Pat Rice announced his retirement from the post on 10 May 2012.
13 Facts About Pat Rice
2.
Pat Rice turned professional in 1966 and worked his way up as a defender through the club's youth and reserve teams.
3.
Pat Rice remained first-choice right back for the club as he played in the 1972 FA Cup final as well.
4.
Pat Rice is one of only 3 Arsenal players to have played in five FA Cup Finals, the other two being David Seaman and Ray Parlour.
5.
Pat Rice led Arsenal to the 1980 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final, which Arsenal lost on penalties to Valencia.
6.
Pat Rice finally left Arsenal in 1980 at the age of 31, by which time he had played 528 games in total for the club.
7.
In September 1996, Pat Rice was briefly caretaker manager of the club after the resignation of Stewart Houston, who himself was caretaker after the sacking of Bruce Rioch.
8.
Pat Rice holds the distinction of having taken part, as player or coach, in all three of Arsenal's Doubles.
9.
On 5 May 2012, it was announced that Pat Rice would be stepping down after an accumulative 44 years with club, since joining as an apprentice, with the home game against Norwich being his final home game as Arsenal No 2.
10.
Pat Rice was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to sport.
11.
Pat Rice started training at Arsenal at age 14 and would spend all his spare time developing his fitness and football skills.
12.
Pat Rice co-wrote with Steve Stammers his own regular football column, in the 1970s for the now defunct 'London Evening News'.
13.
In November 2013 it was announced that Pat Rice had been admitted to hospital for cancer treatment.