I walked out on Arsenal in a row over £50 – everyone thinks I left because of team-mate, I need to put record straight
Keown would return to Arsenal years later and form a formidable partnership with Adams
MARTIN Keown has revealed he left Arsenal over a £50 contract pay rise.
The Arsenal legend appeared on the Rest Is Football podcast with Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.
He was on there promoting his new book, On The Edge before the conversation talked about his early years with the Gunners.
Keown, now 58, joined the North London giants as a schoolboy in the 1980s.
However, he left the club in 1986 following a bitter row over wages, not because of Tony Adams.
He would return in 1993 in a £2million deal from Everton, but his exit as a youngster is a moment that still stings for the no-nonsense centre back.,
Keown explained: “Don Howe had been the manager and he advised me not to sign the previous contract.
“I was basically being offered £250 first year and £300 in the second. Don said ‘if you get into the first team Martin, this £300 won’t be £300, it’s going to be way more. So just sign for the year’. So I did [initially only sign a year-long deal].
“I played 21 games in the first team and they offered me £300-a-week the next season, and it was like ‘hold on, Don’s now left the club, no one seems to recognise me in the building.’
“We played against Gary [Lineker’s] Everton right at the end of that season and I was told I was one of the two best young central defenders in the country along with Tony Adams. I referred to that when we were at the negotiating table a few months later.
“I said ‘I’m not looking for a fortune, just give me £100-per-week extra, not £50’ and they said ‘no way, can’t do it’. So it all became a point of principle. The day I met [new manager] George [Graham], it was really surreal, George was tapping his watch.”
When Keown and Graham had a meeting and his contract wasn’t discussed, that infuriated the legendary defender further more.
He continued: “I’m off, I don’t know [where] but I’m not staying here, because you’re not showing the respect I deserve.
“I literally jumped off the mountain at that point because I climbed a mountain to get in that first team, it was that difficult to get in.”
Keown joined Aston Villa, but wasn’t happy with his decision.
“I went on holiday, woke up and thought ‘what have I done?!’ All I ever wanted to do was to get in the Arsenal team,” he recalled.
Arsenal player ratings vs Newcastle
ARSENAL fell to defeat to Newcastle in a fresh blow to their title ambitions.
The Magpies won 1-0 thanks to a fine header from Alexander Isak.
Here, SunSport’s Jordan Davies rates the players…
DAVID RAYA – 6/10
Great early distribution to go long over the Newcastle press but nothing he could do with Isak’s pin-point header.
Was barely troubled in the second half but was forced to watch a lacklustre Arsenal dawdle to another defeat.
THOMAS PARTEY – 7
Looks really comfortable in that role, even if it is only temporary, but obviously lacks an attacking threat of a full-back which hindered Saka slightly.
Moved back into midfield on the hour mark with Arsenal chasing the game.
WILLIAM SALIBA – 7
A welcome presence back in the defensive line following suspension. Covered his defensive partner well and kept his cool amid Arsenal’s frustration.
GABRIEL – 5
Lost Isak in the box for Newcastle’s opener and nearly handed the hosts another chance with a sloppy pass out.
Normally a rock, this was one of those rare jittery displays we thought were a thing of the past.
JURRIEN TIMBER – 6
Looked good in attack but arguably should have closed down Gordon’s cross before the hosts took the lead and struggled to contain the England winger in the first half.
MIKEL MERINO – 5
Unfortunate not to get on the score sheet against his former club from close range after a scramble from a corner.
But as a whole, he currently looks lost in his position, unsure of when to go and when to sit deep, meaning Newcastle were able to prize Arsenal’s midfield open.
Feels like we are not seeing the best of him just yet.
DECLAN RICE – 6
On set-piece duty, his delivery was unusually poor, failing to beat the first man on numerous occasions and struggled to impose himself in open play too, even if he came close with a deflected effort in the second half before fluffing a great headed chance in injury time.
If he is going to be the anchor of this team and dictate play, he has got to be a lot better.
LEANDRO TROSSARD – 5
Pretty anonymous other than a few surging runs. Another player that looks lost in a floating No.10 role behind the main striker.
The Belgian is at his best cutting in and using his blistering pace. He can do neither through the middle against a compact opposition set-up.
BUKAYO SAKA – 6
Looked to be getting the better of Toon right-back Hall early on but his game faded after that, along with his team’s.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 7
Showed glimpses of being back to his buzzing best, taking on defenders and stretching the game for Arsenal, but only lasted an hour before being taken off.
KAI HAVERTZ – 6
Never got a sniff, but got to put that down to a complete lack of service from Arsenal’s wide players. He was desperate to attack a decent cross that never really came.
SUBS:
ETHAN NWANERI (MERINO, 61) – 6
Given a nice welcome to Tyneside with a crunching tackle from Willock seconds after coming on.
Found some nice pockets of space and look sharp as he blazed one over from range, but was always a big ask for him to be Arsenal’s saviour.
OLEKSANDR ZINCHENKO (MARTINELLI, 61) – 5
Thrown on to bring tempo and control. Brought neither from an inverted left-back position.
BEN WHITE (TIMBER, 71) – 6
Had only completed half a session to prepare for this one having picked up a knock against Liverpool last weekend, so was a surprise to even see him at all.
GABRIEL JESUS (TROSSARD) – 5
Tasked with creating something special from out wide, but there is a reason the Brazilian is only a bit-part player nowadays.
JORGINHO (PARTEY, 86) – N/A
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Keown would return to Highbury, where he would make 422 appearances across all competitions until his departure in 2004.
He was part of the famous back four that included Adams, Steve Bould, Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn that would serve both Graham and Arsene Wenger well.
Keown won three Premier League titles, including the ‘Invincibles’ season in 2003/04, three FA Cups and the European Cup Winners’ Cup.