David O'Leary

David O'Leary

David O'Leary in 1981
Personal information
Full name	David Anthony O'Leary
Date of birth	(1958-05-02) 2 May 1958 (age 58)
Place of birth	Stoke Newington, London, England
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Centre back
Youth career
1973–1975	Arsenal
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1975–1993	Arsenal	558	(11)
1993–1995	Leeds United	12	(0)
Total		570	(11)
National team
1976–1993	Republic of Ireland	68	(1)
Teams managed
1998–2002	Leeds United
2003–2006	Aston Villa
2010–2011	Al-Ahli
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

David Anthony O'Leary (born 2 May 1958) is an Irish football manager and former player. His managerial career began at Leeds United and later he managed Aston Villa. He most recently worked as the manager of Al-Ahli Dubai. The majority of his 20-year playing career was spent as a central defender at Arsenal. O'Leary's tally of 722 appearances for the North London side stands as a club record.

O'Leary was born in Stoke Newington, London on 2 May 1958 and moved to live in Dublin at the age of four.

A Shelbourne schoolboy player O'Leary signed for Arsenal as an apprentice in 1973. He soon progressed through the ranks at Highbury, playing in the reserves at the age of 16. He made his debut for Arsenal against Burnley on 16 August 1975, and despite being only 17, went on to make 30 appearances that season. For the next ten years he was ever-present in the Arsenal side, playing more than 40 matches a season (except for 1980–81, where he was injured and only played 27).

A calm and collected central defender, O'Leary was noted for his good positioning and elegant style of play. He won his first major honour with Arsenal when he played in their 3–2 win over Manchester United in the 1979 FA Cup Final. He also played in the 1978 and 1980 Cup finals, and the 1980 Cup Winners' Cup final, all of which Arsenal lost. In 1982 O'Leary became club captain, but reliniquished it to Graham Rix eighteen months later.