Arsenal's Armstrong dies at the age of 56

George Armstrong, one of the key members of Arsenal's Double-winning side of 1971, died yesterday at the age of 56. The former Gunners winger collapsed at the club's training ground in Hertfordshire on Tuesday while taking a training session as reserve team manager.

George Armstrong, one of the key members of Arsenal's Double-winning side of 1971, died yesterday at the age of 56. The former Gunners winger collapsed at the club's training ground in Hertfordshire on Tuesday while taking a training session as reserve team manager.

He was taken to the nearby Hemel Hempstead hospital and put on a life-support machine but died early yesterday. According to the club, he had suffered a brain haemorrhage.

Armstrong joined Arsenal straight from school and made his first team debut at the age of 17 before going on to compile 621 appearances, a club record before it was passed by David O'Leary (722).

After a 15-year playing career at Highbury he joined Leicester City and then Stockport County before taking coaching jobs with Aston Villa, Fulham, Middlesbrough and in Norway and Kuwait. He was brought back to Highbury in 1990 by the then manager, George Graham. The Tottenham manager said yesterday that he was "devastated" by the news.

Eric Cantona, the former Manchester United and Leeds striker, may return to football in a back-room role with Marseilles, according to reports in French newspapers.

The reports said that the majority shareholder, Robert Louis-Dreyfus, had asked the 34-year-old Cantona, born in the city and a former Marseilles player, to consider replacing Eric di Meco as general manager of the club. The Brazilian Abel Braga would retain his job as coach of the relegation-threatened French First Division side.

Le Parisien newspaper said Louis-Dreyfus met Cantona on Monday to discuss the proposal. However, the club's president, Yves Marchand, denied that Cantona was being seriously considered for the job.