Valentine's Day...

29 years ago, on the 14th February 1995, George Graham gave us the Valentine's Day gift of Glenn Helder.
Unveiled at a press conference some thought was to announce the sacking of Graham, it was a bit of a shock signing under the circumstances. We were promised a flying winger, pacy and direct but with the added Graham quality of liking a tackle. Helder had broken into the Dutch team after good form for Vitesse Arnhem. With Arsenal just above the relegation zone, Helder was cast in the role of our saviour.
Helder became the second Dutch player to appear for us following title winning 'keeper Gerard Keyser in 1930. The signing of Helder started a flow of Dutch stars to Highbury, with Dennis Bergkamp and Marc Overmars next through the door.

Of course Helder did not get to play much for Graham, our 2 time title winning boss was sacked 2 weeks later. In truth Helder didn't get to play much for us at all - and Arsene Wenger almost immediately shipped him off to Benfica. Replaced by Overmars, Helder then moved permanently to NAC Breda, where his mental health deteriorated and his story took a near tragic turn. Always a "character", the clown mask hid his many issues, including a gambling addiction and Helder later revealed he attempted suicide.

In terms of Valentine's Day gifts it ranks between Petrol Station chocolates and flowers stolen from roadside tributes to crash victims. But it is the thought that counts, and we will always fondly remember the signing of Glenn Helder, the original Dutch flying winger at Arsenal.

I think the moral of the story is keep your money in your pocket on Valentine's Day.