ARS 1994-96 Hillier Home Retro L/S Jersey

Description

Notes – Ultra rare player shirt believed to have been issued to Hillier for the 1995 European Cup Winners’ Cup Final against Real Zaragoza at the Parc des Princes in Paris on 10th May 1995. The Gunners were looking to retain the trophy they’d won the previous year in Copenhagen against Parma and faced a Zaragoza side who had already beaten the likes of Feyenoord and Arsenal’s London rivals Chelsea to reach the final. The game was a tense affair with both sides going close before heading into the break goalless. It was the Spaniards who broke the deadlock first through Juan Esnáider with less than half an hour to play. Welsh striker John Hartson equalised for the Gunners and the final headed to Golden Goal extra time. As the minutes ticked down the tie looked as if it was to be decided by a shootout until former Tottenham man Nayim saw David Seaman off his line and sent a 40 yard lob over the England keeper to win the final for Zargoza. Hillier came on for Martin Keown at half time and played the rest of the match. He had signed for Arsenal as a school boy and come up through the ranks at Highbury. This season he made 19 appearances for the side and struggled for consecutive starts before moving south to Fratton Park with Portsmouth following the arrival of new boss Arsene Wenger in 1996.