England's most-capped left-back for decades, a technically gifted and supremely consistent defender who starred for Arsenal and his country.
Kenneth Graham Sansom was born in Camberwell, London on 26 September 1958. He began at Crystal Palace, becoming the youngest player to appear for the club, before joining Arsenal in 1980. Over eight seasons at Highbury he made 394 appearances and was known for his overlapping runs, defensive reliability and reading of the game. He earned 86 England caps, a record for a full-back that stood for many years, and was part of the squad at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. He won the League Cup in 1987 with Arsenal. After leaving the Gunners, he had spells at Newcastle, QPR, Coventry, Everton, Brentford, Watford and Chesterfield. Off the pitch, Sansom has spoken bravely about his battles with alcoholism and homelessness.
Being England's most-capped left-back with 86 international appearances
He held the record as England's most-capped full-back for over 20 years with 86 caps until Ashley Cole surpassed it.
Did You Know?How They Played
Attacking full-back with excellent pace, crossing ability and defensive consistency
Lasting Impact
Regarded as one of England's finest left-backs, known for his pace and attacking play
Career Honours
- League Cup 1987
- Littlewoods Cup 1987
| Club | Period | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Palace | 1975–1980 | 197 | 3 | #3 |
| Arsenal | 1980–1988 | 394 | 6 | #4 |
| Newcastle United | 1988–1989 | 20 | 1 | #4 |
| QPR | 1991–1993 | 47 | 0 | — |
| Coventry City | 1993–1994 | 24 | 0 | — |
| Everton | 1994–1995 | 17 | 0 | — |
| Brentford | 1995–1997 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Watford | 1997–1998 | 0 | 0 | — |
 England | — | 86 | 1 | — |