Arsenal title winner, League Cup hero, and the red-headed wideman who launched the George Graham era
FootballPerry Groves has the distinction of being the first player George Graham ever signed for Arsenal, and the two league titles that followed proved him right.
A tall, quick, unmistakably red-haired winger, Groves joined Arsenal from Colchester United in 1986 for £75,000. Over the next six years he played 155 games for the club, won the League Cup in 1987 with the famous Charlie Nicholas final, and was a valuable squad member in both of George Graham's title wins in 1988/89 and 1990/91, including the legendary Michael Thomas last-minute goal at Anfield that clinched the first.
He later had a spell at Southampton before injuries forced him out of the game at 27. Since retiring he has become one of the most entertaining and honest pundits on the after dinner and radio circuit, a regular on talkSPORT and a favourite at Arsenal supporter events for his stories of the Graham era dressing room, the real Tony Adams, and what it was really like in a squad that went out on Tuesday and won on Saturday.
His autobiography, We All Live in a Perry Groves World, became a cult hit for exactly the reasons his speaking engagements do: he tells the truth, he tells it with a smile, and he does not mind being the punchline.
At Steam Wine Bar, Groves brings Highbury folklore, Graham-era war stories, and a self-deprecating wit that has made him one of the most booked speakers in the Arsenal family.
Two decades of world class speakers in the basement at EC3. Want to book Perry Groves or someone like them? Tell us what you need and we will come back with a plan.
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