On June 15, that proposition was made even harder by the departure of Don Howe, the hands-on second-in-command to Bertie Mee who was widely considered the architect of the Double.

[1] Two other Arsenal staff, George Wright and youth coach Brian Whitehouse, also moved to West Brom.

[2] Arsenal's only other summer transfer news was that Jon Sammels left the club for Leicester City at a price of £100,000.

In December, Mee paid a Football League record fee of £200,000 for Everton's Alan Ball in order to strengthen the squad.

They still affected the title race, as a 0-0 draw with Liverpool in the penultimate game of the season handed the league championship to Derby County.

After beating Stroemsgodset 3-1 in their first game and 4-0 at home in the next, Arsenal faced Grasshopper Club Zurich, winning 5-0 on aggregate.

[3] Arsenal faced European Cup holders Ajax in the quarterfinals, playing against Johan Cruyff and other great young players.

Facing Swindon in the third round, Ball provided first a goal and assist to help Arsenal ease past their opponents.

Arsenal beat Stoke in the replay with goals from George and Radford, and faced Leeds United in the final.

[2][5] Arsenal followed up their stellar Double season with disappointment in a fifth-place league finish and finalists medals in the FA Cup.

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