David Hillier took drugs, stole a guy's luggage and became a fireman. But not at the same time.

With all the attention currently being lavished on Arsenal's sensational youngsters it seems now would the ideal time to focus on the life and times of one of their former young charges: tough-tackling midfielder David Hillier.

Hillier began his career by signing schoolboy forms with The Gunners way back in the halcyon days of 1984, when Torvil & Dean won Olypmic gold and the Ministry of Truth ensured all facts were historically accurate... Or something.

Anyways four years later Deadly Dave (as I like to call him) turned pro and within several years had become a regular under crazy bung-taking medal-machine George Graham. The future looked first class. Sadly at that point things started to go off the rails (I was trying for a train pun there, you know - "first class carrige", "off the rails"... Didn't really work, did it?)

Firstly in March 1995 he tested positive for illegal substance abuse then, the following year he thieved a suitcase in an airport carpark and, in the process, ensured that his future at Highbury was stolen away from him.

He subsequently went on to play for Portsmouth, Bristol Rovers and Barnet before hanging up his boots and joining the Fire Service.

So who knows; Bradley Wright-Phillips might just end up being a paramedic.

Brian Clough refused to sign Gary McAllister because he wore cowboy boots to a meeting.

Gary McAllister may have an MBE, 55 caps for Scotland, and winners medals for the League, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the UEFA Cup but if there is one thing he certainly does not have it's fashion sense.

Never was this more evident than when the Motherwellian (Motherwellatian?) midfield maestro met mercurial management monster Mrian Mlough (Brain Clough... Sorry, got a bit carried away there. Alliteration Anonymous, that's what I need. Or maybe a holiday. Somewhere sunny.)

At the time McAllister was a Leicester City player who been presented with the possibility of a move across the East Midlands to Clough's Nottingham Forest. Sadly the Scotsman made the mistake of turning up for meeting the in cowboy boots prompting Clough to famously remark:

"Who do you think you are young man? Bloody John Wayne?"

McAllister fired back "Actually yes I do and what's more I am very sensitive about it so I'd ask that you kindly avoid the subject as mental health issues are not something to be joked about and should be dealt with in a respectful and dignified manner and not treated as subjects fit for shameful ridicule. GOOD DAY SIR!" Nah, he didn't really. But it would have been great if he had.