Arsenal shared an epic hat-trick goal
throwback video of one of their former star players, Kanu Nwankwo to
celebrate his 43rd birthday today.
Kanu Nwankwo And Arsenal
In
February 1999, after just twelve games and one goal for Inter, Kanu was
signed by Arsenal for approximately £4.15 million. He made his debut
for Arsenal, against Sheffield United in the FA Cup. With the score 1–1
and ten minutes to go, the Sheffield United goalkeeper Alan Kelly kicked
the ball out of touch so that treatment could be given to Lee Morris.
When the ball was thrown back into play by Ray Parlour, although it was
intended for Kelly, Kanu chased the throw-in down the right wing
unchallenged and centered the ball for Marc Overmars, who scored to make
the match 2–1. After the match, Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger accepted
that it was not correct sportsmanship and offered to re-play the match
which was again won by Arsenal.
Despite the events overshadowing
his debut, Kanu's career was quickly revived at Arsenal. He scored his
first goal for the club in the next round of the cup against Derby
County, coming off the bench to net the only goal of the game. He
quickly became known for his goal scoring prowess from the bench,
scoring important goals against Sheffield Wednesday, Tottenham Hotspur
and Aston Villa as a substitute. He became very popular among the fans
for his two-fingered salute which started in 1999 against Middlesbrough –
something that he later explained was based on the team's nickname, The
Gunners.
Kanu was named African Footballer of the Year for the
second time in 1999. In the 1999–2000 season he scored 17 times in 50
matches for the Gunners, including a hat-trick in fifteen minutes
against Chelsea to turn a 2–0 deficit into a 3–2 victory. In August
2001, Arsenal rejected a bid from Fulham of around £7m for Kanu.
However, Kanu's appearances for Arsenal gradually became less frequent,
particularly after the emergence of Thierry Henry as Arsenal's first
choice striker with Kanu being mainly used as a substitute. Kanu then
won the 2003 FA Cup with Arsenal.
Along with other famous
players, such as Henry and Robert Pires, Kanu is a member of the
"Invincibles", the Arsenal side that finished the 2003–04 season of the
Barclays Premier League undefeated. He played 197 games for Arsenal,
scoring 44 goals. In the summer of 2004, after his contract with Arsenal
ended, he moved to West Bromwich Albion on a free transfer. In 2008,
Kanu was voted 13th in the "Gunners' Greatest 50 Players" poll.
In
the summer of 2006, Kanu played as a guest for Arsenal in Dennis
Bergkamp's testimonial game, the first match to be played in Arsenal's
new Emirates Stadium. The game was tied 1–1 when Kanu scored the winning
goal, making him the third person to score in the stadium. At the end
of the match, Kanu joined the rest of the Arsenal side in hoisting the
retired Dutchman on their shoulders as fans gave him a standing ovation.
He remains a popular figure at Arsenal, being applauded when he appears
at the Emirates Stadium.
"Another year. I thank God for this day. I will keep working hard for others. #august1 #birthday #kanuheartf #thankgod" - Kanu Nwankwo as he marks his birthday
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