Arsenal hero was Chelsea fan but explains how dad got him to sign for Gunners

26 June 2024 , 16:00

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Paul Merson opted to sign for Arsenal and went on to become a club legend (Image: Mirrorpix)

Paul Merson has confessed he joined Arsenal because his dad was a huge Gunners supporter - despite being a Chelsea fan himself.

The former footballer, now 56, opened up on the complicated move on the Football's Greatest podcast alongside host Jeff Stelling, who fielded questions about his past. When quizzed about his allegiance and whether he was close to signing for the Blues, Merson said: "That is a good question. No I wasn't.

"When I was growing up when I started supporting Chelsea at about five years of age we weren't very good. We were poor, but my dad was a massive Arsenal fan and he wanted me to sign for Arsenal so I signed because of my dad. If it wasn't for my dad I wouldn't have been a professional footballer. My dad wanted me to sign for Arsenal, so I signed for Arsenal."

Stelling then highlighted a family connection to Chelsea, asking: "But your son is involved at Chelsea now isn't he?" To which Merson confirmed: "Yeah, he's signed at Chelsea. He's just got another year so he goes into the under-10s next season."

Merson also shared a personal achievement, reports Football London, in saying: "He's doing something that I never got to do. I did wear the Chelsea kit once in a charity game at Stamford Bridge where my hero Ray Wilkins was the manager of the Chelsea team I played for. So yeah, my boy's at Chelsea now."

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Merson, a product of Arsenal's youth system from 1982 to 1985, signed his first professional contract with the north London club. Despite being loaned out to Brentford for development, the attacking midfielder was quickly promoted to the first team upon his return.

He made 327 appearances and scored 78 goals at Highbury. In 1997, he moved up north to Middlesbrough for a year before signing for Aston Villa, Portsmouth and Walsall, where he retired in 2006.

Merson also racked up 21 appearances for England in the 90s, netting three goals - two against the Czech Republic on separate occasions and one against Switzerland in '98.

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Aaron Morris