The newest issue of the Official Matchday Programme reveals another part of the club’s 120-year old history. This time we’re having a look at the era of Johny Dick – a former Arsenal player and the first Scottish coach of our club.
Born in 1876, Dick had played for Airdrieonians prior to joining the ‘Woolwich’ Arsenal in 1898. He was known for his amazing fitness, thanks to cross-country running. By 1903 he was one of only four Arsenal players to have reached 100 appearances for the club.
He stayed with Arsenal until 1912, even though an Arsenal fan Andy Kelly suggests his playing career had ended in 1910, followed with the role of the club’s reserve team manager for his final two seasons with the club.
Kelly also points out that Dick was a stonemason by trade, but ran a tobacco & confectionery business in Plumstead towards the end of his period with the Gunners. In total, he played 262 league matches for Arsenal.
Coaching career with Sparta
In the summer of 1912 he left Arsenal to coach abroad in Prague, and became known for being one of the early pioneers of football in Czechoslovakia, coaching Deutscher FC and AC Sparta Prague.
Between 1919 and 1923, his Sparta side won 5 consecutive league championships and picked up the nickname ‘Železná Sparta’ (Iron Sparta).
Everything was working out just fine for Dick in Sparta, as – for example - Sparta got inspired by Arsenal and also wore maroon jerseys since 1906, after Dr. Petřík’s visit to England.
Also, the nickname ‘Iron Sparta’ was well deserved. On the way to lifting those 5 consecutive titles between 1919 and 1923, Dick’s side played 59 competitive matches and only lost one. This was a 1-2 defeat to Union Žižkov in 1919.
Read the full story of Johny Dick in the Official Matchday Programme before Saturday league match vs. FC Slovan Liberec.
Thanks to Arsenal FC for the help with search of information about Johny Dick for our Official Matchday Programme.
