then carried on about David Danskins life in Woolwich and his part in founding Arsenal before then inviting Bob Wilson to say a few words and unveil the plaque.

Bob was a star, he regailed the audience with stories about his own Scottish credentials, his pride in playing for Scotland and once on Kenny Dalglish's debut adding that between them they went on to win 104 caps (102 for KD and two for himself). He just spoke straight off the cuff and was so professional. He said on several occasions how pleased he was to be the Honorary President of Arsenal Scotland. He then invited Richard to join him in unveiling the plaque which we had covered with one of our club banners fixed to wooden poles.

One of our members Charlie Smith found a little old lady standing at the edge of the crowd looking nervous. She explained that her husband, a Burntisland man, had been an Arsenal fan all of his life and had died 18 months earlier but would have been so proud to have met Bob Wilson. So we asked Bob to speak to her and she showed Bob her husbands Arsenal keyring that he had had for years, she was shaking with excitement and Bob was so nice with her, really made her day.

Then more interviews with Sky and BBC , loads of posing for photographs then back to the Chambers for wine , beer and sandwiches. I was moving about the rooms taking to everyone and found Bob in the old courtroom with about 20 people listening to him telling Arsenal stories and stories about himself been invited to fly in a spitfire for his 65th birthday and having also flown with the red arrows some years back. He really looked as if he were holding court which was ironic as he was in the courtroom. Bob was so relaxed and happily signing autographs on books, shirts, programmes, autograph books, everything.

Fraz, Raymond and I then took Bob back to the airport where again he told us more great stories and answered every question that we, especially Fraz asked of him. I even told Bob something he did not know . I said that I had heard John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) say on Talk Sport that Bob was his hero as a kid because he lived on Benwell Road and Bob being an amateur taught at the local primary school while an Arsenal player in his early years. Bob was well chuffed , so I expect he has another story to add to his repertoire.

A fantastic day and one which I was especially proud of. Wonderful help from all of our club members.

[I Hate Hleb]

Well done sir. And nice to hear that Bob Wilson, as always, proved himself to be a real gentleman. Truely an Arsenal legend.

[QuartzGooner]

Nice one Jockgooner, that's a good post.

[Calo]

Yes that is right mate. I helped to arrange it last July (2007) and Bob Wilson (who is Arsenal Scotland's honorary president) unveiled the blue plaque to around 100 guests. Sue Campbell the Supporters Membership manager represented Arsenal.

This is a piece I wrote for our club last year.

It was fantastic. Fraz Raymond and I collected Bob Wilson from the airport and we took him over to Burntisland. On the way he was telling us so many stories behind the scenes at Arsenal. Stuff that the media would never get to hear. About Thierry Henry and his marriage problems, about George Graham , about Arsene Wengers house and the wall to wall TV he has which apparently only seems to show football channels, or at least thats only the channels he seems to find. He does a great impression of AW. About David Dein, Keith Edelman, Pat Rice, David Seaman, Pat Jennings, Alan Ball, Roger Daltry. Stories about Charlie George and George Best, Bobby Gould and Frank McLintock. Brilliant stuff.

When we arrived the rest of my crew had set things up really well. The Supporters Membership Manager Sue Campbell had also been collected from her hotel with her husband and taken over as representatives of Arsenal. We had guests from the Burntisland Heritage Trust (who helped us organise the event) Fife Council, the Burntisland Community Council, the Highland Games Committee, the Civic Week Committee and a group of smartly dressed blazer and tie guys from the famous Burntisland Shipyard Football Club that I especially wanted to invite from a football point of view.

Special guest was Richard Wyatt and his Wife Michelle who had come over from Canada especially. Richard is the grandson of David Danskin and was especially pleased to be at the event.

BBC London TV, BBC London radio and Sky Sports News all turned up together with the Fife Free Press and The Dundee Courier so Bob, Richard , Ian (from the Heritage Trust) and I were all asked to do various interviews.

We then walked outside to the blue plaque site which was only about 50 yards from the Chambers and in stunning sunshine with blue skies. Some locals had gathered so I think we had about 90 - 100 people watching it all. I welcomed everyone as I stood on some wooden steps borrowed from the parish church, introduced our guests and then asked Ian Archibald to say a bit about the history of David Danskin in Burntisland . I then carried on about David Danskins life in Woolwich and his part in founding Arsenal before then inviting Bob Wilson to say a few words and unveil the plaque.

Bob was a star, he regailed the audience with stories about his own Scottish credentials, his pride in playing for Scotland and once on Kenny Dalglish's debut adding that between them they went on to win 104 caps (102 for KD and two for himself). He just spoke straight off the cuff and was so professional. He said on several occasions how pleased he was to be the Honorary President of Arsenal Scotland. He then invited Richard to join him in unveiling the plaque which we had covered with one of our club banners fixed to wooden poles.

One of our members Charlie Smith found a little old lady standing at the edge of the crowd looking nervous. She explained that her husband, a Burntisland man, had been an Arsenal fan all of his life and had died 18 months earlier but would have been so proud to have met Bob Wilson. So we asked Bob to speak to her and she showed Bob her husbands Arsenal keyring that he had had for years, she was shaking with excitement and Bob was so nice with her, really made her day.

Then more interviews with Sky and BBC , loads of posing for photographs then back to the Chambers for wine , beer and sandwiches. I was moving about the rooms taking to everyone and found Bob in the old courtroom with about 20 people listening to him telling Arsenal stories and stories about himself been invited to fly in a spitfire for his 65th birthday and having also flown with the red arrows some years back. He really looked as if he were holding court which was ironic as he was in the courtroom. Bob was so relaxed and happily signing autographs on books, shirts, programmes, autograph books, everything.

Fraz, Raymond and I then took Bob back to the airport where again he told us more great stories and answered every question that we, especially Fraz asked of him. I even told Bob something he did not know . I said that I had heard John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) say on Talk Sport that Bob was his hero as a kid because he lived on Benwell Road and Bob being an amateur taught at the local primary school while an Arsenal player in his early years. Bob was well chuffed , so I expect he has another story to add to his repertoire.

A fantastic day and one which I was especially proud of. Wonderful help from all of our club members.

thanks for you excellent input

well done to all - David Danskin - the gretest legend ever -