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Great-grandson fights to honour Southampton football hero
A great-grandson is fighting to see a Saints legend recognised in football history.
Ted Drake, the Southampton-born striker who became an Arsenal legend, has narrowly missed out on entry to the National Football Museum's Hall of Fame in Manchester.
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Drake, who played for Saints from 1931 to 1934 before joining Arsenal, has been described by his great-grandson Liam Harding as "arguably one of the greatest players to play the game in his time."
Liam, who put forward the nomination, said: "It's really disappointing that my Great Grandfather was denied nomination into the Footballers Hall of Fame.
"He is arguably one of the greatest players to play the game in his time alongside the likes of Stanley Matthews, Alex James, Nat Lofthouse etc who are all in the Hall of Fame where he belongs also.
"He inspired millions of people and no man since has scored more goals in an English top-flight game of football.
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"It's essential for the history of the game and its supporters that his name is remembered on a national scale for eternity in the Footballers Hall of Fame where he deserves to be for the feats he set."
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Drake passed the initial stage of the selection process but fell short in the second round.
He will automatically be considered again during the next round of nominations in October.
During his time at Arsenal, Drake set several records, including scoring seven goals in a single top-flight match on December 14, 1935.
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He remains Arsenal's fastest player to reach 100 goals, achieving the milestone in just 108 games.
He also holds the record for most goals in a single season for the club, with 44.
After injury ended his playing career, Drake moved into management and led Chelsea to their first league title in 1955.
He became the first person to win the English top flight as both a player and a manager.
Liam has dedicated much of this year to preserving his great-grandfather's legacy.
In February, he worked with Arsenal to install a memorial plaque at Highbury, where Drake's ashes have rested since 1995.
He hopes that Drake, currently Arsenal's fifth-highest all-time goalscorer with 139 goals, will be recognised in the next round of Hall of Fame nominations.
