The Arsenal Yankee

Danny Karbassiyoon had it all. He had followed his dream of becoming a footballer, and had seemingly done the impossible. Coming from a country where football was certainly not the most popular sport, he was spotted by Arsenal Football Club. Better still, he got a contract and found himself training alongside the Invincibles - the most famous club side in the history of the English League. Like so many others before him, under the careful guidance of Arsène Wenger Danny made his way up through the ranks, getting occasional Arsenal games and going out on loan. Before him was footballing nirvana and a future of fame and fortune until injury put a stop to it. Danny Karbassiyoon was by no means the first player to have his life as a highly promising footballer cut short by injury. But he was one of the few to pick himself up and start again. With an attitude of anything is possible and with the active support of Arsenal, Danny moved into a new area of life: that of a football scout. The Arsenal Yankee is the remarkable story of one man s journey through the hopes and dreams of becoming a Gunner s star, through the disappointment of a career cut short, and a determination to make the most of life, no matter what fate might put in the way. With a most fulsome introduction from Arsène Wenger, the man who signed Danny Karbassiyoon for Arsenal, this is undoubtedly one of the most insightful stories of what it is really like to be discovered by a top club, and how life can be started again when a career-ending injury strikes.