A smashing man: Liam Brady on how Bill Darby turned Arsenal green

Bill Darby and the greening of the Gunners.

Arsenal's Irish cohort: John Murphy, Dave O’Leary, Frank Stapleton and Liam Brady, all of whom Bill Darby helped scout. Photo: Sportsfile

“He was a smashing man. He knew how to approach parents, he knew how to get on with the schoolboy clubs, he was welcome wherever he went. He was a man who loved the game, who loved watching football and he just had this idea that Arsenal were missing out.”

Liam Brady is paying tribute to Bill Darby, Arsenal’s former chief scout in Ireland, who passed away at the weekend.