George Eastham 1936-2024Former Arsenal and England midfielder George Eastham passed away. Born in Blackpool, Eastham began his career at Ards under his father’s management before joining Newcastle United in 1956. After disputes with Newcastle, he joined Arsenal in 1960, leading a legal battle that ended the “retain and transfer” arrangement. Eastham made 223 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 41 goals, and captained the team from 1963-1966. He earned 19 England caps and was part of the 1966 World Cup-winning squad. Eastham later played for Stoke City and managed them in 1977/78. He emigrated to South Africa in 1978, where he became a critic of apartheid and coached young Black players.
