It was with great sadness that the club learned of the recent death of Dermot Drummy, aged 56.
Islington-boy Dermot joined Arsenal as a youth team player in 1976. A talented central midfielder, he played alongside the likes of Paul Davis, Paul Vaessen and Brian McDermott in the youth and reserve teams, making over 100 appearances for the Gunners – he also made five league appearances during a loan spell at Blackpool. He left Highbury for Hendon Town in 1980.
Nearly 20 years later, a chance encounter with Liam Brady in 1999 saw Dermot back at the club as an academy coach and over the next eight years he proved himself instrumental in the development of many players who went on to enjoy first team careers with the Gunners and elsewhere.