Herbert Chapman, the son of a coalminer, was born in Kiveton Park, a small mining village not far from Sheffield, on 19th January, 1878. Chapman went to a local state school but won a place at Sheffield Technical College, where he studied engineering.
Chapman was a keen sportsman and played amateur football for Kiveton Park, Ashton North End, Stalybridge Rovers and Rochdale before joining Grimsby Town in the Second Division of the Football League in 1898. The Grimsby Gazette commented that he was "on the small side... but is sturdily built and takes a lot of knocking off the ball." An inside right, he scored four goals in 10 games before moving to Swindon Town.
Chapman also played for Sheppey United and Worksop Town before signing as a part-time professional for Northampton Town in 1901. The following year he joined Sheffield United in the First Division and scored two goals in 21 games in the 1902-03 season.
Herbert Chapman's younger brother, Harry Chapman, was also making a name for himself as a professional footballer and during a ten year period he scored 94 goals in 269 games for Sheffield Wednesday. He also helped his club win the First Division championship in 1902-03 and 1903-04 seasons.
Chapman continued to study and he eventually got his diploma from the Institute of Mining Engineers. He was still determined to make it as a professional footballer and in 1903 Chapman signed for Notts County for £300. He then moved to Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £70. He scored eleven goals in their 1905-06 season but the Tottenham Herald commented that after a bright start he had lost the ability to score goals. It added: "Although we can hardly say that he is in the first flight of footballers, he is a most conscientious player and gentleman both on and off the field."
Chapman remained a part-time professional and continued with his engineering career. However, now aged 27, he seemed past his best. In 1907 he joined Northampton Town, a club that had dropped to the bottom of the Southern League. At the time the club was without a manager. As Chapman appeared to be an intelligent man it was suggested by the directors that he should become player-manager. He agreed to do the job on a temporary basis as he still wanted to work full-time as a mining engineer.
At that time tactics were traditionally left to players to work out on the field. Chapman believed in discussing tactics before a game started. For example, Chapman noticed that teams had a tendancy to defend in large numbers. Chapman devised a method of playing that drew the opposing defenders from their own goal, and then to hit them on the counter-attack. The strategy was highly successful and that season Northampton Town managed to avoid relegation. The following season they won the Southern League championship with a record 25 wins from 40 games, a record 55 points, and a record 90 goals.
Chapman was always looking to strengthen his side and spent most of his spare-time watching football games. He signed 21 year-old Fred Walden from Wellingborough Town. Although he was just over five feet tall and weighed less than nine stone, he was a skillful winger who had the ability to make burly defenders look foolish.
In 1910 Northampton Town caused a sensation by knocking First Division Sheffield Wednesday out of the FA Cup. They lost to Nottingham Forest in the next round but the following season Northampton played Newcastle United, who had been in the FA Cup Final five times in seven years. With the score 1-1 Fred Walden hit the bar with five minutes to go. The local newspaper reported that the shot made "a mark which it will take a paintbrush to efface."
The Northampton Daily Echo wrote about the tactics that Chapman used in the game: "The forwards... wove no fancy patterns but, given the ball, straight they sped for goal. Just a brief run, enough to draw part of the defence towards the spot, and over it went with almost amazing accuracy to the other side of the field. There the operation was repeated."
The directors of Leeds City in the Second Division became aware of Chapman's achievements and in May 1912 he was persuaded to become secretary-manager of the club. Soon after becoming manager Chapman purchased Jimmy Speirs and
Evelyn Lintott from Bradford City. Both men had been members of the Bradford side that had won the FA Cup final against Newcastle United the previous season. Chapman also signed Arthur Bridgett from Sunderland.
Leeds City had finished in 19th place in the 1911-12 season. Under Chapman's guidance the finished 6th. Jimmy Speirs had developed a fine partnership with Billy McCleod and that season the club scored 70 goals. The Yorkshire Evening Post reported that Chapman was "slowly but surely evolving a set of players from whom much may be expected in the future." The newspaper added that Chapman had "done a tremendous amount of good work for the club."
Chapman wrote an article for The Yorkshire Evening Post where he acknowledged the "splendid support" he had received from the fans. However, he argued that he wished they would show more appreciation of the skills of visiting teams and more tolerance of mistakes by their own players. "To howl down a man just because he happens to be out of form one day is often sufficient to discourage him for all time."
Chapman introduced several new innovations at Leeds City. According to Stephen Studd, the author of Herbert Chapman: Football Emperor (1981): "Meetings were held each week to discuss both the previous game and the tactics to be used in the next. With Chapman presiding, every player was encouraged to express his own opinion. This was something entirely new in football, a marked contrast to the prevailing easy-going system where players were left to work out their own tactics. In holding the talks Chapman was asking his players to contribute to a joint effort, to become more involved with each other as a unit. It was an appeal to intelligence as well as physical skill, and it had the effect of boosting self-respect, fostering a sense of loyalty, and raising a player's status above that of a mere paid servant."
In the 1913-14 season Chapman improved his squad by buying John Jackson (Clyde), Fred Blackman (Huddersfield Town), Ivan Sharpe (Derby County) and Harry Peart (Bradford City). The club finished 4th, their highest ever position in the Football League.
The outbreak of the First World War brought an end to Chapman's team-building plans. Jimmy Speirs and Evelyn Lintott both joined the British Army and were sent to the Western Front. Lintott was killed on the first day of the Somme on 1st July 1916 and Speirs lost his life at Passchendaele on 20th August 1917.
In 1916 Chapman became a manager of a munitions factory at Barnbow, near Leeds, as part of the war-effort. The factory made shells and Chapman, with his knowledge of engineering, was appointed its manager-in-chief, with some thirty sub-managers under him. As Stephen Studd points out in Herbert Chapman: Football Emperor: "Just as in football he knew how to get the most out of his resources, so in the factory he used his skills to obtain maximum production. By the end of the war the factory had produced more shells than any other of its size, and at 25 per cent less cost, while the output of ammunition boxes had more than quadrupled."
In 1919 Leeds City was found guilty of financial irregularities involving payments to 'guest' players for matches played during the First World War. The Football Association considered the offence so serious they forced the club to close-down. Chapman escaped punishment because he successfully claimed that he was so busy running a munitions factory during the war that he was unaware of what was going on.
Chapman was offered a job as a senior manager at Joseph Watson & Sons at Selby. However, in 1920 the factory was closed down and so Chapman accepted the post of assistant manager to Ambrose Langley at Huddersfield Town in September 1920. Huddersfield had just been promoted to the First Division for the first-time. Chapman became full manager the following March when Langley decided to run a public house in Sheffield.
Soon after taking office Chapman told the Huddersfield directors that: "You have talented, mostly young, players - they need a general to lead them. I know the man and I think we can get him." Chapman was thinking of Clem Stephenson, who played for Aston Villa. In March 1921 the 31-year-old Stephenson signed for a fee of £4,000. As Adam Ward and Jeremy Griffin pointed out in The Essential Aston Villa: "A dispute over his continued residency in Newcastle had precipitated the transfer, although there was also a growing feeling that he was past his best."
Chapman had first met Stephenson, when he guested for Leeds City during the First World War. He felt that this ex-miner had the qualities needed to lead the club on the field. Chapman also brought in Jack Foster to manage the reserves and Walter Balmer was put in charge of the third team. Foster and Balmer also became part of a team of scouts looking for the best young talent in Britain.
Huddersfield Town made a good start to the 1921-22 season. The Huddersfield Daily Examiner wrote that Chapman's "energy and enterprise...had helped to bring the club into smoother waters, and put its affairs on a proper systematized basis". An important feature of Chapman's tactics was to play Tom Wilson, the centre-half, as a member of a three-man back-line. At the time, because of the offside-law, the centre-half usually played in the midfield. As a result newspapers labelled Wilson as a "great spoiler".
At the time it was common for teams to attack via the wing. Chapman argued that this "senseless policy of running along the lines and centring just in front of the goalmouth, where the odds are nine to one on the defenders". Chapman developed the strategy of "inside passing" as he considered this to be "more deadly, if less spectacular, method."
Chapman selected full-backs like Sam Wadsworth who could make accurate long passes. As the Huddersfield Daily Examiner pointed out: "Wadsworth could take the ball from an opposing forward and send it to the forward he thinks will make the best use of the pass".
Chapman's team had a good run in the FA Cup beating Brighton & Hove Albion (2-0), Blackburn Rovers (5-0), Millwall (3-0), and Notts County (3-1) to reach the final against Preston North End. The final took place at Stamford Bridge. Huddersfield Town scored the only goal of the game, a penalty conceded by Tommy Hamilton. It was awarded when Hamilton tripped Huddersfield's outside-left Billy Smith. Hamilton admitted the offence but claimed it was outside the penalty area. Clem Stephenson therefore became the first player in the 20th century to win three winners’ medals in the FA Cup.
Chapman used his scouting team to discover future football stars. However, he always insisted on seeing the man play several times before buying him. In 1921 he signed the 17-year-old coalminer, George Brown. The Huddersfield Daily Examiner argued that "his ability to discover players who will earn laurels for themselves and their club; indeed, his discrimination in the capture of budding stars has been described as uncanny." Another inspired signing was Charles Wilson from Tottenham Hotspur.
The 1923-24 season began badly when Huddersfield Town was involved in a bad tempered game against Notts County. Ernie Islip, the club's inside-left, got involved in a dispute with Albert Iremonger, the opposition goalkeeper. Islip was sent off and so was Billy Flint for a terrible foul on Billy Smith. After the game Chapman issued a statement: "If what we served up on Saturday is football, well, the sooner its death knell is sounded the better; may we go further and say that never do we wish to see anything like it again."
Chapman actually asked the Football Association to carry out an investigation into the match. As a result Ernie Islip and Billy Flint were suspended for a month and Albert Iremonger was "severely censured". Islip, who had been described as being one of the most hot-headed players in the Football League, was immediately sold by Chapman to Birmingham City, as a sign to the other Huddersfield players that he would not accept such behaviour on the pitch.
The club did not miss Ernie Islip and under the leadership of Clem Stephenson, the team captain, Huddersfield Town challanged for the leadership of the First Division. With one game to go, Huddersfield was one point behind Cardiff City. Huddersfield beat Nottingham Forest whereas Cardiff only drew against Birmingham City, and became the first club to win the title on goal average. As well as winning the First Division, the reserves finished in second place in the Central League (beaten on goal average) and the third team won the Yorkshire Midweek League for the second year running.
The Huddersfield Daily Examiner reported that the club owed its success to the manager: "His have been the brains behind the team, his the directing skill that has paved the way to success. Town is on everyone's lips today and for the proud position which it occupies in public esteem it has very largely Mr Chapman to thank."
Herbert Chapman believed that Clem Stephenson was the main person responsible for the club's success: "I want to thank you personally for your play, your wholehearted efforts both on and off the field. I have never had such confidence in any captain of a team I have been associated with."
Before the start of the new season Chapman signed outside-right, John Williams, from Rotherham United for just under £2,000. He also acquired a new goalkeeper, Billy Mercer from Hull City. Huddersfield soon obtained a lead in the First Division. In October 1924 Huddersfield beat Arsenal 4-0. This included a goal scored by Billy Smith direct from a corner kick. It was the first goal scored this way as the law governing corners had been amended earlier that year.
Huddersfield Town lost the leadership of the First Division in October 1924 but regained it in February 1925 and held on to beat West Bromwich Albion by two points. The reserves won the Central League and so Huddersfield became the first club to win both titles. The Sporting Chronicle reported that the success was a result of Chapman's management techniques: "No club in the country develops the get-together spirit more deliberately than the Champions, and the records show how the policy pays." The Huddersfield Daily Examiner added that Chapman was the "Napoleon of football".
Chapman was congratulated for the exciting football the club played. The stars of the team included Clem Stephenson, Billy Smith, Charles Wilson, Tom Wilson, Sam Wadsworth, John Williams and George Brown. One journalist wrote that the "low passing and the long-field play of Huddersfield Town has become famous in the football world."
Chapman continued his campaign to improve the behaviour of the crowd. He said he wanted men to bring their wives and girlfriends to games as it would "raise the tone of supporters generally". Chapman added: "Bad language, gambling and barracking are the chief evils of the game. Professional players, like artists, are highly strung and affected by ill-considered criticism from the crowd".
At the time, Arsenal was one of the wealthiest clubs in the First Division. Its owner was Harry Norris, a highly successful property developer in London. He had recently spent £80,000 to build Highbury Stadium and was now determined to have a league winning team to play in these plush surroundings. In May 1925 Norris offered Chapman a salary of £2,000 a year if he agreed to manage Arsenal. When one considers that football stars were only paid £300 a year, this was an attractive proposition.
However, Harry Norris had a reputation for dictatorial behaviour. For example, Leslie Knighton, Arsenal's current manager, was just a figurehead and Norris took all the major decisions. He told Knighton he could not spend more than £1,000 on any one player. Nor was he allowed to sign anyone under 5 foot 8 inches or 11 stone. After lengthy negotiations Norris agreed that Chapman would be allowed complete control over the team that had only just narrowly avoided relegation, and that money would be made available to buy some new players.
Chapman's first concern was to buy a "general" like Clem Stephenson, who had played such a vital role in the success of Huddersfield Town. His choice was Charlie Buchan, who had scored 209 goals in 380 games for Sunderland. The Sunderland manager, Bob Kyle, explained to Buchan the complex arrangements of the deal: "We pay Sunderland cash down £2,000, and then we hand over £100 to them for every goal you score during your first season with Arsenal."
In October 1925 Arsenal lost 7-0 to Newcastle United. As with his previous clubs, Chapman had a weekly meeting with his players. As a result of this discussion, Chapman changed the way the side played. At that time most teams played in the 2-3-5 formation. This system dominated football until 1925 when the Football Association decided to change the offside rule. The change reduced the number of opposition players that an attacker needed between himself and the goal-line from three to two. This had a profound impact on the way football was played. In the season before the introduction of this new offside law, 4,700 goals were scored in the Football League. During the next season the number went to 6,373.
At the meeting Charlie Buchan suggested to Chapman that the team should exploit this change in the law to create a new playing formation. According to Tom Whittaker, Buchan suggested: "Why not have a defensive centre-half, or third full-back, to block the gap down the middle?" At that time the centre-half played a much more attacking role. Buchan argued that the club should now have a more defence-minded player in that position and that he, rather than the two full-backs, should take responsibility for the offside trap. Chapman agreed with this idea and in fact he had already experimented with this idea at Huddersfield Town before the rule change. Tom Wilson, the centre-half, played as a member of a three-man back-line.
It was decided that the full-backs should play just in front of the centre-half whereas one of the inside-forwards should act as a link between attack and defence. The formation was therefore changed from 2-3-5 to 3-3-4. It was also known as the "WM" formation.
Jack Butler was initially selected to play the centre-half role. However, he was soon replaced by Herbert Roberts, who was the reserve wing-half at the time. Cliff Bastin later pointed out that: "As an all-round player he may have had his failings, but he fitted in perfectly with the Arsenal scheme of things." Roberts became known as the "stopper" or the "policeman" and rarely moved upfield. Tom Whittaker added: "Roberts's genius came from the fact that he was intelligent, and even more important, that he did what he was told."
Jeff Harris argues in his book, Arsenal Who's Who: "Off the field Herbie was a gentleman, shy and unassuming, on the field he was known as Policeman Roberts whose main aim was to blot out and stop the opponents' centre-forward and these policies made him into one of the most unpopular players the length and breadth of the country. Whether it be at Portsmouth or Sunderland the unruffled red haired Roberts was abused and barracked when ever he played away."
Charlie Buchan wanted to play the roving inside-forward role. However, Herbert Chapman disagreed and selected veteran Andy Neil to become the link man in the system. At the time Neil was playing in the third-team. Chapman argued that Neil was "as slow as a funeral but has ball control" and could pass the ball accurately. Later this role went to Jimmy Ramsey and Billy Blyth.
One of Herbert Chapman's first signings was Bill Harper, who cost £4,000 from Hibernian. He replaced Dan Lewis as Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper.
In the 1925-26 season Arsenal finished in second-place to Chapman's old club, Huddersfield Town. Top scorer was Jimmy Brain who established a new club record with 33 goals. This included four hat-tricks against Everton (twice), Cardiff City and Bury. Brain's partner, Charlie Buchan, scored 21 goals that season which brought the amount paid by Arsenal to Sunderland to £4,100.
Bill Harper played in the first 20 games of the 1926-27 season until Tottenham Hotspur beat them 4-2 at Highbury. Dan Lewis now returned to the first-team. His form was so good that he won the first of his three caps for Wales that season.
In February 1926 Herbert Chapman purchased Joe Hulme from Blackburn Rovers for a fee of £3,500. Hulme was considered the fastest winger in England. As Jeff Harris has pointed out in his book, Arsenal Who's Who: "By the end of the first season Hulme's startling pace had become his trade mark, his main trick being to push the ball past the opposing full-back then tear past him as if he never existed."
Henry Norris refused to allow Herbert Chapman to spend too much money to strengthen his team and in the 1926-27 season Arsenal finished in 11th position. However, they did enjoy a good run in the FA Cup. They beat Port Vale (0-1), Liverpool (2-0), Wolverhampton Wanderers (1-0) and Southampton (2-1) to reach the final at Wembley against Cardiff City.
With 17 minutes to go, Hughie Ferguson hit a shot at the Arsenal goal that struck Tom Parker and the ball slowly rolled towards Dan Lewis, the goalkeeper. As Lewis later explained: "I got down to it and stopped it. I can usually pick up a ball with one hand, but as I was laying over the ball. I had to use both hands to pick it up, and already a Cardiff forward was rushing down on me. The ball was very greasy. When it touched Parker it had evidently acquired a tremendous spin, and for a second it must have been spinning beneath me. At my first touch it shot away over my arm."
Ernie Curtis, Cardiff's left-winger, later commented: "I was in line with the edge of the penalty area on the right when Hughie Ferguson hit the shot which Arsenal's goalie had crouched down for a little early. The ball spun as it travelled towards him, having taken a slight deflection so he was now slightly out of line with it. Len Davies was following the shot in and I think Dan must have had one eye on him. The result was that he didn't take it cleanly and it squirmed under him and over the line. Len jumped over him and into the net, but never actually touched it."
In the words of Charlie Buchan: "He (Lewis) gathered the ball in his arms. As he rose, his knee hit the ball and sent it out of his grasp. In trying to retrieve it, Lewis only knocked it further towards the goal. The ball, with Len Davies following up, trickled slowly but inexorably over the goal-line with hardly enough strength to reach the net."
Jack Butler and Tom Parker watch Dan Lewis letting the ball slip under his body.
Soon afterwards, Arsenal had a great chance to draw level. As Charlie Buchan later explained: "Outside-left Sid Hoar sent across a long, high centre. Tom Farquharson, Cardiff goalkeeper, rushed out to meet the danger. The ball dropped just beside the penalty spot and bounced high above his outstretched fingers. Jimmy Brain and I rushed forward together to head the ball into the empty goal. At the last moment Jimmy left it to me. I unfortunately left it to him. Between us, we missed the golden opportunity of the game." Arsenal had no more chances after that and therefore Cardiff City won the game 1-0.
After the game Dan Lewis was so upset that his mistake had cost Arsenal the FA Cup that he threw away his loser's medal. It was retrieved by Bob John who suggested that the team would win him a winning medal the following season. Herbert Chapman believed that Lewis was the best goalkeeper at the club and he retained his place in the team the following season.
On 2nd February, 1927, Arsenal played in a 4th round FA Cup tie against Port Vale. According to Tom Whittaker: "Arsenal were pressing hard, but things were not going just right and old George Hardy's eyes spotted something he felt could be corrected to help the attack. During the next lull in the game he hopped to the touchline, and cupping his hands, yelled out that one of the forwards was to play a little farther upfield." Chapman was furious and sent Hardy to the dressing-room.
On the following Monday morning Herbert Chapman summonded Tom Whittaker to his office and told him that he was now the first-team trainer. Chapman added: "I am going to make this the greatest club ground in the world, and I am going to make you the greatest trainer in the game."
In October 1927, Herbert Chapman signed Eddie Hapgood, a 19 year old milkman, who was playing for non-league Kettering Town for a fee of £750. In his autobiography Hapgood describes his first meeting with Chapman: "Well, young man, do you smoke or drink?" Rather startled, I said, "No, sir." "Good," he answered. "Would you like to sign for Arsenal"
Eddie Hapgood only weighed 9 stones 6 pounds at the time and as Tom Whittaker, the Arsenal trainer, pointed out: "Hapgood used to cause a lot of worry by frequently being knocked out when heading the ball." Whittaker later recalled: "All sorts of reasons were propounded as to why this should happen, but eventually I spotted the cause. Eddie was too light, and we had to build him up. At that time he was a vegetarian, but I decided he should eat meat."
Bob Wall, Chapman's administrative assistant, wrote in his autobiography, Arsenal from the Heart: "He (Hapgood) played his football in a calm, authoritative way and he would analyse a game in the same quiet, clear-cut manner. Eddie set Arsenal players the highest possible example in technical skill and personal behaviour."
Hapgood made his debut against Birmingham City on 19th November 1927. It was not long before he was the club's regular left-back. As Jeff Harris pointed out in his book, Arsenal Who's Who: "Hapgood's many splendid attributes included, being technically exceptional, he showed shrewd anticipation and he was elegant, polished, unruffled and calm."
In 1927 the Daily Mail reported that Henry Norris had made under-the-counter payments to Sunderland's Charlie Buchan as an incentive for him to join Arsenal in 1925. The Football Association began an investigation of Norris and discovered that he had used Arsenal's expense accounts for personal use, and had obtained the proceeds of £125 from the sale of the team bus. Norris sued the newspaper and the FA for libel, but in February 1929 he lost his case. The FA now banned Norris from football for life.
In August 1928 the Arsenal team wore numbers on their backs. Herbert Chapman believed that these numbers would speed up moves by helping players identify each other more quickly. The Football League disagreed with this innovation and immediately banned the club from doing this again. Chapman had to content himself by placing numbers on the back of his reserve team.
Chapman became frustrated by the conservatism of the Football Association and the Football League. In an article in the Sunday Express he stated: "I appeal to the authorities to release the brake which they seem to delight in jamming on new ideas... as if wisdom is only to be found in the council chamber... I am impatient and intolerant of much that seems to me to be merely negative, if not actually destructive, legislation."
Chapman added: "We owe it to the public that our games should be controlled with all the exactness that is possible." He therefore suggested the introduction of goal judges. He was also in favour of playing games at night. Chapman arranged for floodlights to be built into the West Stand but the Football Association refused permission for the club to use them for official matches.
Bob Wall later wrote: "Chapman thought deeply about an infinite variety of subjects associated with the game. He possessed the gift of seeing ahead of his time. He was able to visualize how soccer could benefit from adopting ideas which, in their infancy, seemed to most other people to be merely the outpourings of an eccentric mind."
Chapman was also in favour of bonding sessions with the players. He was probably the first manager to take his players on a golfing holiday. The team regularly went to Brighton where they played golf at the Dyke Club. As Stephen Studd pointed out in Herbert Chapman: Football Emperor (1981): "He (Chapman) set great store by what he regarded as the dignity of the athlete, treating his players as human beings instead of mere paid servants, which was how most other players were regarded elsewhere."
Samuel Hill-Wood became the new chairman of Arsenal. He had made his fortune from the cotton industry in Derbyshire and had previously owned Glossop North End. Freed from the restraints placed on him by the former chairman, Herbert Chapman began to buy the best players available. In May 1928, he paid a four-figure sum for Charlie Jones, who had developed a great reputation playing for Wales.
In October, 1928, he decided to pay a transfer fee of over £10,000 for David Jack. Sir Charles Clegg, president of the Football Association, immediately issued a statement claiming that no player in the world was worth that amount of money. Others thought that at 29 years old, Jack was past his best. However, Chapman later commented that the buying of Jack was "one of the best bargains I ever made".
In May 1929 Herbert Chapman signed the 17 year old Cliff Bastin from Exeter City for £2,000. This was considered to be a huge sum to pay for a teenager who had only played in seventeen league games. Chapman had spotted Bastin in a game against Watford. Bastin did not initially want to leave Devon but was persuaded by Chapman's manner: "There was an aura of greatness about Chapman. I was impressed with him straight away. He possessed a cheery self-confidence, which communicated itself to those around him. This power of inspiration and the remarkable gift of foresight, which never seemed to desert him, were his greatest attributes."
The following month Chapman purchased Alex James from Preston North End for a fee of £8,750. At the time, the Football League operated a maximum wage of £8 a week. However, other clubs like Arsenal had found ways around this problem. Chapman arranged for James to obtain a £250-a-year "sports demonstrator" job at Selfridges. It was also agreed that James would be paid for a weekly "ghosted" article for a London evening newspaper.
Alex James had been a goalscoring inside-forward at Preston North End. However, Chapman wanted him to plat the role of link man in his system. James found it difficult to adapt to this role and Arsenal started the 1929-30 season badly. In a cup-tie against Chelsea Chapman dropped James from the team. Arsenal won the game and James was not recalled until he had convinced Chapman that he was willing to play the link man role.
Chapman's team-talk took place on Friday morning. His administrative assistant Bob Wall remarked that he always told players: "Never mind what the other team does - this is what you are going to do." Chapman had a magnetic table marked out as a football field, with little toy players that could be moved around on it. Every player was encouraged to give his own views on the game taking place the following day. By the end of the meeting every player was fully aware of the role they were to play in the match. As the Daily Mail pointed out at the time: "Breaking down old traditions, he was the first club manager who set out methodically to organize the winning of matches."
Frank Cole of the Daily Telegraph, wrote: "If you sat near him (Chapman) at a big match... you realized the intense earnestness of the man. His face would go ashen grey as he lived every moment of the play. And when things were going against his men he seemed to be suffering mental agonies. I have never seen such concentration."
Herbert Chapman gradually adapted the "WM" formation that he had introduced when he first came to the club. Herbert Roberts was the centre-half who stayed in the penalty area to break down opposing attacks. Chapman used his full-backs, Eddie Hapgood and Tom Parker, to mark the wingers. This job had previously been done by the wing-halves, who now concentrated on looking after the inside-forwards. Bob John and Alf Baker were the men he used in these positions. Dan Lewis was the goalkeeper in what became known as "defence-in-depth". The young George Male was often used if any of the full-backs or wing-halves were injured.
Pulling the centre-half back left a gap in midfield and so Chapman needed a link man to pick up the ball from defence and to pass it on quickly to the attackers. This was the job of Alex James, who had the ability to make accurate long low passes to goalscoring forwards like David Jack, Jimmy Brain, Joe Hulme, Charlie Jones, Cliff Bastin and Jack Lambert. Chapman told the other forwards to go fast, like "flying columns" and if possible to make for goal direct.
Chapman pointed out: "Although I do not suggest that the Arsenal team go on the defensive even for tactical purposes, I think it may be said that some of their best scoring chances have come when they have been driven back and then have broken away to strike suddenly and swiftly." He added "the quicker you get to your opponent's goal the less obstacles you find".
Chapman also rarely made changes to the team. Even when individual players were in poor form he was reluctant to drop them. According to Chapman it was a matter of confidence and he saw it as his job to build up self-belief in his players. That is why he always criticised supporters if they barracked one of his players. "When they (team changes) are necessary I try to arrange that they cause as little disturbance as possible." Drastic changes only unsettled the players and if the side was not playing well, "the moderate course is always the best".
Jack Lambert was one of the players who was often barracked by the Highbury crowd. Herbert Chapman was furious and proposed that barrackers should be thrown out of the ground if they did not respond to an appeal for fairness over the loud-speaker." Chapman later admitted that Arsenalcrowd destroyed the confidence of one young player. The 20 year-old player told Chapman: "I'm no use to anyone in football and I had better get out. The crowd are always getting at me... I hope I shall never kick a ball again." Chapman eventually allowed the young man to leave the club "though it meant sacrificing a player who, I was convinced, had exceptional possibilities of development".
Success was not immediate and Arsenal finished in 14th place in the 1929-30 season. They did much better in the FA Cup. Arsenal beat Birmingham City (1-0), Middlesbrough (2-0), West Ham United (3-0) and Hull City (1-0) to reach the final against Chapman's old club, Huddersfield Town.
Dan Lewis had played in six of the seven ties on the way to the final. However, Herbert Chapman took the controversial decision of dropping Lewis, the man who had cost Arsenal victory in the 1927 FA Cup Final, from the team. At the age of 18 years and 43 days, Cliff Bastin was the youngest player to appear in a final. Arsenal won the game 2-0 with goals from Alex James and Jack Lambert.
Dan Lewis was devastated by Chapman's decision and asked for a transfer. He was sold to Gillingham and Chapman resigned Bill Harper, who had been playing in the United States for three years.
Arsenal won their first five matches in the 1930-31 season and did not lose until the tenth game. Aston Villa took a narrow lead but in November, 1930, Arsenal beat them 5-2 at Highbury with Cliff Bastin and David Jack scoring twice and Jack Lambert once. Sheffield Wednesday now went on a good run and for a while had a narrow lead over Arsenal. However, a 2-0 win over Wednesday in March took them to the top of the league. This was followed by victories over Grimsby Town (9-1) and Leicester City (7-2).
When Arsenal beat Liverpool 3-1 at Highbury they became the first southern club to win the First Division title. The Gunners won 28 games and lost only four and obtained 66 points, six more than the previous best total and seven more than their nearest rivals, Aston Villa. That season Arsenal won a percentage of 78.57 points available to them. This had been bettered twice before by Preston North End (1888-89) with 90.9 and Sunderland (1891-92) with 80.7.
Jack Lambert was top-scorer with 38 goals. This included seven hat-tricks against Middlesbrough (home and away), Grimsby Town, Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers, Leicester City and Sunderland. Other important players in the team included Alex James, David Jack, Cliff Bastin, Joe Hulme, Eddie Hapgood, Bob John, Jimmy Brain, Tom Parker, Bill Harper, Herbert Roberts, Charlie Jones, Alf Baker and George Male.
Cliff Bastin later recalled: "This Arsenal team of 1930-31 was the finest eleven I ever played in. And, without hesitation, I include in that generalization international teams as well. Never before had there been such a team put out by any club."
Chapman was always preparing for the future. A lot of energy went into producing a good reserve side. As Bernard Joy pointed out: "Chapman had intended to set up a strong second string when he came to Highbury and more convincing proof that he had succeeded when was the reserves came into the senior team." In the 1930-31 season the Arsenal reserve side won the Combination league title for the fifth year running.
Frank Moss was playing in the reserves of Second Division side, Oldham Athletic, when Chapman, saw his potential and bought him for £3,000. He made his debut against Chelsea on 21st November 1931. He remained the first-team goalkeeper for the rest of the season.
Arsenal began the season badly. West Bromwich Albion won at Highbury in the opening game and victory did not come until the fifth match, at home to Sunderland. Arsenal's main problem was a lack of goals from Jack Lambert who was suffering from an ankle injury. However, Lambert recovered his goalscoring touch and Arsenal went on a good run and gradually began to catch the leaders, Everton.
Arsenal also did well in the FA Cup. They beat Plymouth Argyle (4-2), Portsmouth (2-0), Huddersfield Town (1-0), and Manchester City (1-0) to reach the final. Arsenal's league form was also good and after the FA semi-final they were only three points behind Everton, with a game in hand. This was followed by victories over Newcastle United and Derby County and it seemed that Arsenal might win the cup and league double.
The next game was against West Ham United at Upton Park. After two minutes Jim Barrett went for a loose ball with Alex James. According to Bernard Joy: "James chased after it, both went awkwardly into the tackle and as James slipped, down came the full weight of Barrett's fifteen stone on to his outstretched leg." James had suffered serious ligament damage and was unable to play for the rest of the season. Arsenal missed their playmaker and won only one more league game and Everton won the title by two points.
Arsenal played Newcastle United in the FA Cup Final on 23rd April, 1932. The Arsenal team that day was: Frank Moss, Tom Parker, Eddie Hapgood, Charlie Jones, Herbert Roberts, George Male, Joe Hulme, David Jack, Jack Lambert, Cliff Bastin and Bob John. Arsenal scored first, eleven minutes after the start, when John headed in a centre by Hulme.
Just before half-time Jimmy Richardson chased what appeared to be a lost cause, when David Davidson sent a long ball up the right wing. When the ball appeared to bounce over the line, the Arsenal defence instictively relaxed. Richardson managed to hook the ball into the middle and Jack Allen was able to head home. Despite the protests, the referee W. P. Harper, awarded the goal. David Jack missed an easy chance midway through the second-half and soon afterwards Allen scored again to win the game for Newcastle United 2-1.
At the beginning of the 1932-33 season Chapman changed Arsenal's kit. He replaced the lace-up jersey with a shirt with buttons at the neck and a turn-over collar. He also decided that the sleeves should now be white instead of red. The colour of the socks was altered to a more distinctive blue and white so that the players could recognize their colleagues more easily without looking up.
Tom Whittaker, Alex James and Herbert Chapman watching the 1932 Cup Final.
Arsenal was in great form in the 1932-33 season. They only lost two matches against West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa in their first 18 games. A 9-2 win over Sheffield United gave the club a six-point lead at Christmas.
Arsenal played Walsall of the Third Division North in the FA Cup on 14th January 1933. Injuries and illness robbed Arsenal of several key players including Eddie Hapgood, Joe Hulme, Jack Lambert and Bob John. Four inexperienced reserves were drafted into the side. They all performed badly and so did the regular members, with David Jack missing several opportunities to score. The tackling of the Walsall players, especially on Alex James and Cliff Bastin, also caused the team serious problems. As
