1968: Armstrong evades Newcastle defenders (HultonGetty/Allsport)

The former winger suffered a brain haemorrhage and was taken to Hemel Hempstead hospital where he died on Tuesday night.

The club issued a statement saying: 'It is with great sadness that Arsenal FC confirm that reserve team manager George Armstrong passed away last night.

'George was a kind, warmhearted man who spent the last decade coaching the reserve team. He was an inspiring coach as well as a superb player in his day, featuring in Arsenal's 1970-71 double-winning side. More importantly George was an effervescent, honest, down-to-earth soul, widely respected by everyone at the club. He will be sorely missed.

'Our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with George's family at this very sad time.'

Players, many of whom benefited from Armstrong's coaching, will where black armbands for tonight's Worthington Cup match against Ipswich and a minute's silence will be observed before kick-off.

Armstrong was one of football's great unsung heroes in the Seventies. None of his Arsenal team-mates, such as Bob Wilson, Frank McLintock or George Graham could ever explain why he was consistently overlooked by the England manager Sir Alf Ramsey. Ramsey won the World Cup in 1966 without wingers but Armstrong was far more than simply a winger.

He was a key member of a very accomplished Arsenal team and made an enormous creative contribution to the 34 goals shared by Ray Kennedy and John Radford in the successful season of 1970-71.

He scored seven himself that year and with McLintock and Wilson shared the distinction of playing in all 42 First Division matches.

Built like a little pit pony, he shouldered full responsibility for his share of the workload. He was one of the most energetic and diligent players in a very industrious team.

'He was a terrific grafter with enormous stamina,' said Don Howe, who was manager Bertie Mee's first team coach in 1971.

'He used to win the cross country races regularly and it was his running and covering that allowed George Graham to get forward and score so many goals. He was also a wonderful striker of the ball, so good that we used him to take corners from both flanks.'

Although more comfortable of the left flank, he could also play on the right and if the opposition had a particularly dangerous wide player George would often play on that side specifically to help protect the defence.

It was his appetite for hard work that set him apart from other wingers of the time.

Arsenal were not the most entertaining of teams but they were hard to beat and Armstrong was one of the reasons for this.

My most vivid memory of George dates back to May 1971 when Arsenal went to White Hart Lane needing at least a goalless draw to take the First Division title. A defeat or scoring draw would give the Championship to Leeds.

An enthralling match was decided three minutes from time when the Spurs goalkeeper Pat Jennings beat out a shot from Radford. The ball flew out to the left where Armstrong hit a measured cross to the head of Kennedy, who scored his 19th goal of the season.

Five days later Armstrong was again a critical figure in the Arsenal side that beat Liverpool 2-1 after extra time in the FA Cup Final. He appeared in two League Cup Finals and also won a Fairs Cup winners medal in 1970 when he was voted Arsenal's Player of the Year. He gave Arsenal outstanding service - the kind of loyalty not seen today - and played a total of 621 first-team games in 16 years.

He played a handful of games for Leicester City before finishing his career with Stockport County.

He had various coaching duties at Aston Villa, Fulham, Trowbridge, Enderby Town, Middlesbrough and in Norway and Kuwait. But in 1990 his old teammate George Graham enticed him back to the Highbury coaching staff where he worked alongside other Double winners from 1971 like Pat Rice and Wilson.

I last spoke to him about a month ago when we recalled the punch-up between the Arsenal and Lazio players at the official banquet in Rome after their Fairs Cup clash in 1970-71.

'Food was awful that night wasn't it?' he said with typical impish humour. 'I think it was the food that started all the trouble.'