Monday cannon fodder: jersey numbers

Not tomorrow morning, but Wednesday, the day after that, when we all wake up, it will be an Arsenal matchday. The first Arsenal matchday in more than 100 days because of the coronavirus shutdown. It’s surreal to me. It feels as if the PL has been gone for much longer than that, and at the same time, feels as if it was just last week that the news that Mikel Arteta had tested positive for COVID-19 broke.

Anyway. Two days until the Premier League and Arsenal return, so today’s number is two.

Arsenal have had 23 different players wear #2 for the club.

Héctor Bellerín (current)
Mathieu Debuchy (14/15-17/18)
Abou Diaby (05/06-12/13)
Lee Dixon (87/88-01/02),
Andy Linighan (91/92-93/94)
David O’Leary (91/92)
Pal Lydersen (91/92)
Colin Pates (91/92)
Michael Thomas (87/88)
Viv Anderson (84/85-86/87)
Stewart Robson (82/83-83/84)
Colin Hill (83/84)
John Devine (80/81-82/83)
John Hollins (81/82-82/83)
Pat Rice (69/70-79/80)
Peter Storey (67/68-69/70)
Terry Neill (65/66-67/68)
Peter Simpson (67/68)
Bob McNab (67/68)
David Court (65/66)
Don Howe (64/65-65/66)
Dave Bacuzzi (63/64)
Eddie Magill (63/64),

BONUS FACT: There are three numbers that have been worn by only two players.

#48
Sead Hajrovic (12/13)
Mark Randall (09/10)

#60
Alex Iwobi (13/14)
James Shea (12/13)

#77
Bukayo Saka (current)
Henrikh Mkhitaryan (17/18)