I was not around to see the best of David Rocastle, but ten years on the tributes still flow like they did on that tragic day, in another ten years that will still be the case. Rocky was proper Arsenal, a fan, player and legend. They are hard to come by and generation after generation of Gooners will ensure his memory goes on and on and on – it is the least we can do.
Thirty-three is no age to go, and just looking around at the tributes on various blogs it is clear just how in touch he was with the fans – many got to meet him, if only briefly, and that is something that isn’t around these days. He is from another era with the skill to play in any, and that is something you really can’t say of many other players.
There will be many people at the Emirates at the weekend remembering him, many of those will have been there at Highbury for that derby game ten years ago, some of those may even shed a tear just like ten years ago.
I have had a look around the blogs and nothing I could write could stand up to some of these people, so I urge you to read these tributes:
John Cross reflects on Rocky’s early days in his MirrorFootball column.
The Goonerholic’ is at his very best here…
There is a fantastic video on Arsenal.com
Visit any Arsenal blog today and you will see the tributes flowing.
Arsenal News 24/7
Great player
RIP Rocky
At an evening match at Barnet I was astonished to see Rocky come out for I believe Darlington (certainly some minor Northern Team.
The Barnet “Arsenal” called him over and made a fuss of him. He was visibly moved. At the end of the game they called him over again and he spent a lot of time chatting and signing autographs.
Early in the next season I arrived late for a Bishops Stortford home match just in time to take part in a “minutes silence”. After this had finished I asked who it was for and was told it’s for an old mate of Ian Allinson (the then Stortford Manager.)
He’d seemed so fit in the Barnet game, I couldn’t take it in.
Finally his little boy led us out at Cardiff and I would swap any of our doubles or the unbeaten season for us to have won that day.
God bless you Rocky
Brian
He was a class act. Rip rocky
Is the club doing a minutes silence for him tommorrow to mark the tenth year of his ever so sad passing?,hope they do and also hope they sing his name all day long.Remember when i was a kid Rocky and merson were big favourites of mine and i always to this day have big affection for these players as i loved the flair they had.Its ironic that as i write this about Rocky im now 33years old which as we all know was his age when he died.Ive watched his tributes countless times as it brings me great joy to watch his skills but obviously great sadness thinking of the tragic way that he died.Cancer is so,so cruel and unfair and i pray some day soon they can treat it better.Rocky will never,ever be forgotten us gooners will make sure of that,least he deserves for being our smiling superstar.God bless you Rocky and all your family.Thanks very much for the memories.